Spain’s passion for soccer (football, or fútbol) is known worldwide, as the country’s top teams such as Real Madrid and F.C. Barcelona are, not to mention the national team which in 2010 won nothing less than the sport’s most celebrated competition, the FIFA World Cup.

 

But Spanish sporting glory also shines in arenas far beyond the soccer pitch. Several players on Spain’s national basketball team such as Pau Gasol and José Calderón are also NBA superstars. The team itself won the 2006 World Basketball Championships and secured silver medals in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 Olympics. Rafa Nadal is a living tennis legend and Carolina Marín is a badminton player who is currently ranked No. 1 in the world. She won her first women's singles gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics .