Is Fernando Torres out of Spain XI?

The Euro 2008 Champions have booked their place for the World Cup and the team maybe one of the most gifted in the world, boasting three great play makers in Cesc Fabregas, Xavi and Andres Iniesta as well as one of the hottest forwards in the game in David Villa, can Fernando Torres justify his role in the side?

Despite being seen as the highest profile player for La Furia Roja, he has been struggling for form of late with only nine goals in two years for his country.

Villa has scored the same amount of goals since February. Although appearing in 22 games fewer than Torres since making his debut in 2005, Villa has netted nineteen more goals than the Liverpool forward.

In the last two World Cup qualifiers against Belgium and Estonia, Torres failed to hit the target on many an occasion, opportunities he rarely squanders at Anfield.

If he continues to miss the target for the national side then Vicente del Bosque, Spain's head coach, may be forced to change his strategy, perhaps putting an extra man in midfield, leaving Villa up front alone to spearhead the attack.

And then there's David Silva who played brilliantly last Saturday with Villa against the Belgians.

Now that their place is booked in South Africa, del Bosque will be looking to create a World Cup winning side and it may be that Torres will have to watch it happen from the subs' bench.