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Spain at the FIFA World Cup

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Spain is one of only eight countries ever to have won the FIFA World Cup, doing so in South Africa in 2010, the first time the team had reached the final.[1]

Spain celebrating victory in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

The team is one of the most present at the World Cup, with 16 appearances out of the 22 tournaments. Prior to their win in 2010, Spain's best World Cup result was a fourth-place finish in 1950.[2]

Spain have reached the semi-finals twice and the quarter-finals six times, but have not reached the last 8 since their triumph in 2010.

FIFA World Cup record

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FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Did Not Enter Did Not Enter
Italy 1934 Quarter-Finals 5th 3 1 1 1 4 3 2 2 0 0 11 1
France 1938 Withdrew Withdrew
Brazil 1950 Fourth Place 4th 6 3 1 2 10 12 2 1 1 0 7 3
Switzerland 1954 Did Not Qualify 3 1 1 1 6 4
Sweden 1958 4 2 1 1 12 8
Chile 1962 Group Stage 13th 3 1 0 2 2 3 4 3 1 0 7 4
England 1966 10th 3 1 0 2 4 5 3 2 0 1 5 2
Mexico 1970 Did Not Qualify 6 2 2 2 10 6
West Germany 1974 5 2 2 1 8 6
Argentina 1978 Group Stage 10th 3 1 1 1 2 2 4 3 0 1 4 1
Spain 1982 Second Group Stage 12th 5 1 2 2 4 5 Qualified as host
Mexico 1986 Quarter-Finals 7th 5 3 1 1 11 4 6 4 0 2 9 8
Italy 1990 Round of 16 10th 4 2 1 1 6 4 8 6 1 1 20 3
United States 1994 Quarter-Finals 8th 5 2 2 1 10 6 12 8 3 1 27 4
France 1998 Group Stage 17th 3 1 1 1 8 4 10 8 2 0 26 6
South Korea Japan 2002 Quarter-Finals 5th 5 3 2 0 10 5 8 6 2 0 21 4
Germany 2006 Round of 16 9th 4 3 0 1 9 4 12 6 6 0 25 5
South Africa 2010 Champions 1st 7 6 0 1 8 2 10 10 0 0 28 5
Brazil 2014 Group Stage 23rd 3 1 0 2 4 7 8 6 2 0 14 3
Russia 2018 Round of 16 10th 4 1 3 0 7 6 10 9 1 0 36 3
Qatar 2022 13th 4 1 2 1 9 3 8 6 1 1 15 5
Canada Mexico United States 2026 to be determined to be determined
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030 qualified as co-host qualified as co-host
Saudi Arabia 2034 To be determined To be determined
Total 1 Title 16/25 67 31 17 19 108 75 125 87 26 12 291 81
*Draws include knockout matches decided via penalty shoot-out

