Euro 2016: Spain defence quietly doing its work again

Spain defender Gerard Pique

Spain's often overlooked defence still has an important role to play at the European Championship. 
The offence and its unique possession game gets most of the credit for the team's success, but the defence carries the load so the talented midfielders can impress up front. 
Spain enter Tuesday's final Group D game against Croatia trying to defend a 14-game unbeaten run at the European Championship. They also have a seven-game streak without conceding a goal, going back to their opening match in the 2012 tournament. 
The defence has also helped by scoring an important goal in the opening match against the Czech Republic, when central defender Gerard Pique came through with a late header after the strikers had struggled to find the net. 
"We have been playing at a very high level on defence," Spain full back Cezar Azpilicueta said. "It's important we continue like this because it gives more confidence to the players up front. It gives them more freedom to create plays on offence." 
Spain haven't been defeated at the European Championship since a 1-0 loss to Portugal in the 2004 tournament. The last time they conceded a goal was in a 1-1 draw with Italy in their first match in 2012. They have gone 689 minutes without conceding a goal, which is the tournament's longest run ever. 
Pique and Sergio Ramos have been at the forefront of the Spanish defence for the past several years. Both were in the team that won Euro 2012 and the 2010 World Cup. Spain conceded only one goal in 2012 and two at the World Cup in South Africa two years earlier. 
Ramos, the team's captain, was also in the squad that won Euro 2008, although he played as a right back in a team that had Carles Puyol and Carlos Marchena in the middle of the defence.