' s ▁best ▁player ▁under ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 1 . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁Guard i ola ▁played ▁over ▁ 4 7 ▁times ▁and ▁scored ▁five ▁goals ▁for ▁the ▁senior ▁Spain ▁team . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Spanish ▁team ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁World ▁Cup , ▁where ▁they ▁reached ▁the ▁quarter - final s , ▁losing ▁ 2 – 1 ▁to ▁Italy . ▁He ▁fell ▁out ▁of ▁favour ▁with ▁J avier ▁Clement e , ▁Spain ' s ▁manager , ▁due ▁to ▁disag re ements ▁and ▁missed ▁out ▁on ▁Euro ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁He ▁suffered ▁a ▁career - th re aten ing ▁injury ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁which ▁kept ▁him ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁World ▁Cup , ▁but ▁he ▁later ▁played ▁at ▁Euro ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁where ▁he ▁led ▁Spain ▁to ▁yet ▁another ▁quarter - final , ▁this ▁time ▁losing ▁to ▁France ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁margin , ▁ 2 – 1 . ▁He ▁led ▁the ▁Spanish ▁mid field ▁until ▁his ▁final ▁appearance ▁for ▁la ▁Ro ja , ▁a ▁ 1 – 0 ▁win ▁in ▁a ▁friendly ▁against ▁Mexico ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 1 ; ▁he ▁scored ▁his ▁last ▁international ▁goal ▁against ▁Sweden ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 – 1 ▁draw ▁during ▁his ▁ 4 5 th ▁appearance . ▁ ▁Catal onia ▁▁ ▁Guard i ola ▁has ▁played ▁for ▁and ▁advoc ated