By match

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Year Round Opponents Score Spain scorers
Italy 1934 Round of 16  Brazil 3–1 Iraragorri (2), Lángara
Quarter-final  Italy 1–1
 Italy 0–1
Brazil 1950 Group 2  United States 3–1 Igoa, Basora, Zarra
 Chile 2–0 Basora, Zarra
 England 1–0 Zarra
Final round  Uruguay 2–2 Basora (2)
 Brazil 1–6 Igoa
 Sweden 1–3 Zarra
Chile 1962 Group 3  Czechoslovakia 0–1
 Mexico 1–0 Peiró
 Brazil 1–2 Adelardo
England 1966 Group 2  Argentina 1–2 Pirri
  Switzerland 2–1 Sanchís, Amancio
 West Germany 1–2 Fusté
Argentina 1978 Group 3  Austria 1–2 Dani
 Brazil 0–0
 Sweden 1–0 Asensi
Spain 1982 Group 3  Honduras 1–1 López Ufarte
 Yugoslavia 2–1 Juanito, Saura
 Northern Ireland 0–1
Group B  West Germany 1–2 Zamora
 England 0–0
Mexico 1986 Group D  Brazil 0–1
 Northern Ireland 2–1 Butragueño, Salinas
 Algeria 3–0 Calderé (2), Eloy
Round of 16  Denmark 5–1 Butragueño (4), Goikoetxea
Quarter-final  Belgium 1–1(4–5 p) Señor
Italy 1990 Group E  Uruguay 0–0
 South Korea 3–1 Míchel (3)
 Belgium 2–1 Míchel, Górriz
Round of 16  Yugoslavia 1–2 Salinas
United States 1994 Group C  South Korea 2–2 Salinas, Goikoetxea
 Germany 1–1 Goikoetxea
 Bolivia 3–1 Guardiola, Caminero (2)
Round of 16   Switzerland 3–0 Hierro, Luis Enrique, Begiristain
Quarter-final  Italy 1–2 Caminero
France 1998 Group D  Nigeria 2–3 Hierro, Raúl
 Paraguay 0–0
 Bulgaria 6–1 Hierro, Luis Enrique, Morientes (2), Bachev (o.g.), Kiko
South Korea Japan 2002 Group B  Slovenia 3–1 Raúl, Valerón, Hierro
 Paraguay 3–1 Morientes (2), Hierro
 South Africa 3–2 Raúl (2), Mendieta
Round of 16  Republic of Ireland 1–1 (3–2 p) Morientes
Quarter-final  South Korea 0–0 (3–5 p)
Germany 2006 Group H  Ukraine 4–0 Alonso, Villa (2), Fern. Torres
 Tunisia 3–1 Raúl, Fern. Torres (2)
 Saudi Arabia 1–0 Juanito
Round of 16  France 1–3 Villa
South Africa 2010 Group H   Switzerland 0–1
 Honduras 2–0 Villa (2)
 Chile 2–1 Villa, Iniesta
Round of 16  Portugal 1–0 Villa
Quarter-final  Paraguay 1–0 Villa
Semi-final  Germany 1–0 Puyol
Final  Netherlands 1–0 Iniesta
Brazil 2014 Group B  Netherlands 1–5 Alonso
 Chile 0–2
 Australia 3–0 Villa, Fern. Torres, Mata
Russia 2018 Group B  Portugal 3–3 Costa (2), Nacho
 Iran 1–0 Costa
 Morocco 2–2 Isco, Aspas
Round of 16  Russia 1–1 (3–5 p) Ignashevich (o.g.)
Qatar 2022 Group E  Costa Rica 7–0 Olmo, Asensio, Ferr. Torres (2), Gavi, Soler, Morata
 Germany 1–1 Morata
 Japan 1–2 Morata
Round of 16  Morocco 0–0 (0–3 p)

By opponent

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Opponent Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA GD
 Germany 5 1 2 2 5 6 −1
 Brazil 5 1 1 3 5 10 −5
 Paraguay 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3
  Switzerland 3 2 0 1 5 2 +3
 Chile 3 2 0 1 4 3 +1
 South Korea 3 1 2 0 5 3 +2
 Italy 3 0 1 2 2 4 −2
 Honduras 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2
 Portugal 2 1 1 0 4 3 +1
 Belgium 2 1 1 0 3 2 +1
 England 2 1 1 0 1 0 +1
 Northern Ireland 2 1 0 1 2 2 0
 Yugoslavia 2 1 0 1 2 2 0
 Sweden 2 1 0 1 2 3 −1
 Netherlands 2 1 0 1 2 5 −3
 Uruguay 2 0 2 0 2 2 0
 Morocco 2 0 2 0 2 2 0
 Costa Rica 1 1 0 0 7 0 +7
 Bulgaria 1 1 0 0 6 1 +5
 Denmark 1 1 0 0 5 1 +4
 Ukraine 1 1 0 0 4 0 +4
 Algeria 1 1 0 0 3 0 +3
 Australia 1 1 0 0 3 0 +3
 United States 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2
 Bolivia 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2
 Slovenia 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2
 Tunisia 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2
 South Africa 1 1 0 0 3 2 +1
 Mexico 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1
 Saudi Arabia 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1
 Iran 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1
 Republic of Ireland 1 0 1 0 1 1 0
 Russia 1 0 1 0 1 1 0
 Nigeria 1 0 0 1 2 3 −1
 Argentina 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1
 Japan 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1
 Czechoslovakia 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Austria 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 France 1 0 0 1 1 3 −2

2010 World Cup

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The Spanish team went to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa as European champions and enjoyed a record unbeaten streak of 35 matches from 2007 to 2009.[3] Although they lost their first match 1–0 against Switzerland, they went on to win the group after victories over Honduras and Chile, while the Swiss failed to win another match and were eliminated.

The Spanish team won all three following knockout matches by a score of 1–0, always scoring in the second half of regular time. The opponents were Portugal, Paraguay and Germany.

