Spain vs Argentina: What happened last time they met in FIFA World Cup?
The FIFA World Cup has seen just one Spain vs Argentina fixture before.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is approaching its conclusion, with Spain set to take on Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19. The top two teams in the FIFA rankings will battle it out for world supremacy, resulting in a thrilling end to the expanded 48-team edition in North America.
Both sides topped their respective groups, with La Albiceleste winning all three of their group games. The defending champions then battled past Cape Verde and Egypt, securing 3-2 wins in both fixtures, before beating 10-man Switzerland 3-1.
Lionel Messi’s two assists then powered them to a 2-1 comeback victory over England, booking a place in the final.
La Roja, meanwhile, cruised past Austria before Mikel Merino-powered wins over Portugal and Belgium. A shock 2-0 victory over France also clinched them a spot in the final, where they will look to win their second World Cup title in history.
Also Read: Argentina become back-to-back FIFA World Cup finalists after beating England
Previous Spain vs Argentina matches in FIFA World Cup history
Astonishingly, the two nations have faced each other just once in World Cup history prior to Sunday’s final. That sole meeting came six decades ago, with the South American giants edging past La Roja.
1966 FIFA World Cup – Argentina 2-1 Spain
The group-stage clash, which took place at Villa Park in Birmingham, was a cagey affair, with the first hour producing no goals. However, three goals in the last 25 minutes led to an exciting finish.
Luis Artime opened the scoring for La Albiceleste in the 66th minute, but La Roja’s Jose Pirri equalised just two minutes later. Artime then netted the winner in the 80th minute, resulting in an Argentine victory.
The South American side finished third in the group and were knocked out. Their opponents, meanwhile, progressed to the next stage as group runners-up, but they lost 1-0 to eventual champions England in the next fixture.
When was the last Spain vs Argentina meeting in FIFA World Cup?
The two nations have met just once before in the tournament, during the 1966 FIFA World Cup group stage at Villa Park, Birmingham.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.