Rafael Nadal is the best Spanish tennis player at the moment and one of the greatest talents worldwide. He started playing tennis at the age of 12, choosing this sport over football. In 2002 Nadal won his first ATP game and the next year he became the second youngest player ever to enter the Top 100 of the singles ATP ranking. In 2005 the youngster made his breakthrough, when he won the French Open and reached second place in the ATP ranking. Nadal repeated this feat in 2006 and 2007 and has never lost a single match on the French Open. Furthermore, he reached the finals of Wimbledon in 2006 and 2007, but lost them. Presently the perspective player has won a total of 23 ATP titles in singles and 3 in doubles. In 2004 Nadal represented Spain in the Davis Cup, where his country beat the USA national team on the final.

Iker Casillas is the current goalkeeper of the most successful football club in the world, Real Madrid, and captain of the Spanish national team. Regarded as one of the greatest talents in contemporary football, Casillas has spent his entire career with Real Madrid. He entered the club at the age of nine, passed through all children’s and youth teams and established himself as the first-choice keeper in 1999. In these years the Spaniard broke a number of records, including this for the youngest goalkeeper ever to play a Champions League final. At the age of 20 Iker had already won all major club trophies in Spain and Europe. Currently he has made 300 appearances for his club Real Madrid and 74 games with the national team. He has participated in two World Cup tournaments in 2002 and 2006 and in two European Championships in 2000 as an unused substitute and in 2004. His major successes with the team of Spain are the quarter-finals in Japan and South Korea in 2002 and in Germany in 2006.

Pau Gasol is considered one of the best European basketball players of our time. He started his professional career in 1999 with club Barcelona, having already won the world and European junior titles with the youth formations of Spain. After winning all possible trophies in Spain in 2001, the young talent decided to move to the NBA playing for theVancouver Grizzlies, called Memphis Grizzlies today. There Gasol spent six years and established himself as one of the finest players in the league. In 2006 the Spaniard took part in the most prestigious event in the NBA, the All-Star Game. In 2008 he was transferred to Los Angeles Lakers in a deal involving his younger brother Marc, who swapped from Lakers to Memphis Grizzlies. Pau Gasol is one of the most important figures that turned Spain into one of the leading national teams in the world at the moment. He took part in the glorious World Championship 2006, where Spain won the title and Gasol was elected the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.

Fernando Alonso is one of the brightest stars in Formula One of our time. The Spanish pilot has already won two times the championship and holds the records for youngest world champion and youngest double champion. Alonso showed his immense talent in motor sports as a child, participating in karting competitions in Spain. Between 1993 and 1996 he won four consecutive junior titles of his country. In 1996 he also won the Junior World Cup. Later he passed through several types of racing competitions and in 2001 he became the third-youngest driver in the history of F1. Fernando Alonso signed with the mediocre team of Minardi and quickly drew the attention of experts and spectators. The following year he was transferred to Renault and in 2003 achieved his first victory in Hungary. In 2005 and 2006 the Spaniard was by far the best in the championships and won all the titles. His next season with McLaren was not so successful and he lost the title in the last race. Since the beginning of 2008 Alonso returned to his previous team Renault. Up to this moment, Fernando Alonso has 106 races with 19 wins and 49 podiums. Apart from his sports career, the pilot is goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.

Miguel Indurain belongs to the most successful cyclists of all times. He started his professional career in 1985 and raced only for two teams – Reynolds and Banesto. The first great success of the legendary cyclist was his overall victory in the Tour de France in 1991. He repeated this achievement the next four years and thus became the only cyclist ever with five consecutive Tour de France overall wins. In 1995 he became world champion in the time trial and won a silver medal in the road race. Indurain reached the peak of his career in 1996, winning the Olympic gold medal in Atlanta. He decided to put an end to his career immediately after this title. For his outstanding achievements the Spaniard was awarded a number of individual prizes. Since his retirement Miguel Indurain has been member of the Spanish Olympic Committee and chairs his own foundation.

Barcelona and Madrid are the two most important clubs in Spain, and they have always been huge rivals.

This Spanish football player is called by his fans the Angel of Madrid, or simply Raúl. Born in the city's suburb Marconi de San Cristóbal de los Ángeles, he devoted his talent to the capital of Spain as well as to the national team. Beginning in 1990, he played in two local youth teams, only to join Real Madrid in 1994. He made a successful debut in October 1996, in an international match between Spain and the Czech Republic. With Real, he won the UEFA Champions League three times – in 1998, 2000 and 2002. In 2002, he was chosen to be the captain of Real Madrid and the national team. His skills have been analysed, acclaimed and criticised by the media throughout his sport career. Raúl is married to a Spanish model, Mamen Sanz, and they have four sons. He has a habit of kissing his wedding ring every time he scores a goal.