There can be no 24-year-old at this World Cup under more intense pressure than Raul. Plenty of young players have arrived in the Far East with great things expected of them, but few have been publicly told by their coach that they must carry their team to new heights.

For Raul the pre-tournament message was clear. "Now is the time for him to start pulling the cart," said Spain's coach Jose Camacho.

The striker responded like a thoroughbred, scoring the goal that set Spain on the way to their first opening-game win at the World Cup since 1950. England may still not be able to beat Sweden, but some jinxes clearly can be broken.

Before Raul cooly found the net in the 44th minute, Spain had looked uncomfortable against Slovenia's harrying and counter-attacks. But they controlled the second half and deserved a victory that was confirmed by Fernando Hierro's late penalty.

They did not look like champions, but after all those first-game failures and slip-ups against lesser sides, this was about establishing a foothold rather than sparkling.

With Paraguay and South Africa having drawn 2-2 earlier in the day, Spain are perfectly placed to erase painful memories of a first-round exit at France 98.

For Raul, success here is a considerable driving force, and not just because Camacho's tackling as a player suggests he is hardly a coach to let down.

Raul has already won more medals with Real Madrid than most players could dream of in a 20-year career, including three Champions League titles.

With Spain, though, the cupboard is bare and his performances at the last World Cup and at Euro 2000 mean he has failed to show his true talent in the most testing international circles. In the finals four years ago, he managed only one full 90 minutes and scored just once as Spain crashed out.

At the last European Championship, he missed a penalty in the second round against France which would have taken the game into extra-time. This is his chance to prove a point.

He was not at his best here, but was always willing to drop deep to try to prompt and his strike was indicative of the instinct which has brought him 140 goals in 283 league game for Real.

When a typically thrusting run by Luis Enrique was blocked and the ball fell loose, he shimmied past one defender and knocked his shot through the legs of another to score.

Until then, Slovenia's aggression and determination to deny their opponents time on the ball had largely frustrated Spain and stunted their passing.

Although Camacho's players enjoyed more possession, Slovenia's breaks had produced the clearer chances.

Iker Casillas was twice forced into good saves and his defence struggled against balls whipped in from corners and crosses.

With Spanish nerves settled by Raul and Slovenia forced to look for an equaliser, Camacho's team found more time and space in the second half.

Only three good stops by Marko Simeunovic kept them out before Real Sociedad's lively left midfielder Francisco De Pedro crossed perfectly for number two by Juan Carlos Valeron, who was involved in many of Spain's better moments.

Spain being Spain, that did not mean game over. Slovenia had been lifted by the introduction of the dangerous Sebastjan Cimirotic and he briefly reduced the arrears with a low shot before Hierro's penalty finished matters off.

The spot-kick had been awarded for a trip by Sasa Gajser on the substitute Fernando Morientes, who looked a better partner for Raul than the disappointing Diego Tristan.

For Spain, and Raul, this was a job well done. The burden the striker is carrying is massive, but, as someone who took the place of Emilio Butragueno at Real as a teenager and has spent a career at the Bernabeu, that is nothing new.

The 24-year-old's cart is chugging along.

SUBSTITUTES

Spain: Morientes for Tristan ( 67 mins), Helguera for Luis Enrique (74 mins), Romero for Juanfran (83 mins).

Slovenia: Cimirotic for Osterc (57 mins), Acimovic for Zahovic (63 mins), Gajser for Novak (77 mins).

YELLOW CARDS

Spain: Valeron.

Slovenia: Karic, Cimirotic.