Spain has officially become only the fourth nation in FIFA World Cup history to secure a spot in the final while allowing only a single goal throughout the tournament. This milestone followed a 2-0 semifinal victory over France.
The Spanish squad, known as La Roja, surrendered their lone goal during the quarter-final match against Belgium. This defensive performance places them alongside the Netherlands, Brazil, and Italy as the only teams to reach a final with such a record.
The Netherlands became the first to set this benchmark in 1974, though they ultimately lost the final to West Germany. In 2002, Brazil achieved the same feat, conceding only to Turkey before capturing the championship by defeating Germany. Italy matched this accomplishment in 2006, overcoming an own goal against the USA to eventually beat France in the final match.
