Spain at the FIFA World Cup
International football delegation
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Spain is one of the most experienced nations in FIFA World Cup history, having made 17 appearances in the tournament's 23 editions. Spain has reached the final twice, winning the title on both occasions, in 2010 and 2026.[1][2]
Prior to their two wins, Spain's best World Cup result was a fourth-place finish in 1950.[3]
FIFA World Cup record
Champions Runners-up Third place Fourth place Tournament played fully or partially on home soil
| FIFA World Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
 1930 |
Did not enter | No qualifiers | |||||||||||||
 1934 |
Quarter-finals | 5th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | |
 1938 |
Rejected by FIFA, due to the Spanish Civil War | Rejected by FIFA | |||||||||||||
 1950 |
Fourth place | 4th | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | |
 1954 |
Did not qualify | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | ||||||||
 1958 |
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 8 | |||||||||
 1962 |
Group stage | 12th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | |
 1966 |
10th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | ||
 1970 |
Did not qualify | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 6 | ||||||||
 1974 |
5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 6 | |||||||||
 1978 |
Group stage | 10th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | |
 1982 |
Second group stage | 12th | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | Qualified as hosts | ||||||
| 1986 |
Quarter-finals | 7th | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 8 | |
 1990 |
Round of 16 | 10th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 3 | |
 1994 |
Quarter-finals | 8th | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 27 | 4 | |
 1998 |
Group stage | 17th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 26 | 6 | |
  2002 |
Quarter-finals | 5th | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 21 | 4 | |
| 2006 |
Round of 16 | 9th | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 25 | 5 | |
 2010 |
Champions | 1st | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 5 | |
 2014 |
Group stage | 23rd | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 3 | |
 2018 |
Round of 16 | 10th | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 3 | |
 2022 |
13th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 15 | 5 | ||
 2026 | Champions | 1st | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 2 | |
  2030 |
Qualified as co-hosts | Qualified as co-hosts | |||||||||||||
 2034 |
TBD | TBD | |||||||||||||
| Total: 17/23 | 2 Titles | 1st | 75 | 38 | 18 | 19 | 122 | 76 | 131 | 92 | 27 | 12 | 312 | 83 | |
- *Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out
| Spain's World Cup record | |
|---|---|
| First match |  Spain 3–1 Brazil (27 May 1934; Genoa, Italy) |
| Biggest win | Spain 7–0 Costa Rica  (23 November 2022; Doha, Qatar) |
| Biggest defeat | Brazil 6–1 Spain (13 July 1950; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) |
| Best result | Champions in 2010 and 2026 |
| Worst result | Group stage in 1962, 1966, 1978, 1998 and 2014 |
By match
By opponent
| FIFA World Cup matches (by opponent) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opponent | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA | GD |
| Germany | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 |
| Brazil | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | −5 |
 Paraguay | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 |
| Switzerland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 |
 Belgium | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| Portugal | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| Chile | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 |
 South Korea | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| Uruguay | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Italy | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 |
| Saudi Arabia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 |
 Honduras | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| England | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
 Austria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | +2 |
| Argentina | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
 France | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
 Northern Ireland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
 Serbia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Sweden | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 |
| Morocco | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
 Netherlands | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 |
| Costa Rica | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | +7 |
 Bulgaria | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | +5 |
 Denmark | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | +4 |
 Ukraine | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | +4 |
 Algeria | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 |
 Australia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 |
| United States | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
 Bolivia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
 Slovenia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
 Tunisia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 |
| South Africa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 |
| Mexico | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
 Iran | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 |
 Republic of Ireland | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Russia | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
 Cape Verde | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
 Nigeria | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 |
| Japan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 |
 Czechoslovakia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 |
2010 FIFA World Cup
The Spanish team went to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as European champions and enjoyed a record unbeaten streak of 35 matches from 2007 to 2009.[4] Although they lost their first match 1–0 against Switzerland, they went on to win the group after victories over Honduras and Chile, while the Swiss failed to win another match and were eliminated.
The Spanish team won all three following knockout matches by a score of 1–0, always scoring in the second half of regular time. The opponents were Portugal, Paraguay and Germany.
2010 World Cup final v Netherlands
This was Spain's first and the Netherlands' third appearance in a World Cup final, but neither had ever won the trophy. Spain was the dominating side with 57% ball possession, but the Dutch opponents had several chances as well. In a rough match, referee Howard Webb showed fourteen yellow cards and sent off Dutch defender John Heitinga in the second half of extra time, after regular time ended goalless. However, even with the five yellow cards received in the final, the Spanish team was awarded the FIFA Fair Play Trophy after collecting only eight yellow cards in seven matches.
