Argentina and Spain Face Off in World Cup Final After 60 Years

Argentina and Spain will meet in the World Cup final on Sunday at 22:00 in New Jersey, marking their first encounter in the tournament in 60 years. Their only previous World Cup match was in 1966 in England, where Argentina won 2-1 in a relatively low-profile group stage game at Villa Park, Birmingham. That match was part of Group 2's opening round, played on July 13, 1966, with West Germany already securing first place after a 5-0 win over Switzerland.

The 1966 game featured passionate teams with notable players from clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, River Plate, and Boca Juniors, but the style was slower and the rules different, no substitutions or yellow/red cards were allowed. Argentina’s Luis Artime scored twice, with Spain’s José Martínez Sánchez equalizing once, though replays suggested the goal was aided by an unusual goalkeeper error. Argentina earned two points for the win, advancing ahead of Spain and Switzerland.

Both teams were yet to win a World Cup at that time, and Argentina was eliminated shortly after by England. Since then, the two teams have not met in a competitive match for over eight years, with the last friendly in Madrid ending 6-1 to Spain. None of the Spanish players from that game are in the current squad, while a few Argentine players from 1966 remain active, including Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico, and Lautaro Martínez. Lionel Messi, who missed the 1966 match due to injury, will likely play on crutches in what is expected to be his final World Cup appearance.

This final promises a vastly different atmosphere and stakes compared to their last World Cup meeting, highlighting the evolution of football over six decades.