2010 World Cup Final v the Netherlands

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It was Spain's first and the Netherlands' third appearance in a World Cup final, but neither had ever won a trophy. Spain was the dominating side with 57% ball possession, but the Dutch opponents had several chances as well. In a rough match, referee Howard Webb showed fourteen yellow cards and sent off Dutch defender John Heitinga in the second half of extra time, after regular time ended goalless. However, even with the five yellow cards received in the final, the Spanish team was awarded the FIFA Fair Play Trophy after collecting only eight yellow cards in seven matches.

The winning goal was scored by Andrés Iniesta, a right foot strike from inside the box after an assist by Cesc Fàbregas.[4]

Netherlands 0–1 (a.e.t.) Spain
Report Iniesta 116'
Attendance: 84,490
Referee: Howard Webb (England)
GK 1 Maarten Stekelenburg
RB 2 Gregory van der Wiel Yellow card 111'
CB 3 John Heitinga Yellow card 57' Yellow-red card 109'
CB 4 Joris Mathijsen Yellow card 117'
LB 5 Giovanni van Bronckhorst (c) Yellow card 54' downward-facing red arrow 105'
CM 6 Mark van Bommel Yellow card 22'
CM 8 Nigel de Jong Yellow card 28' downward-facing red arrow 99'
RW 11 Arjen Robben Yellow card 84'
AM 10 Wesley Sneijder
LW 7 Dirk Kuyt downward-facing red arrow 71'
CF 9 Robin van Persie Yellow card 15'
Substitutions:
MF 17 Eljero Elia upward-facing green arrow 71'
MF 23 Rafael van der Vaart upward-facing green arrow 99'
DF 15 Edson Braafheid upward-facing green arrow 105'
Manager:
Bert van Marwijk
GK 1 Iker Casillas (c)
RB 15 Sergio Ramos Yellow card 23'
CB 3 Gerard Piqué
CB 5 Carles Puyol Yellow card 16'
LB 11 Joan Capdevila Yellow card 67'
DM 16 Sergio Busquets
DM 14 Xabi Alonso downward-facing red arrow 87'
CM 8 Xavi Yellow card 120+1'
RW 6 Andrés Iniesta Yellow card 118'
LW 18 Pedro downward-facing red arrow 60'
CF 7 David Villa downward-facing red arrow 106'
Substitutions:
MF 22 Jesús Navas upward-facing green arrow 60'
MF 10 Cesc Fàbregas upward-facing green arrow 87'
FW 9 Fernando Torres upward-facing green arrow 106'
Manager:
Vicente del Bosque

Man of the Match:
Andrés Iniesta (Spain)

Record players

[edit]
Iker Casillas (with Walter Martínez) at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in a match against Honduras.

Iker Casillas has captained Spain to their World Cup title in 2010 and won the Golden Glove award for best keeper at the same tournament.

Rank Player Matches World Cups
1 Iker Casillas 17 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014
Sergio Ramos 17 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018
3 Andoni Zubizarreta 16 1986, 1990, 1994 and 1998
Sergio Busquets 16 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022
5 Xavi 15 2002, 2006, 2010 and 2014
6 Carles Puyol 14 2002, 2006 and 2010
Fernando Torres 14 2006, 2010 and 2014
Andrés Iniesta 14 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018
9 Xabi Alonso 13 2006, 2010 and 2014
10 Julio Salinas 12 1986, 1990 and 1994
Fernando Hierro 12 1994, 1998 and 2002
Luis Enrique 12 1994, 1998 and 2002
David Villa 12 2006, 2010 and 2014
Gerard Piqué 12 2010, 2014 and 2018

Top goalscorers

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David Villa is Spain's record World Cup scorer and a World Champion from 2010.

No Spanish player has ever won the Golden Boot, but Emilio Butragueño and Spain's record World Cup scorer David Villa have each won the Silver Boot after scoring five goals in 1986 and 2010 respectively.

Rank Player Goals World Cups
1 David Villa 9 2006 (3), 2010 (5) and 2014 (1)
2 Emilio Butragueño 5 1986
Fernando Morientes 5 1998 (2) and 2002 (3)
Raúl 5 1998 (1), 2002 (3) and 2006 (1)
5 Estanislau Basora 4 1950
Zarra 4 1950
Míchel 4 1990
Fernando Hierro 4 1998 (2) and 2002 (2)
Fernando Torres 4 2006 (3) and 2014 (1)
10 Julio Salinas 3 1986, 1990 and 1994
José Luis Caminero 3 1994
Diego Costa 3 2018
Álvaro Morata 3 2022

See also

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