The winning goal was scored by Andrés Iniesta, a right foot strike from inside the box after an assist by Cesc Fàbregas.[5]
| Netherlands | 0–1 (a.e.t.) | Spain |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 1] |
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          Netherlands[6]
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     Spain[6]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[7]
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2026 FIFA World Cup
Just like in 2010, Spain entered the tournament as the current European champions, and were thus considered among the top favourites to win the cup. They began their campaign with a 0–0 draw against World Cup debutants Cape Verde. The result was considered a major World Cup upset and put doubts in the minds of many if Spain would be true contenders for the tournament. It also mirrored Spain's surprise 0–1 opening defeat against Switzerland in 2010. In their following match against Saudi Arabia, Spain were able to find their rhythm in a dominant 4–0 win. For their last group fixture, they faced former winners Uruguay; in a match that was marked by many fouls from the South Americans, Spain was able to come out with a 1–0 victory, ensuring they entered the knockout stage as group winners and eliminating Uruguay in the process.
In the newly-established round of 32, Spain would face off against Austria, where they cruised to a 3–0 victory. In the round of 16, Spain faced their Iberian rivals Portugal, in what was considered their toughest opponent yet. After a close first half, Spain managed to find the net in the dying moments of the game and win 1–0, advancing to the quarter-finals for the first time since 2010. Spain would then defeat Belgium 2–1 in the quarter-finals following another late winner, conceding a goal at the tournament for the first time. Spain's 2–0 win over second-ranked side France in the semi-finals saw them equal the historic record held by Italy of 37 consecutive matches unbeaten, and ensured Spain's progression to the World Cup final for only the second time in their history.
2026 World Cup final v Argentina
Spain faced defending champions Argentina in the final, the first competitive meeting between the two sides since the 1966 World Cup. Following a contest largely dominated by Spain and a red card shown to Argentina's Enzo Fernández, Spain finally broke the deadlock in the second half of extra time thanks to a goal from Ferran Torres. Just as in 2010, Spain would win the final 1–0 after extra time, becoming the first national team to hold the men's and women's World Cup titles simultaneously, as the Spanish women's team had won the 2023 title. They conceded only one goal across the eight matches they played at the tournament, and also overtook Italy as the sole holders of the longest undefeated streak in men's international football.[8]
     Spain[9]
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     Argentina[9]
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Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:[9]
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Most appearances
Iker Casillas captained Spain to their World Cup title in 2010 and won the Golden Glove award for best keeper at the same tournament.
| Rank | Player | Matches | World Cups |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iker Casillas | 17 | 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 |
| Sergio Ramos | 17 | 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 | |
| Sergio Busquets | 17 | 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 | |
| 4 | Andoni Zubizarreta | 16 | 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998 |
| 5 | Xavi | 15 | 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014 |
| 6 | Carles Puyol | 14 | 2002, 2006 and 2010 |
| Fernando Torres | 14 | 2006, 2010 and 2014 | |
| Andrés Iniesta | 14 | 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 | |
| 9 | Xabi Alonso | 13 | 2006, 2010 and 2014 |
| 10 | Julio Salinas | 12 | 1986, 1990 and 1994 |
| Fernando Hierro | 12 | 1994, 1998 and 2002 | |
| Luis Enrique | 12 | 1994, 1998 and 2002 | |
| David Villa | 12 | 2006, 2010 and 2014 | |
| Gerard Piqué | 12 | 2010, 2014 and 2018 | |
| Dani Olmo | 12 | 2022 and 2026 | |
| Pedri | 12 | 2022 and 2026 | |
| Rodri | 12 | 2022 and 2026 | |
| Unai Simón | 12 | 2022 and 2026 | |
| Ferran Torres | 12 | 2022 and 2026 |
Top goalscorers
On 27 May 1934, José Iraragorri made history by scoring Spain's first-ever FIFA World Cup goal, coming in their opening match against Brazil in Genoa.
_(Villa_crop).jpg)
No Spanish player has ever won the Golden Boot, but Emilio Butragueño and Spain's record World Cup scorer David Villa have each won the Silver Boot after scoring five goals in 1986 and 2010, respectively.
| Rank | Player | Goals | World Cups |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Villa | 9 | 2006 (3), 2010 (5) and 2014 (1) |
| 2 | Emilio Butragueño | 5 | 1986 |
| Fernando Morientes | 5 | 1998 (2) and 2002 (3) | |
| Raúl | 5 | 1998 (1), 2002 (3) and 2006 (1) | |
| Fernando Hierro | 5 | 1994 (1), 1998 (2) and 2002 (2) | |
| Mikel Oyarzabal | 5 | 2026 | |
| 7 | Estanislau Basora | 4 | 1950 |
| Telmo Zarra | 4 | 1950 | |
| Míchel | 4 | 1990 | |
| Fernando Torres | 4 | 2006 (3) and 2014 (1) | |