Spain coach Luis Aragones has declared that his underachieving nation should look to the attitude of World Champions Italy if they are to break a 48-year run without winning a tournament.

Despite having one of the strongest domestic leagues in world football and a seemingly bottomless pit of talent, Spain - like England - have not won a major international trophy since the 1960's, when they hosted and won a European title in '64.

"Recently, I read a player saying that Spain lack competitiveness and that is something I have been saying for some time now," Aragones said ahead of his side's friendly against Roberto Donadoni's Azzurri.

"There have been times when we've had a team that should have gone further, but we haven't done it."

Aragones pointed to mental differences, with the technically gifted Spanish players often failing to win tight knock-out games and penalty shoot-outs.

"Italy have some very good players, and physically they are very strong, but they are intelligent and they know how to compete.

"[Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso] is a great player and always performs. He and others in the team can teach us a lot about what it means to compete and sacrifice yourself in a game."

Spain meet Italy in Elche in their final match before Luis Aragones announces his squad for Euro 2008 where his team are in Group D with Russia, Sweden and European champions Greece.

Italy, meanwhile, are warming up for their Group C campaign in which they face France - who they beat in the 2006 World Cup final and faced in qualifying for the Euros - along with the Netherlands and Romania.

Reda Maher / Reuters