Either Spain or Argentina will complete a tremendous international and continental double on Sunday evening, when the two countries go head-to-head in the World Cup 2026 final at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
The global showpiece pits together the reigning European champions and Copa America winners, the latter of whom are also attempting to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to defend a men’s World Cup title.
Spain deservedly beat France 2-0 in the semi-finals to reach the main event, while Argentina’s comeback powers came to the fore in a thrilling 2-1 win over England the next day.
If the World Cup 2026 final was not already on a knife-edge before kickoff, sweet nothing can separate Spain and Argentina in the head-to-head column, with both nations boasting six victories apiece from 14 previous contests.
Thirteen of those 14 matches have been fought in friendly circumstances – including in the Copa Hispanidad tournament in the 1970s – and before the 2026 World Cup, their only previous competitive clash came at the 1966 Mundial.
Clashing at Villa Park in their group-stage opener, La Albiceleste triumphed 2-1 over their European rivals, courtesy of a quickfire second-half brace from Luis Artime.
That success marked Argentina’s fourth from their first five battles with Spain, having also won each of their first three showdowns in 1952, 1953 and 1960, while keeping a clean sheet on each occasion to boot.
Spain’s first victory in this fixture came in a 1961 friendly, but La Roja have largely had Argentina’s number over the past half-century, only losing two of their last nine clashes and winning five of them.
From four head-to-heads in the 21st century, the 2010 World Cup winners have come up trumps in three of them, most recently annihilating the Albiceleste 6-1 in a 2018 friendly; Isco scored a sensational hat-trick that day.
La Roja had been waiting eight years for a taste of revenge after Argentina thumped the then-world champions 4-1 in 2010, when Lionel Messi opened the floodgates before Gonzalo Higuain, Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero also made their mark.
However, Spain had got the better of Argentina by a 2-1 scoreline in 2006 and 2009 friendlies, Xabi Alonso scoring both of La Roja’s goals in the latter fixture.
Spain vs. Argentina: Head-to-head record
Previous meetings: 14
Spain wins: 6
Draws: 2
Argentina wins: 6
Breakdown of the previous 14 meetings
Mar 27, 2018: Spain 6-1 Argentina (International Friendlies)
Sep 07, 2010: Argentina 4-1 Spain (International Friendlies)
Nov 14, 2009: Spain 2-1 Argentina (International Friendlies)
Oct 11, 2006: Spain 2-1 Argentina (International Friendlies)
Nov 17, 1999: Spain 0-2 Argentina (International Friendlies)
Sep 20, 1995: Spain 2-1 Argentina (International Friendlies)
Oct 12, 1988: Spain 1-1 Argentina (International Friendlies)
Oct 12, 1974: Argentina 1-1 Spain (International Friendlies)
Oct 11, 1972: Spain 1-0 Argentina (International Friendlies)
Jul 13, 1966: Argentina 2-1 Spain (World Cup)
Jun 11, 1961: Spain 2-0 Argentina (International Friendlies)
Jul 24, 1960: Argentina 2-0 Spain (International Friendlies)
Jul 05, 1953: Argentina 1-0 Spain (International Friendlies)
Dec 07, 1952: Spain 0-1 Argentina (International Friendlies)
(The Sun)