Fernando Torres has told Marca that Spain have earned the right to be labelled favourites to lift the World Cup this summer.
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La Roja are the current world champions after a 1-0 extra-time victory over Netherlands in the 2010 final, and then followed that up by winning Euro 2012 with an emphatic 4-0 final victory over Italy, retaining the title they won in 2008.
Vicente del Bosque's side head to Brazil with huge expectations following their recent successes, though Torres -- who scored the third against the Azzurri in the Euro 2012 final -- believes that Spain deserve to be the most-feared side at the tournament.
"We should be [favourites] by right and because we've won that right," the Chelsea striker said.
The 30-year-old has endured a difficult time at Stamford Bridge since his 50 million-pound move from Liverpool in 2011, but despite scoring just five Premier League goals as the Blues finished four points behind winners Manchester City last season, Torres made Del Bosque's final 23 for Brazil.
Fellow Spain forward Diego Costa looks set to move to Stamford Bridge this summer, and although Torres has "no plans" to leave the South West London club under the threat of added competition, he feels the Atletico Madrid forward would be a "quality" addition for Jose Mourinho's side.
"It's the same every summer. No-one has ever given me anything on a plate," he continued. "They made me compete for my place the very moment I got into the first team; that's what they taught me and it'll be that way until I leave.
"The higher quality players that come -- and Diego Costa is quality -- the greater the competition will be and the better it'll be for the team".
With Chelsea's interest in Costa and a host of clubs looking to sign players from Diego Simeone's Champions League finalists, Torres insists that he is only concentrating on the World Cup -- but thinks the club he captained as a teenager were unfortunate to lose out to Real Madrid.
"If we listened to all the rumours we'd have 50 players," he said. "Now's not the right time to be thinking about Chelsea. I'm sure the club is working to improve the team, but all that matters right now is the World Cup.
"I didn't cry [over the final], but Ramos' goal was very cruel. If Real Madrid had won 2-0 or 3-0 then you've lost to a great rival. But Atletico didn't deserve to lose the way they did."
"He started everything, he did the hardest part which no longer has a bearing on us. He got rid of the fear of not being able to compete," he added.