Spain captain Raul confident about form

Spain skipper Raul says that despite missing three months of the season with a serious knee injury he will be in better shape for this World Cup than any previous international tournament.

"This could be my last World Cup and I'm really looking forward to it," the Real Madrid striker told reporters on his arrival at Spain's training camp in Madrid yesterday.

"I'm going to be in better physical condition than for any other tournament."

Raul, 28, sustained a partial tear of the cruciate ligament and damaged the cartilage in his left knee during Real's 3-0 defeat against Barcelona in November and did not return to action until mid-February.

He struggled to win back his place and did not manage to add to his modest tally of five league goals, his lowest total since breaking into the first team 12 seasons ago.

The striker, who is Spain's all-time leading scorer but has never shone at an international tournament, said he was confident the goals would come.

"I'm improving all the time and when I score the first one, others will follow."

Spain coach Luis Aragones has selected just two other natural strikers in the squad, with Atletico Madrid's Fernando Torres and Valencia's David Villa joining Raul in the 23-strong squad.

Aragones decided to leave out Liverpool striker Fernando Morientes after a disappointing season with the Premier League side.