World champions. European champions. Best team in the world. Best passing game in the world. The number of plaudits is endless. But is this a step too far for Spain?

Every cycle has to end and many are saying the World Cup in Brazil will be the end of Spain’s international dominance.

All the signs are there. A European team has never won in south America. When they faced Brazil in the Confederations Cup final last summer, they were easily beaten 3-0 by hosts Brazil and were made to look human again.

The players are getting older and their strikers are not quite the same as they were two years ago, let alone four.

In the build up to Euro 2012 and World Cup 2010 they won every  game. This time, they had to wait until the final game to secure their spot in Brazil.

A 1-0 victory over France meant they avoided the play-offs but it showed that this isn’t the Spain side that had other teams quaking in their boots before a ball had been kicked.

When manager Vincente del Bosque named his 30-man preliminary squad, most other countries looked on in envy at the array of talent at the 63-year-old’s disposal.

The injury to Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes was a terrible blow but Real Madrid’s Iker Casillas is still the number one and the captain, despite having to settle for a place on the bench for his club,

The back four all but names itself. Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos will partner Barcelona’s Gerard Pique once again with Barca team-mate Jordi Alba on the left.

Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal is the current favourite to start on the right despite not winning a cap for his country, with Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta in contention.

The key to Spain retaining their crown is midfield. The Barcelona duo of Xavi and Andres Iniesta still have what it takes to out pass any team in the world and if they find their form they alone will defeat the majority of nations.

But arguably it is Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso who is the key to the team. His ability to break up opposition attacks and then get Spain going again with his devastating long-range passing ability is overlooked by other teams but it is a major part of the way Spain play.

The remarkable drop in form of Chelsea’s Fernando Torres would be a worry to most nations but the recently acquired Diego Costa, who played for Brazil twice before deciding he wants to play for Spain, is likely to lead the line if they decide to play with a striker.

But to write off the holders is a dangerous game to play.

Many have now labelled their tiki-taka style as boring but it is still one of the most difficult types of football to stop and this team has truly mastered the art of passing.

Spain’s provisional 29-man squad—

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Napoli), David de Gea (Manchester United)

Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Cesar Azplicueta (Chelsea), Juanfran (Atletico Madrid), Javi Martinez (Bayern Munich), Raul Albiol (Napoli), Alberto Moreno (Sevilla)

Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Ander Iturraspe (Athletic Bilbao), David Silva (Manchester City), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Juan Mata (Manchester United)

Forwards: Diego Costa, David Villa (Atletico Madrid), Alvaro Negredo, Jesus Navas (Manchester City), Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Fernando Llorente (Juventus), Fernando Torres (Chelsea)