Fernando Torres has seen injuries blight his season and Spain will hope he can make a full recovery in time to spearhead his country's attack at the World Cup.

Two years ago, Torres scored the winning goal in Spain's European Championship final win over Germany to help his country lift a first major honour since 1964 and confirm his status as one of the most deadly strikers on the planet.

However, his build-up to the South Africa showpiece has been ruined by injuries and he has not played since injuring his knee in the Europa League match against Benfica on April 8.

It has been another trophy-less season with Liverpool - Torres has not won anything in his three years at the club - and the star hopes to put that right by winning more silverware with a Spain side that is viewed as one of the best in history.

Torres, 26, made his Spain debut in a friendly against Portugal back in 2003 when he was in the colours of hometown club Atletico Madrid and went on to make history by becoming the youngest player to win 60 caps for Spain, achieving the feat at the age of 25.

Goals have not been as forthcoming on the international stage and he took seven months to score a first goal for Spain, against Italy in April 2004.

His goals ratio of 23 goals in 71 caps is not great, especially when compared with strike partner David Villa, who has 36 in 55.

"The football styles (the Premier League and the national team) are different and I have to adapt to the needs of the team and do much more work for the team than I do at Liverpool," explained Torres.

Torres has shown that he is willing to work hard for the benefit of the team and poses danger on so many levels with his turn of pace, aerial ability and long range shots.

The South Africa showpiece will be a fourth major finals for the Liverpool striker having gone to the 2004 and 2008 European Championships as well as the 2006 World Cup where he scored three goals before Spain exited at the last 16 stage to France.

Torres began his rise to prominence coming through the youth ranks at hometown Atletico Madrid before making his debut in 2001 and had such an impact that he was appointed captain at the tender age of 19.

However, with Atletico failing to compete at the top level, Torres took the difficult decision to end his 12-year association with his beloved Atletico in the summer of 2007 joining compatriot Rafael Benitez at Liverpool for a club record 20 million euros.

Torres had an impressive strike rate of 75 goals in 174 La Liga appearances for Atletico and his departure caused uproar among the fans who chose to blame the board rather than their icon.

The forward had long been linked with a big-money move and Torres showed he was more than worth the transfer fee with a sensational debut season scoring 29 goals in all competitions to become the most prolific foreigner ever in a debut season in England.

This season he has scored 18 goals in 22 league games in a campaign ruined by injuries and he has openly expressed fears about the physical nature of the English Premier League on his increasingly fragile body.

Torres has been plagued by injuries over the past few seasons and faces a battle to be fit for Spain's opening Group H match against Switzerland on June 16.

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