One of the most noticeable things about Spain’s defeat to Brazil in the Confederations Cup final was the way the Spanish were bullied by Phil Scolari’s team.

Diego Costa does not get pushed around.

He starts every game looking like he had a fight in the tunnel on his way out on to the pitch.

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The next time Spain meet Brazil – and who’s to say it wont be on July 13 in the Rio final – the Spanish might not be so easy to push around the Maracana.

There are fears that his ability to use the dark arts when necessary might handicap Spain. He was sent off last season in the Europa League for a headbutt on David Limbersky of Viktoria Pilsen and UEFA banned him for four games. It’s not unusual to see team-mates frantically trying to calm him down to keep him on the pitch.

But old sage Vicente del Bosque is a fine judge of character and after long conversations with the 25-year-old clearly feels that as his aggression can be channelled and he can be taught to step back from the edge. David Villa – now a team-mate at Atletico Madrid and potentially a strike partner for the national side – has also vouched for his character.

And he persuaded another fine judge of a player, Jorge Mendes, that he was worth taking a risk on a long time ago. The two have been together since he spotted him playing for Barcelona Esportivo in Brazil as a 15-year-old.

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The 11 goals in 10 games this season speak volumes for how he has grown under the added responsibility of replacing Radamel Falcao.

Does his footballing style suit the needs of the Spain team, as well as his physical presence and character do?

Atletico Madrid like to defend deep, suck teams in, and hit them on the break. Costa’s pace and finishing thrive in such conditions. Leading the line for Spain will not be so easy with rivals defending deep themselves. But he has the control and the intelligence to play with his back to goal and he is comfortable starting centrally and peeling off wide leaving space for the likes of Cesc Fabregas to run into.

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Strength in depth: Spain boss Vicente del Bosque (right) has several options, including Roberto Soldado

No promises have been made by Del Bosque over him being first choice and with Manchester City’s Alvaro Negredo scoring in both of Spain’s final qualifiers, Roberto Soldado having scored six in 10 games for Tottenham and a revitalised Fernando Torres looking hungry under Jose Mourinho competition is fierce.

But Costa has just turned his back on the World Cup hosts and favourites, you would have to back him to be on the Spain plane to Brazil, and probably to be on the pitch wearing the No 9, or his favoured No 19 shirt, when the first game kicks-off.