U.S. National Team Will Face World Champion Spain

The U.S. Men's National Team will square-off against Spain, current world champion and number 1 ranked team, on June 4 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Kickoff against defending European Champion is set for 4:30 p.m. ET

 

The high-profile friendly takes place three days before the U.S. begins group play in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

 

"Spain is clearly one of the most talented teams in the world," said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. "We value the opportunity to test ourselves against a team of their quality, and we couldn't ask for a better match to prepare for the Gold Cup."

 

The U.S. and Spain have met just four times previously, with Spain holding a 3-1-0 edge. The USA's lone victory during the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup is the most famous of the encounters. Facing a Spain team that had been on an international record run of 15 consecutive victories and a 35-game unbeaten streak, goals by Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey gave the U.S. a 2-0 win, and a place in its first final of a major FIFA tournament.

 

This is the first meeting between the countries on U.S. soil. It will be three years ago to the day that the U.S. traveled to Spain, the teams remaining scoreless through 78 minutes before a goal from Xavi Hernandez carried Spain to a 1-0 victory. The first meeting between the teams came at the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, with Gino Pariani scoring the only U.S. goal in a 3-1 loss in group play (although the goal is disputed in the record books and FIFA still credits John Souza). The only other meeting between the teams was a friendly on March 11, 1992, in Valladolid, Spain, that was won 2-0 by the host.

The U.S. is making its 12th appearance in Foxborough, posting an impressive 9-1-2 record. Remarkably, 10 of the 12 matches have been either in the Gold Cup or FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The U.S. has tallied 28 goals and surrendered six in the facility, with eight shutouts.

The match against Spain will be the team's final preparation before they join Group C of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup along with Canada, Panama and Guadeloupe.