Spanish Soccer

Question 1

The Spanish national team won its first major international title after defeating this team in the 1964 European Championship (also held in Spain).

Answer 1

Soviet Union

Question 2

Spain made it to the quarterfinals of the 1994 World Cup. Their loss was controversial because Italian defender Mauro Tassotti struck this Spanish player with his elbow, causing him to bleed profusely from the nose and mouth. The foul was not noticed by the referee.

Answer 2

Luis Enrique

Question 3

Spain’s first major international victory since 1964 was UEFA 2008. In the final match they defeated Germany 1-0, the lone score being made by this player.

Answer 3

Fernando Torres

Question 4

In the 2010 World Cup Spain became the third team to win outside the championship outside of their own continent. What are the other three (there are now four)?

Answer 4

Brazil (Sweden, Mexico, USA, Korea/Japan)
Argentina (Mexico)
Germany (Brazil)

Question 5

This player scored the lone goal in Spain’s 1-0 victory over the Netherlands in the 2010 World Cup final.

Answer 5

Andres Iniesta

Question 6

This player holds the record for most appearances on the Spanish national team.

Answer 6

Iker Casillas

2. Sergio Ramos
3. Xavi

Question 7

This player holds the title of highest goalscorer for the Spanish national team.

Answer 7

David Villa

2. Raul Gonzalez
3. Fernando Torres

Question 8

“La Liga” is sponsored by this company, whose name is technically part of the league’s official name.

Answer 8

Santander

Question 9

Only three of La Liga’s founding clubs have not been relegated from the Primera Division. What are they?

Answer 9

Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao

Question 10

This Liga team won its first title during the 1939-40 season under the name Atletico Aviacion.

Answer 10

Atletico Madrid

Question 11

This team won its only title to date in 1946. That decade saw many team rosters decimated by the Spanish Civil War.

Answer 11

Sevilla

Question 12

Real Madrid’s dominance throughout the middle of the century was interrupted by back-to-back victories by this club in 1981 and 1982.

Answer 12

Real Sociedad

Question 13

Three Primera teams are located in/around Madrid, the latest being this team, which was promoted for the first time after the 2015-16 season.

Answer 13

CD Leganes

Question 14

This manager and former player restored a crumbling Barcelona team, winning it four Liga championships between 1989-1994/

Answer 14

Johan Cruyff

Question 15

This style of playing is characterized by short passing and movement and is most associated with Pep Guardiola’s tenure as Barcelona manager.

Answer 15

Tiki-taka

Question 16

This is the name by which Barcelona’s youth academy is usually referred.

Answer 16

La Masia (de Can Planes)

Question 17

This club won its first and only Liga title in the 1999-00 season but has remained a fixture in the league’s top performers, finishing in the top half of the league in 16 of 19 seasons over the past 20 years.

Answer 17

Deportivo de la Coruña

Question 18

This is the only Spanish player to ever be voted Ballon d’Or. He played on Deportivo and Barcelona, the latter of which was he was playing for when he one the award in 1960.

Answer 18

Luis Suarez

Question 19

This player is credited with being responsible for Real Madrid’s string of championships in the 1950s. In 1963, he was kidnapped and soon released by a Venezuelan revolutionary group during a Real Madrid tour of South America.

Answer 19

Alfredo di Stefano

Question 20

The Pichichi Trophy is an awarded given by this Spanish sports publication to the top goalscorer of each La Liga season.

Answer 20

Marca

Question 21

The rivalry between these two La Liga teams is often referred to as “Derby de la Communitat.”

Answer 21

Valencia, Villarreal

Question 22

Though he brought Barcelona two Liga titles as manager from 1997-2000, he left the team after losing the title to Deportivo. His tenure was plagued by conflict with the media and players.

Answer 22

Louis Van Gaal

Question 23

This Basque team was promoted to la Primera in 2014 and has the smallest stadium of all teams in the division with a capacity of 7,000.

Answer 23

Eibar

Question 24

This Brazilian midfielder made his most club appearances as a member of Barcelona from 1997-2002. In 1999, he won the Ballon d’Or.

Answer 24

Rivaldo

Question 25

Matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona are given this title.

Answer 25

El Clasico

Question 26

In 2010, these three players who came through Barcelona’s youth academy were chosen as the three best players in the world in the FIFA Ballon d’Or awards.

Answer 26

Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta, Xavi

Question 27

This Hungarian footballer led Barcelona to success in the 1950s. There is a statue of him built outside of Camp Nou.

Answer 27

Laszlo Kubala

Question 28

This Barcelona manager only spent a year with the team during the 1996-97 season. He was considered to be a short-term solution while Barcelona waited for another coach. Nevertheless, under his tenure the team deliver a “cup treble” (Copa Del Rey, UEFA Winners, Supercopa).

Answer 28

Bobby Robson