Spain beat Argentina 1-0 in the World Cup final in New Jersey, becoming world champions two years after winning Euro 2024 in Berlin. They are the first nation to hold both men's and women's World Cup titles simultaneously, with La Roja having beaten England in the 2023 Women's World Cup final in Sydney.

In the last five years, Spain have won an astonishing 16 world and European titles from under-17 to senior level. Since Luis de la Fuente took charge in December 2022, the men have claimed the Nations League (2023), European Championship (2024) and now the World Cup (2026). Spain are unbeaten in 38 matches, the longest run by any European or South American team.

The success extends to youth level, with teenagers Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi becoming the first pair of teenagers to start a World Cup final. The women's game has transformed dramatically, winning back-to-back Nations Leagues in 2024 and 2025. Experts credit a unified playing philosophy and academy system that produces technically gifted players across all age groups.