Spain vs Belgium: A World Cup Rivalry with History and Records

Spain and Belgium Face Off Again at the World Cup

Europe dominates three-quarters of the World Cup quarterfinal spots, setting up clashes featuring teams from the continent. Among these, Spain and Belgium will meet for only the third time in World Cup history.

Unlike England and Norway, who are meeting for the first time on this stage, Spain and Belgium share a longer history. They've played twice in World Cups before and many more times in other matches. Their past encounters create an interesting dynamic as these familiar rivals prepare to square off once more.

Head-to-Head Record Between Spain and Belgium

The two nations have faced each other 22 times overall, with 10 of those meetings occurring since 1986. They last clashed in the World Cup in 1990, and their most recent game was a friendly in 2016. Spain holds the upper hand, winning most of the encounters, including the last five matches. The last Belgian success, although officially recorded as a draw, was during the 1986 World Cup when Belgium advanced after a penalty shootout.

Four years later, Spain won their group stage match against Belgium, maintaining their momentum in this rivalry.

Detailed Match History

Over these last five matches, Spain has dominated with a total score of 13-1 against Belgium, stretching back to 2004.

More on the Rivalry

Since 1921, Spain leads the series 12 wins, 5 losses, and 5 draws. The two teams haven't met since 2016, and their last competitive encounter was a 5-0 win for Spain in 2009 during World Cup qualifiers. Belgium's last official victory over Spain was in the 1986 World Cup quarterfinals. Although they drew in European qualifiers in 1995, Spain has generally been dominant over the decades.

Belgium’s 'golden generation' emerged in the early 2010s but only played Spain once and never in a match that had major stakes.

They stand tied 1-1 in World Cup matches.

The Last Meeting Between Spain and Belgium

The most recent clash came during a friendly on September 1, 2016. This marked the only time Belgium’s renowned squad faced Spain. Despite Belgium showing some of their best form in that decade, Spain won comfortably, thanks to two goals from David Silva. Silva scored once in the 34th minute and then converted a penalty in the 62nd minute.

This game was also memorable because it gave then Spain coach Julen Lopetegui his first victory with the national team. His tenure ended less than two years later, as he was dismissed just days before the 2018 World Cup after plans surfaced that he would join Real Madrid.