Argentina and Spain, two football powerhouses, have met only once in World Cup history, during the 1966 group stage. Argentina won 2-1 at Villa Park, and now they face each other again in the 2026 World Cup final.
Match Report: Spain 1-2 Argentina
According to the Guardian's Cyril Chapman, Argentina abandoned their traditional defensive approach and attacked from the first minute. Luis Artime, described as an "irrepressible centre-forward," scored both goals for Argentina.
Artime had six reasonable scoring chances but converted two, frustrating Spain. The match saw some irresponsible tackling in the first half, but Bulgarian referee M. Roumentechev prevented a brawl.
Key Moments
Argentina opened the second half aggressively. In the 68th minute, Solari centred the ball to Artime, who shot past the Spanish goalkeeper. Spain equalized six minutes later when Peiro reached a cross from Suarez. In the 79th minute, Artime scored the winner from Perfurmo's pass.
Unlike Spain, Argentina progressed from the group stage but lost 1-0 to England in a tense quarter-final. England went on to win the tournament.
