Punters spoilt for choice with Spain in World Cup Golden Boot market

Of the 67 tournament goals scored by Spain in the last eight years, Fernando Torres and David Villa have contributed over half that total (34) between them. Yet, neither striker features on Vicente del Bosque’s latest La Roja roster 100 days before the World Cup in Brazil.

Holders Spain are fourth-favourites at 7/1 – behind hosts Brazil (3/1), Argentina (5/1) and Germany (11/2) – to retain their global crown, despite an embarrassment of attacking riches.

They are odds-on at 4/6 to win and 1/8 to qualify from Group B, which also contains Australia, former colony Chile and beaten 2010 finalists the Netherlands.

Coral rate the round of 16 as Spain’s most likely stage of elimination at 9/4, but that is based on the premise of encountering Brazil then – who comprehensively beat La Roja 3-0 in the Confederations Cup final last summer.

Such an outcome would only result if one nation finished second in their group and the other topped their pool.

Del Bosque’s squad to face Italy – a rerun of the Euro 2012 final – contains just two out-and-out strikers in Brazilian-born Diego Costa and Manchester City frontman Alvaro Negredo.

Other forward options include Barcelona attacker Pedro and former Arsenal playmaker Cesc Fabregas, who has sometimes been deployed in the false number nine role by his country.

Spain are odds-on 8/15 favourites to beat the Azzurri again at Atletico Madrid’s Vicente Calderon. Punters can get a 3/1 price for a draw and 5/1 on Italy pulling off an upset. Costa and Negredo are both even-money bets to score, and 4/1 shots respectively to net the opener.

Unlike Torres and Villa, however, neither has much tournament pedigree. Granted, Costa is a newcomer to the international stage and Negredo was backup to the deadly duo at Euro 2012, yet both are 25/1 chances (and the most likely Spaniards in Coral’s market) to be top-scorer at the World Cup.

Even though the goal-burden, during a trophy-laden spell that began at Euro 2008, has fallen on soon-to-be 30-year-old Torres and Villa, Del Bosque warned them both that will count for nothing as he decides who makes the plane to Brazil.