Argentina enter Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain as defending champions, and with a chance to do something no team has managed since Brazil lifted consecutive trophies in 1958 and 1962.
The record has held for over six decades. Brazil, the 1962 champions, were eliminated in the first round of the 1966 tournament. West Germany won in 1974 but lost the 1986 final. Italy, Germany, Spain, and France all failed to retain the title in the editions that followed their respective triumphs. France came closest in 2022, reaching the final as holders, only to lose on penalties to Argentina in Qatar.
Argentina’s run to the 2026 final is their second consecutive appearance at that stage, with coach Lionel Scaloni credited for the tactical continuity and squad stability that have kept the team competitive at the top of the game.
A victory on Sunday would cement this generation’s place among football’s all-time great sides, and give Argentina a third World Cup title overall, while closing the longest gap between consecutive title defences in the tournament’s history.
