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 it its potential.