Defending champions Spain will have to begin packing their bags if they lose to Chile in their second Group B game today after suffering an embarrassing 5-1 defeat against the Netherlands in their opening match.
But Spain fans should not be worried that it will become be the 'Group of Bye-bye' for the holders.
Although Chile have class players like midfielders Arturo Vidal of Juventus and Alexis Sanchez of Barcelona, Spain still look stronger.
For the superstitiously minded, the Spaniards also lost in their first match at the 2010 World Cup and had Chile in their group.
They also have two of the best, most successful and luckiest players of all time in goalkeeper Iker Casillas and striker Fernando Torres.
Real Madrid keeper Casillas, who was a major culprit in the Dutch demolition, made a blunder that led to Atletico Madrid's goal in last month's Champions League final.
He also made several other mistakes during the game. Fortunately, Sergio Ramos scored an equaliser in the dying moments of regulation as Real went on to win 4-1 after extra time.
In the 2010 World Cup final, Holland's Arjen Robben went one-on-one with Casillas but his shot hit the goalkeeper's leg. Spain went on to win 1-0 after extra time.
Just before the 2002 World Cup, Spain's first-choice goalkeeper Santiago Canizares was ruled out after a freak incident in his hotel room.
Canizares severed a tenton in his foot after he accidentally smashed a bottle of aftershave. Casillas has since taken Spain's No.1 shirt.
In the 2002 Champion's League final, Real Madrid goalkeeper Cesar got injured while the team was leading Leverkusen 2-1 in the second half.
The setback allowed Casillas to become a hero as Real held on to win by the scoreline.
But at least Casillas has made some good saves to help Spain and Real Madrid win titles.
Torres, on the other hand, has made few contributions in winning world and European titles with Spain and Champions League and other honours with Chelsea.
Torres, who missed a sitter against Holland, is not Spain’s first-choice striker. Spain coach Vicente del Bosque may have picked him and axed the likes of Fernando Llorente and Alvaro Negredo for other reasons.
Llorente had a good season at Juventus and his height could have given Del Bosque an option in the air.
Brazilian-born striker Diego Costa is now Spain’s starter up front. But in his first competitive match for his adopted country, against the Netherlands, apart from his ‘dive’ which won a penalty, the Atletico Madrid star was seemingly on the pitch to make up numbers.
He looked uncomfortable with the ‘tiki taka’ trademark of Spain in which players make fast, short passes. At Atletico Madrid, he often plays by himself because he is the team’s biggest star.
He should also stop trying to dive and focus on scoring goals in legitimate ways.
Del Bosque may field a team without a striker, as he did in Spain’s Euro 2012 winning campaign.
Many neutral fans want the Spaniards to meet Brazil in the second round in a rematch of last year’s Confederations Cup final won 3-0 by the Brazilians. And, with or without a striker, Spain should be too good for Chile.
Wanchai Rujawongsanti is sports editor, Bangkok Post