With a promising team built around the core of Real Madrid´s dazzling club side, Spain had enjoyed a promising World Cup campaign in 1986, and coach Miguel Munoz was duly retained for the next European Championship tournament two years later.

Qualification from a group containing Austria, Romania, and Albania was achieved with ease, and Spain was drawn into a tough-looking Group A for the tournament proper alongside Denmark, Italy, and West Germany.

The campaign started well with an entertaining 3-2 win over the Danes, all the goals scored by Real Madrid players. That was to be the highlight of the tournament, however, and Spain failed to impress in their other group games, lost 1-0 to Italy and 2-0 to West Germany. Underachievement was the term that best described Spanish performances in the latter part of the 20th century, and Euro '88 was a very good example of the nation's considerable playing resources failing to live up to its potential.