Andres Iniesta has revealed he wanted to take the penalty that Sergio Ramos missed in Spain's 2-1 Euro 2016 loss to Croatia on Tuesday.

The result deprived the reigning champions of top spot in Group D, handing them a tougher route to the final in the knock-out phase as Italy await them in the last 16.

But it could have been so different had Ramos converted a second-half spot-kick, with Spain punished by the impressive Ivan Perisic's late winner.

"I was going to take it, but Ramos was confident and only the one who takes it can miss," Iniesta said in quotes reported by AS.

"The confidence is entirely in whoever wants to take it. We had the misfortune of missing.

"These things happen and now we have to continue to prepare for the game against Italy with the aim of going as far as possible."

Meanwhile, Spain coach Vicente del Bosque defended his players after a 2-1 defeat by Croatia.

Although it was a first defeat in 15 matches at the finals for Spain since they lost to Portugal in 2004, they did recover from an opening defeat by Switzerland to win the 2010 World Cup.

"We've won the right still to be in the competition," said Del Bosque.

"I'm not going to defend the performance excessively but we haven't played badly and I don't really have any complaints about the players."