Spain have made history by recording the longest unbeaten streak in men’s international football after defeating Argentina 1-0 in Sunday’s World Cup final.
The victory extended Spain’s unbeaten run to 38 consecutive matches, surpassing Italy’s previous record. The narrow win over Argentina also marked Spain’s seventh clean sheet of the 2026 World Cup, making them the first team in tournament history to lift the trophy while conceding just one goal throughout the competition.
Spain moved ahead of Italy’s remarkable 37-game unbeaten streak, which lasted from 2018 to 2021. During that period, Italy also claimed the Euro 2020 title after defeating England in the final.
By defeating France in last Tuesday’s World Cup semifinal, Spain had already matched Italy’s record of 37 unbeaten games. The final victory then allowed them to establish a new benchmark in international football.
This achievement is not Spain’s first experience with a long unbeaten spell. Between 2007 and 2009, they went 35 matches without defeat, a run that included their Euro 2008 triumph.
However, after securing their second World Cup title, Luis de la Fuente’s team now stands alone as the nation with the longest unbeaten streak in men’s international football history.
Spain’s current run began after a friendly defeat against Colombia in 2024. Although they later lost the Nations League final to Portugal on penalties, shootout defeats are officially counted as draws when calculating unbeaten records.
Since that point, Spain have remained unbeaten through their successful Euro 2024 campaign and their historic World Cup-winning journey, cementing one of the greatest runs ever seen in international football.
