They may be rated as favourites for the World Cup

But not by Fitch Ratings

Fitch Ratings-London-28 May 2010: Fitch Ratings has today downgraded Spain’s Long-term foreign and local currency Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) to ‘AA+’ from ‘AAA’. The rating Outlooks on both Long-term IDRs are Stable. Fitch has simultaneously affirmed Spain’s Short-term rating of ‘F1+’ and the Country Ceiling of ‘AAA’.

“The downgrade reflects Fitch’s assessment that the process of adjustment to a lower level of private sector and external indebtedness will materially reduce the rate of growth of the Spanish economy over the medium-term,” says Brian Coulton, Fitch’s Head of EMEA Sovereign Ratings.

“Despite government debt and associated interest costs remaining within the AAA range, Fitch anticipates that the economic adjustment process will be more difficult and prolonged than for other economies with AAA rated sovereign governments, which is why the agency has downgraded Spain’s rating to AA+,” Coulton added.