Spain striker Roberto Soldado has revealed that he knows he will never be first choice for his country.

The 28-year-old scored in Vicente del Bosque's team's 2-1 win over Uruguay in their opening game in the Confederations Cup on Sunday.

"I do not know if I'll ever be a starter, that is decided by the coach," Soldado told reporters. "I do not know if I'll hold the place again, that's a coach's decision."

He added: "The penalty was that we had chances, but the goals did not come. We're happy because we've faced a very tough opponent and we have won. You can not ease off for a second, despite a 2-0 lead.

"The team's philosophy is not lost. We haven't lost to a great team like Uruguay. We had the ball, we moved with skill and created chances."

Soldado has scored six goals in 10 appearances for Spain since making his debut in 2007.

Written by
Simon Sinclair