Spain and Argentina previously met at a men's World Cup in 1966, before the 2026 final.
Their only earlier World Cup meeting took place on July 13, 1966, at Villa Park in Birmingham during the group stage of the tournament in England. Argentina won 2–1, with Luis Artime scoring twice and Spain’s Pirri providing the Spanish goal.
The result helped Argentina advance from Group 2, while Spain finished third and was eliminated in the first round. The teams did not meet again at a World Cup before their 2026 final, making that championship match only their second encounter at the tournament.
A common mix-up is to remember their more recent meetings instead. Argentina beat Spain 4–1 in a 2010 friendly, and Spain won 6–1 in another friendly in 2018. Neither match was part of the World Cup.