Spain begin the defence of their European crown against Italy on Sunday in much the same way as they started the tournament four years ago — hoping a Premier League superstar will shoot them to glory. For Fernando Torres in 2008 read David Silva in 2012.

Four years ago Torres had just scored 24 league goals in his debut season for Liverpool and took that form into Euro 2008, scoring in the final. This season Silva won the Premier League title and now his goals are needed to inspire Vicente del Bosque’s side, who are missing the country’s all-time top scorer David Villa.

Silva netted more goals in qualifying than Torres and fellow centre-forwards Fernando Llorente and Alvaro Negredo combined and, with his goal against China in Spain’s last friendly, he has 16 for his country - making him the third highest scoring non-centre-forward in Spain’s history, behind midfielder Fernando Hierro and winger Michel.

Hope: David Silva could be Spain's key player

He may have to carry the goalscoring weight in this tournament but, as one former coach explained, he has not always been ruthless in front of the net.

As an 18-year-old Valencia player out on loan at second division Eibar, Silva was clean through on goal in injury-time of a promotion six-pointer with the score at 1-1, when he saw a rival down injured and inexplicably kicked the ball out for a throw-in.

Eibar’s then coach, current Osasuna manager Jose Mendilibar, said: ‘I didn’t say anything to him and neither did the other players. He kicked the ball out so the player could receive treatment. Not many players would have done that and he was praised for his fair play. It was four or five games before the end of the season and, had we won that game, we might have gone up.

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