World Cup 2026: Spain's victory over Argentina confirms 'France curse' trend

Spain has once again etched its name in football history, clinching the 2026 World Cup title with a dramatic 1-0 victory over defending champions Argentina in extra time. The triumph not only adds a second star to Spain's crest but also validates an intriguing statistical anomaly: teams that eliminate France in the knockout rounds of major tournaments since 2000 have consistently gone on to lift the trophy.

This remarkable pattern was evident in Spain's journey to the final. After defeating France 2-0 in the semifinals, they carried the momentum into the championship match. The list of teams that have benefited from this 'France curse' includes Greece (Euro 2004), Spain (Euro 2012), Portugal (Euro 2016), Italy (2006 World Cup), Germany (2014 World Cup), and Argentina (2022 World Cup). Spain's current victory firmly places them within this exclusive club.

With their second World Cup triumph, Spain now stands alongside Uruguay, France, and Italy in the all-time rankings, each with two titles. They trail only Argentina (three titles), Germany and Italy (four titles each), and Brazil (five titles). The final match itself was a tense affair, with Spain's dominance eventually paying off in the latter stages, securing a hard-fought win against a resilient Argentine side.