Spain's Fernando Torres celebrates after scoring his side's third goal (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

Fernando Torres is looking for Spain to beat France at Euro 2012, six years after their shock last-16 defeat to Les Bleus at the 2006 World Cup

Chelsea star Fernando Torres still remembers the traumatic experience he had with Spain at the 2006 World Cup.

The 2010 World Cup winners were beaten at the last-16 stage by France in Germany after late goals from Patrick Vieira and Zinedine Zidane gave Les Bleus a 3-1 win.

“That day, France taught us a good lesson which helped us to grow up as a team, even if only a few players remain from that time,” Torres wrote on his website.

“We will hope that this time, our experience will tilt the balance of the game in our favour.”

France finished as Group D runners up behind England after their 2-0 defeat but Torres believes that the loss, which ended a 23-game unbeaten run, was just a blip.

He said: “France are a great side who perhaps didn’t have their finest day (against Sweden).

“We hope that against us they won’t return to their best form, but if they do so we will be ready.

“These days, Spain, at its best, is very hard to beat.”