Spain vs. Argentina: Head-to-head record and past meetings

Spain vs. Argentina: Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 15

Spain wins: 7

Draws: 2

Argentina wins: 6

Prior to the 2026 World Cup final, nothing separated Spain and Argentina in the head-to-head column, with both nations having boasted six victories apiece from 14 contests.

Unfortunately for Argentina, Spain emerged as 1-0 victors in July 2026 in their 15th meeting, earning their status as champions of the world thanks to a 106th-minute strike from Ferran Torres.

The game will perhaps be better remembered for the wrong reasons, with Lionel Messi's side defending deep, taking their first shot of the game in extra time.

Argentina deserve credit for their defensive display, but the result was ultimately decided when Enzo Fernandez received a second yellow in second-half stoppage time for a reckless and unnecessary challenge on Pau Cubarsi.

Before the 2026 World Cup, their only previous competitive clash came at the 1966 Mundial, clashing at Villa Park in their group-stage opener.

In that match, 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 10 clashes and winning six of them.

From five head-to-heads in the 21st century, the 2026 World Cup winners have come up trumps in four of them, with a particularly memorable win their 6-1 annihilation of Albiceleste 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.