A Historic 6-1 Rout: The Last Meeting Between Spain and Argentina

Eight years after their last encounter, Spain and Argentina are set to clash once more, but under vastly different circumstances. This time, it's not a friendly match as part of World Cup preparations, but the tournament final itself.

Nevertheless, their previous meeting sparks curiosity due to its shocking outcome: a resounding 6-1 victory for Spain in a friendly played in Madrid in March 2018. This result stands as one of Argentina's three heaviest defeats in history, alongside identical 6-1 losses to Czechoslovakia at the 1958 World Cup and to Bolivia in a 2009 World Cup qualifier.

In that match, Isco was the hero for Spain, netting a hat-trick (27’, 52’, and 74’), with the remaining goals scored by Diego Costa (12’), Thiago Alcântara (55’), and Iago Aspas (73’). For the “Albiceleste,” Nicolás Otamendi (39’) scored their sole goal and remains part of the current squad. Superstar Lionel Messi missed the friendly due to injury. Besides Otamendi, the other current “Gauchos” players who participated in that game were Nicolás Tagliafico, Giovani Lo Celso, Leandro Paredes, and Lautaro Martínez. For “La Furia Roja,” the only remaining player from that squad is current captain Rodri, who was an unused substitute.

In that particular friendly, Spain was led by Julen Lopetegui, while Argentina was under Jorge Sampaoli. At the subsequent World Cup, both teams were eliminated in the Round of 16; the Iberians lost to Russia on penalties, and the South Americans fell 3-4 to eventual champions France.

Argentina's only victory against this opponent in the current century was a 4-1 win in a 2010 friendly. At the World Cup, the teams have met only once, in 1966, when the “Gauchos” triumphed 2-1. Overall, both teams have secured six wins each, with only two draws in their 14 encounters.