Spain and Argentina’s only previous World Cup meeting before the 2026 final took place in 1966.
The match was played in Group 2 of the 1966 World Cup in England. Argentina defeated Spain 2–1 at Villa Park in Birmingham on 13 July 1966. Luis Artime scored both of Argentina’s goals, while Spain’s consolation goal came from midfielder José Martínez, better known as Pirri.
That result was part of a tournament in which Argentina reached the quarter-finals. England eliminated Argentina 1–0 in the last eight, while Spain failed to advance from the group after finishing behind West Germany and Argentina.
The teams did meet several times in friendlies and other international fixtures after 1966, including a memorable 6–1 Spanish victory in Madrid in 2018. Those matches do not change the World Cup statistic: before the 2026 final, their only meeting in the tournament itself was the 1966 group-stage game.