SALAMANCA (FIBA World Championship for Women) - She may already have a gold medal in her collection from a glorious EuroBasket Women triumph last year but Spanish defensive diamond Marta Xargay is yet to appear on the global stage, something she will rectify when she participates at the FIBA World Championship for Women later this year (27 September-5 October).

Speaking as Spain begin to move towards their preparation phase, the guard revealed she is ready to take this important next step - although confessed there is work to do against their Group A opponents Brazil, Czech Republic and Japan.

"It would be a very special tournament for me because I haven't competed at that level yet," confirmed Xargay.

"My personal objective is to just make sure I am able to help the team as much as possible.

"I think it's a tough group that we have and we will really need to compete game by game.

"We need to make sure we have a good training camp in order to get into the best possible shape from day one."

There will be a strong onus on the team to try and compete in the paint, since Laura Gil is struggling to recover from an ACL injury in time to line-up at the event.

That means having to step up as a team on the glass according to Xargay.

"Luckily we have players who can rebound, but of course this could be one of the important factors in us being able to go far in the tournament," she said.

"Rebounding and defense will be key things, but I am sure we will all just have to help the inside players.

"It is also something of a transition for our national team without Amaya (Valdemoro) or Elisa (Aguilar), since they were players with a lot of experience and we will all try to produce in their absence.

"In the past year, other players have been stepping up and I think we have a good future."

If there is one man who can come up with a winning formula, then it is Lucas Mondelo. The Spain head coach has a superb resume of success at both club and now also national team level after his triumph in France.

Xargay is someone who has worked with the play-caller at both levels and enjoys a very fruitful relationship with him from their time with Perfumerias Avenida.

"I think he is very similar on and off the court - he gives the player freedom and confidence within his system," explained the 23-year-old.

"He transmits and shares his enjoyment for the game and competitiveness to his players, we usually have fun at practice and also during the competition."

Xargay heads into the European summer with something of a bitter taste in her mouth after finishing at a low ebb for Avenida because of a Liga Femenina Championship defeat to arch rivals Rivas Ecopolis.

Last year, the shoe was on the other foot when Avenida were crowned champions and, with players from both clubs prominent in the Spanish national team camp, Xargay confessed that there was something of an unwritten rule that meant club rivalries were left at home.

“Yes, it was painful to lose the Spanish League crown, but as we are starting the training camp so far from the end of the league, I really doubt that we will talk about it," stated the Girona native.

"Last year it was the same situation and we didn't talk about it.

"There is no problem, it's just that during the summer nobody thinks about our clubs!"

Xargay and Spain will be based in Ankara for the first phase of Turkey 2014.

FIBA