After cruising to a 3–0 victory over Austria on Thursday to book a place in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Luis de la Fuente's Spain has now gone 35 consecutive matches without defeat, once again emerging as one of the favorites to lift the trophy after a relatively modest group-stage campaign.

SOLIDITY FUELS SUCCESS

Spain's last defeat came on March 22, 2024, when Colombia claimed a 1–0 win in a friendly at London's Olympic Stadium. The result sparked criticism of De la Fuente's squad rotation, but it would prove to be the beginning of an extraordinary run.

Since then, La Roja has remained unbeaten for more than two years, capturing UEFA Euro 2024 and the 2023–24 UEFA Nations League along the way. The next question is whether they can add the FIFA World Cup to that growing list of achievements.

MATCHING A HISTORIC SPANISH RECORD

The 35-match unbeaten streak equals the longest in Spain's history, matching the run put together between February 2007 and June 2009 under Luis Aragones and later Vicente del Bosque.

That legendary side lifted the UEFA Euro 2008 title before its streak ended on June 24, 2009, with a surprise 2–0 semifinal defeat to the United States at the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa. One year later, Spain went on to win its first World Cup in South Africa 2010.

Now, De la Fuente's squad has an even bigger target in sight. If Spain extends its unbeaten run to 38 matches by reaching the World Cup final at New York/New Jersey Stadium on July 19, it would surpass Italy's UEFA-record streak of 37 consecutive unbeaten matches, set between October 2018 and September 2021.

Breaking that record would be another milestone. Winning the final would make it historic, delivering Spain's second FIFA World Cup title and its first since the triumph in South Africa in 2010.

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