with hopes of success there are three countries that stand head and shoulders above the rest.Brazil, Spain

If they win a third gold, it could well be at Wembley.Then there is Spain.

from this summer in Jordi Alba, Javi Martinez and Juan Mata (pictured below with Euro 2012 trophy), Spain

They are also taking on Uruguay, Brazil and Spain who are proven winners.Between them, the trio hold

Brazil are world under-20 champions, Spain have the under-19 and 21 European crowns.

swimming hopes for the London 2012 Paralympics are travelling to Sierra Nevada, a mountain range in Spain

Ribeiro and Matthew Rheine are also travelling to Spain.A host of other athletes will be travelling to Spain

By Stuart NewmanJuly 24 - Kari Seitz will enjoy the honour of taking charge of the opening football match of London 2012 when she referees the tussle between hosts Team GB and New Zealand tomorrow, the FIFA Organising Committee for Olympic Football Tournaments has announced.

Africa – City of Coventry), Carol Anne Chenard, Canada (Colombia v North Korea)Men's: Mark Geiger, USA (Spain

By David GoldJuly 22 - Australia's men's and women's wheelchair basketball teams have both enjoyed a significant pre-London 2012 boost as both claimed victories at the World Challenge in Sydney.

Australia won gold at Beijing 2008, and will face the United States, Italy, Spain, Turkey and South Africa

By David GoldJuly 22 - South Africa's Richard Murray made history in Hamburg at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Series when he became the first athlete from Africa to win a Series title.

the more impressive as he had to withstand the pressure of two time world champion Javier Gomez of Spain

By Tom DegunJuly 22 - Nineteen of the world's best water polo players from six different nations will have major worries following the London 2012 Olympic Games after the collapse of Italian club Pro Recco, one of the powerhouses of the sport.

best water polo clubs are based in countries whose economies are not in the best shape, such as Italy, Spain

By Andrew Warshaw at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in LondonJuly 22 - The draw for the London 2012 tennis tournament, which features both recent men's Wimbledon finalists Roger Federer and Andy Murray (pictured), will be staged at the All England Club on Thursday (July 26) with seedings based on the most up-to-date world rankings.

will be drawn in different quarters of the draw.Rafael Nadal, who was to have carried the flag for Spain

By David OwenJuly 20 – Madrid's latest Olympic bid has laid claim to the backing of the Spanish business community after an event attended by more than 100 representatives of leading enterprises.

Alejandro Blanco, President of the Madrid 2020 bid, said "the project that will bring Spain

By Tom Degun at the Main Press Centre on the Olympic Park in LondonJuly 19 - Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal, the Beijing 2008 men's singles champion, will not get the chance to defend his crown at London 2012 after being forced to pull out of the Games because of a knee injury.

Carrying the flag will the something unforgettable and I hope that Spain continue on the path of success

By Tom DegunJuly 19 - The Tokyo bid team for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games has unveiled its official slogan – "Discover Tomorrow" – as it steps up efforts to host the greatest sporting event on the planet.

The Japanese capital is bidding against Istanbul in Turkey and Madrid in Spain for the right to stage

By David GoldJuly 18 – The man captaining the first British basketball team competing in the Olympics since 1948 has told insidethegames that leading the team out at London 2012 "is what dreams are made ".

times and reigning Olympic champions, but have a tough group nonetheless.They face 2008 runners-up Spain

By David GoldJuly 15 - With time running out before the start of London 2012, the Canadian men's wheelchair basketball team is holding a final training camp in Ontario.

preliminary group stage.The United States were drawn in the other preliminary group with Australia, Italy, Spain

Stuart Pearce's Great Britain squad begin their Olympic preparations in Spain with a behind closed doors

Elche's Juan Asensi (pictured above) went on to make his name with Barcelona and appeared for Spain

GoldJuly 12 - Teresa Perales and Sarai Gascon are among the leading athletes selected to represent Spain

Jordi Morales Garcia, Jose Manuel Ruiz Reyes and Alvaro Valera.A total of 142 athletes will compete for Spain

By David GoldJuly 10 - Nigeria, along with Lithuania and Russia, has completed the line-up for the London 2012 men's basketball tournament after the final qualifying event in Caracas, Venezuela.

previously won Olympic gold.In Group B Russia will join the hosts Great Britain, Beijing 2008 runners-up Spain