New Zealand must learn Iniesta and company's World Cup lesson.
New Zealand will not be surprised to find that bookmakers around the world have made the defending champions odds-on favourites for the Tri-Nations.
Unrelenting in victory twelve months ago, the All-Blacks are expected to dominate once more, but there is no doubt Graham Henry's men will have one eye on their pursuit of the world crown “ which has eluded them since 1987.
Like New Zealand, the Spanish football team until their 2008 European victory, were considered perennial 'chokers' and would always be well tipped going into a major tournament, only to make a disappointing exit before the final.
Something changed in them though, and the likes of Fabregas and Iniesta have since won two major titles.
And just like their northern hemisphere counterparts, the All-Blacks will need to show some of the toughness and winning mentality that has always deserted them at important moments in previous years, if they are to alter the unwanted label.
Few can doubt the unrivalled talent at New Zealand's disposal and it is quite surprising then, that a team that dominates world rugby as much as they do, come unstuck and underperform in the six weeks that make up the world cup.
The figures make even more interesting reading.
In two fixtures between the All Blacks and France leading up to the 2007 world cup, they scored 102 points while conceding just 21.
How is it then that a team scoring 81 more points than their opponents just four months before, can lose in a quarter-final to the same team?
Of course there is a difference between a tour match, and the business end of rugby's showpiece event, but 80 points is a big turnaround in less than half a year.
Is it that the All-Blacks are mentally fragile and lack that ruthless, winning mentality when it comes to big game situations?
Do a team that have so much talent and skill, have so little self-belief when it comes to crunch moments, and is this a result of believing their own negative hype?
One thing is for sure, for some members of this team, it is most definitely a case of now or never for them.
Richie McCaw is a prime example of this.
For the inspirational 31 year-old captain, this will almost certainly be his last foray into a world cup as an All Black, and will be keen to put right a record that currently shows a semi-final berth as his best performance.
For a man who at times has been the best player in the world, it would be a shame to see him bow out without having reached the summit of world rugby.
Daniel Carter enters the world cup just as Jonny Wilkinson “ at the top of his game and the best ten in world rugby.
That being said, Carter will need to thrive the way Wilkinson did with the expectations of the rugby world on his shoulder, if he is to lead his side to glory.
Wilkinson was obdurate in his pursuit of the Webb Ellis trophy and came through for his side on a number of high pressure occasions, especially when not necessarily at full fitness.
His 24 points in the quarters against France were sensational, as were the 15 points he scored in the 2003 world cup final, three of which were the most defining in his career.
Carter and New Zealand will have their every move analysed and closely scrutinised throughout the tri-nations and into the world cup, but they have all the elements that could make for a successful run in
the competition.
Only time will tell though if these elements when combined, will outweigh their apparent psychological shortcomings, and be enough to reach their Everest.
