Spain reached the 2026 World Cup final after defeating France 2-0 in Tuesday’s semifinal, a victory that saw La Roja match Italy’s record of 37 consecutive matches without defeat.
Historic unbeaten run
The unbeaten sequence, spanning all competitions, equals the benchmark set by Roberto Mancini’s Italy between 2018 and 2021. Spain now stand on the brink of history, as victory in the final next Sunday would see them surpass the Azzurri’s record while claiming their second world title. Should they fall short, the record would remain shared with the Italians.
Defensive dominance
Spain have demonstrated formidable defensive solidity throughout the tournament, scoring 13 goals while conceding only once across their campaign. That solitary strike came from Atalanta forward Charles De Ketelaere during the quarter-final victory over Belgium, the only moment in which Spanish supporters have seen their side trail during the competition.
Since that concession, goalkeeper Unai Simón has kept the opposition at bay, establishing a new World Cup record in the process. The Spain number one has gone unbeaten for more than 519 minutes at the tournament, breaking a mark that had stood for 36 years. The previous record belonged to Italy’s Walter Zenga.
Luis de la Fuente’s squad composition has also marked this Spain side out as unusual, with the manager selecting no players from Italy’s Serie A for his World Cup party. This contrasts with many previous Spanish squads that have typically featured talent from across Europe’s major leagues.
Final showdown
La Roja will face either Argentina or England in the decisive match. The two nations meet in the remaining semifinal to determine who will oppose the Spanish in Sunday’s showpiece event.
The final offers Spain the opportunity to secure their place in history with a 38th consecutive unbeaten match. A victory would not only break Italy’s record but also crown De la Fuente’s side as world champions for the first time since their 2010 triumph.