Spain vs Argentina Key Stats: FIFA World Cup 2026

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The sides have met once at the FIFA World Cup: Argentina won 2-1 in the 1966 group stage. Their overall record across 14 meetings is perfectly balanced: six wins each and two draws. The last two encounters produced emphatic victories for each team — Argentina 4-1 in 2010, Spain 6-1 in 2018.
This is the first World Cup final contested by the reigning UEFA European champion and reigning CONMEBOL Copa América champion. Spain won EURO 2024 (2–1 vs England), while Argentina won Copa América 2024 (1–0 AET vs Colombia).
The final pits the tournament’s best defence (Spain, 1 goal conceded) against its most prolific attack (Argentina, 19 goals). Spain are unbeaten, winning six straight after a 0–0 opening draw with Cabo Verde. Argentina have won all seven matches.
Four of the last five World Cup finals have gone to extra time.
South American teams have prevailed in eight of the 11 finals contested between South American and European nations.
Spain have reached the FIFA World Cup final for the second time. The last time they did so was in 2010, when they defeated the Netherlands 1-0 to lift the trophy. They were also European champions at the time (EURO 2008).
Spain aim to become the first nation to hold the men’s and women’s World Cup titles simultaneously, having won the women’s trophy in 2023. They are already one of two nations (with Germany) to have won both.
Spain are unbeaten in regular time in their last 37 matches (W28 D9), a run stretching back to a 1-0 defeat by Colombia in a friendly in London on 22 March 2024. This is their longest-ever unbeaten sequence and has equalled Italy's record for a European nation, set between October 2018 and September 2021 – a run ended on 6 October 2021 by Spain in the Nations League (Spain won 2-1).
Spain's total of 13 goals is their best tally in a single edition, surpassing their previous record of 11 (set in 1986).
Spain have won their last six World Cup fixtures, equalling their best-ever winning streak in the competition, first set in 2010. Only Brazil (11 between 2002–2006), Italy (7 between 1934–1938) and Argentina (2026 7 *current streak) have recorded longer runs.
Spain have conceded only one goal in their seven matches at the 2026 finals, keeping six clean sheets in seven matches. No team has previously kept six clean sheets in a single edition. They could break the record for fewest goals conceded by a World Cup winning team; three teams won the title conceding only twice during the tournament; France (1998), Italy (2006) and Spain (2010).
Spain have kept eight clean sheets in their last ten World Cup knockout matches.
Only three teenagers have played in a World Cup final: Pelé (17) for Brazil vs Sweden in 1958, Giuseppe Bergomi (18) for Italy vs West Germany in 1982, and Kylian Mbappé (19) for France vs Croatia in 2018 – all three were on the winning team. Spain's Lamine Yamal (19) and Pau Cubarsí (19) could join them.
Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí could break the record for most World Cup appearances by a teenager. Both currently have seven appearances, level with Kylian Mbappé's tally before turning 20.
Mikel Oyarzabal is just the third Spanish player to score five goals in an edition of the FIFA World Cup, after Emilio Butragueño in 1986 and David Villa in 2010. He could become the first to score six.
Fabián Ruiz is set to make his 50th appearance for Spain; remarkably, he has not tasted defeat in regular time in his previous 49 (W34 D15).
Unai Simón's total of six clean sheets is the highest by a goalkeeper in a single edition of the World Cup.
At 65 years and 28 days on the day of the final, Luis de la Fuente could become the oldest coach to win the FIFA World Cup, beating the record held by Vicente del Bosque, who was 59 years and 200 days old when he guided Spain to their maiden title in 2010.
This is Argentina's 7th World Cup final appearance — the second most all-time (behind Germany's 8).
Argentina are aiming for a 4th World Cup title which would equal Germany and Italy’s totals, with only Brazil (5) having won more.
Argentina could become the third team to win two successive FIFA World Cups, following Italy (1934-1938) and Brazil (1958-1962).
Argentina have reached consecutive FIFA World Cup finals for the second time after they also did so in 1986 and 1990.
This is the sixth time a World Cup title-holder has returned to the final in the following edition after Italy (1934-1938), Brazil (1958-1962), Argentina (1986-1990), Brazil (1994-1998) and France (2018-2022).
Argentina have prevailed in eight of their last ten knockout contests against European teams at the World Cup.
Argentina are now undefeated in their last 13 FIFA World Cup matches (W11 D2), which extends the nation’s best-ever unbeaten run at the competition.
Argentina have won seven successive FIFA World Cup fixtures for the first time. It is the joint-second best winning sequence in World Cup history with Italy (7 between 1934–1938) and behind Only Brazil (11 between 2002–2006).
Argentina are just the second team in the history of the tournament to win seven matches in a single edition, after Brazil achieved the feat in 2002. They could become the first to win eight (Brazil could only play seven).
Argentina have scored two or more goals in their last 13 games at the FIFA World Cup, extending their competition record.
Argentina’s 19 goals are a national record for a single edition, surpassing 18 in 1930. Only Hungary (27, 1954), Germany FR (25, 1954), Brazil (22, 1950) and France (23, 1958) have reached 20+. Note: France are on 16 in 2026 prior to the third place play-off.
Lionel Scaloni is aiming to become only the second coach to win two FIFA World Cup titles, following Vittorio Pozzo who was successful with Italy in 1934 and 1938.
At 39 years and 25 days on the day of the final, Lionel Messi could become the oldest outfield player to make an appearance in a World Cup final, surpassing Sweden’s Gunnar Gren, who was 37 years and 241 days old when they faced Brazil in 1958. He would also be the second oldest player to play in the final behind Italy goalkeeper Dino Zoff who played and won the final in 1982 against Germany FR at 40 years and 133 days old.
A runner-up in 2014 and winner in 2022, Lionel Messi could become only the second player to make an appearance in three World Cup finals after Brazil’s Cafu (1994, 1998 and 2002). Cafu made the first of those as a substitute so Messi could be the first to start three finals.
Lionel Messi has contributed at least one goal or assist in his last 11 World Cup appearances (13 goals and 6 assists).
Lautaro Martínez scored as a substitute in both the quarter-finals and semi-finals. No player has scored in the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final of the same edition from the bench.
Six members of Argentina’s squad currently play in Spain for Atlético Madrid – Juan Musso, Julián Alvarez, Nico González, Thiago Almada, Giuliano Simeone and Nahuel Molina. They are team-mates of Spain trio Marc Pubill, Marcos Llorente and Álex Baena. Giovani Lo Celso is the only other Argentina player currently affiliated to a Spanish club – Real Betis.
Pedro Porro (Spain) and Cristian Romero (Argentina) have been Tottenham Hotspur team-mates since 2023.
Lionel Messi played in Spain for Barcelona from 2004-21. He is Barça’s all-time top scorer and appearance maker with 672 goals in 778 matches.
Lionel Messi has scored twice in friendlies against Spain – in a 2-1 defeat in Madrid in November 2009 and a 4-1 victory in Buenos Aires in September 2010.