Luis Enrique has said Spain won't "gamble" by playing for a second-place finish in Thursday's final World Cup group match against Japan in the hope of avoiding a possible quarterfinal clash with favourites Brazil.

Spain won their opening game against Costa Rica 7-0 before Sunday's 1-1 draw with Germany to leave them top of Group E on four points, ahead of Japan and Costa Rica on three points, with Germany bottom of the group with one point.

The winners of the group will face the runners-up in Group F — Morocco, Croatia or Belgium — in the round of 16 before a quarterfinal with the winners of Group G, likely to be Brazil, or the runners-up in Group H.

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"It's a great question, because we've thought about it too," Luis Enrique said in a news conference on Wednesday, when asked if finishing second in the group might be better for his side.