Spain bowed out of the World Cup on Monday after a 3-0 win over Australia to salvage some pride from their World Cup campaign which has fallen at the first hurdle and to give a more dignified goodbye to a group of players which has won all it is possible to win in international football.

The 2014 World Cup was a tournament too far for a squad which has altered little since winning the 2008 European Championships, but which now needs to undergo a profound restructuring with several players reaching the end of their career and likely to announce their international retirement in the near future, unless like David Villa, they have already done so.

Villa will be joined by Xavi Hernandez and quite possibly by Iker Casillas (although he could play on for longer), Xavi Alonso, Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres, while others such as Raul Albiol, Santi Cazorla and Juanfran Torres probably have a limited international future.

Others such as Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, David Silva, Andres Iniesta, Javi Martinez, Juan Mata (who has been very underused by coach Vicente del Bosque) and Cesar Azpilicueta, still have a long international future ahead of them, but the door is clearly open for a new generation of players to come forward next season and lift Spain up after this summer's disappointments.

Should Casillas and Reina retire, that could leave David De Gea as first choice for Del Bosque, who could look to Espanyol's Kiko Casilla to provide support. Tall and commanding on crosses, Casilla, who confusingly was once substitute to Casillas at Real Madrid, is an excellent all-round keeper ready to make the step up.

A look at recent Spain Under-21 squads shows there is no lack of talent waiting to break through in defense with Sevilla left back Alberto Moreno and Real Madrid's Dani Carvajal certain to get their chances after being included in Del Bosque's preliminary squad of 30 for the World Cup.

Valencia's Juan Bernat has also showed his pace and ability, while Barca central defender, Marc Bartra made his debut last season along with Real Sociedad's Inigo Martinez.

There are also talented players waiting for their chance in midfield. Athletic Club Bilbao's Ander Iturraspe was another player who made the preliminary squad of 30, but failed to travel and his team-mates Ander Herrera and winger Iker Muniain must also be knocking on the door after an impressive season.

Many wondered why Real Madrid's Isco failed to make the preliminary squad, but he is another player whose moment will surely come after the summer, while Bayern Munich's Thiago Alcantara would have been in Brazil but for a knee injury.

Spain's options may be more limited in attack, but big striker Fernando Llorente surely deserves another chance after a great season in Italy, while Barca youngster Gerard Deulofeu was also called up to train with the full squad before the World Cup and Real Madrid's Jese Rodriguez was enjoying a spectacular first season in the Primera Liga before suffering cruciate ligament damage.

Providing he recovers well Jese is another whose first cap seems to be just a question of time and perhaps the pick of the crop of a group of players whose presence shows that although Spain have been the disappointment of the World Cup to date, there is no need for the Spanish to lament too long or too hard, because a bright future should lie just around the corner.