Read 3 minutes19 Jul 2026 08:21 PM IST
The World Cup is set for a grandstand finish, with the title race now down to the final two: Defending champions Argentina and reigning European champions Spain. The two legends will face off on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Spain are looking to win the World Cup for the second time in their history, having previously won the trophy in 2010. Argentina, on the other hand, are just one win away from defending their crown, as they look to become the first team in 64 years – since Brazil in 1962 – to win back-to-back World Cups.
All eyes will be on Catalonia’s past and future, as Argentina’s talisman Lionel Messi and Spain’s young prodigy Lamine Yamal meet on the grandest stage of all. Some 19 years after a photoshoot for FC Barcelona and UNICEF in 2007, where Messi helped five-month-old Yamal bathe in a tiny blue plastic tub, life would come full circle.
Before their much-anticipated final on Sunday, Spain and Argentina had only met once in the tournament’s history, in 1966.
Last time Spain and Argentina met in the World Cup
The two sides met at Villa Park in Birmingham on 13 July, in the opening match of Group 2, a group that also included finalists West Germany and Switzerland. This match set the tone for both teams’ campaigns.
The conflict was between two generations of players. Argentina produced stars such as Antonio Ubaldo Ratin, Luis Artime, Oscar Mas, Ermindo Onega, Roberto Parfumo and Jorge Solari, while Spain had the likes of José Ángel Iribar, José Ufarte, Piri, Luis del Sol, Gento and Luis Suarez Balón.
A brace from striker Luis Artime – described by the Guardian’s Cyril Chapman as an “irrepressible centre-forward” – canceled out a Jose Martínez Sanchez “Piri” strike in a frantic second half where all three goals came in 13 minutes. Argentina opened their Group 2 campaign with a 2-1 win. The game was a physical and fierce battle between the two nations.
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Argentina’s run at that World Cup lasted until the quarter-finals, where they lost to eventual champions England, while Spain failed to make it out of the group stage.
Last time between Spain and Argentina
The last time Argentina met Spain in international football, La Roja won 6-1 at Madrid’s Metropolitano Stadium in 2018 – a FIFA friendly. Isco’s hat-trick and goals from Diego Costa, Thiago Alcantara and Iago Aspas allowed Spain to accumulate six runs. Nicolas Otamendi scored a consolation goal for Argentina as Spain showed no mercy to a Messi-less team.
Spain vs Argentina head to head record
In their previous five meetings, all friendlies, Spain have dominated, winning three to Argentina’s two.
| year | Competition | result |
| 2018 | International friendly | Spain won 6-1 |
| 2010 | International friendly | Argentina won 4-1 |
| 2009 | International friendly | Spain won 2-1 |
| 2006 | International friendly | Spain won 2-0 |
| 1999 | International friendly | Argentina won 2-0 |
Written by Madhav Sachdeva, intern at Online Sports Desk.