In the 96-year history of the FIFA World Cup, international football has seen iconic dynasties: Pelé’s Brazil, West Germany’s relentless machine, the United States’ women’s juggernaut. None of them, though, ever held both the Men’s and Women’s FIFA World Cup at the same time.
With Spain’s men beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time on Sunday, Spain is now the only nation in the sport’s history to reign concurrently as world champions in both categories.
How the double was won: Sydney 2023 to New Jersey 2026
Spain’s journey to this dual crown rests on a shared tactical identity, built into both national teams from the academy level up: technical precision, positional discipline and possession-based control.
1. The women’s breakthrough (20 August 2023)
Led by Ballon d’Or winners Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, Spain’s women beat England 1-0 in Sydney to win their first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup.
2. The men’s triumph (19 July 2026)
Three years later, Luis de la Fuente’s side completed the circle at MetLife Stadium, beating Argentina 1-0 in extra time through a 106th-minute Ferran Torres goal. It was Spain’s second men’s title, won in the same fashion as their 2010 triumph, and brought both trophies under the roof of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
Why the other powerhouses missed the double
| Nation | Men’s World Cups | Women’s World Cups | Why no overlap |
| Germany | 1954, 1974, 1990, 2014 | 2003, 2007 | Women’s reign (2003-2011) ended before the 2014 men’s win; Japan held the women’s title in 2014 |
| Brazil | 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002 | None | Runners-up only, losing the 2007 final |
| United States | None | 1991, 1999, 2015, 2019 | Men’s team has never reached a World Cup final |
| England | 1966 | None | Women’s team runners-up to Spain in the 2023 final |
A continental dress rehearsal
World Cup doubles are rare, but continental ones have happened before, at the flagship Euros level specifically. Germany managed a simultaneous European double in the late 1990s: the men held the Euro 1996 title while the women won Euro 1997, giving Germany overlapping continental crowns from 1997 to 2000.
Spain’s case is different, and the distinction matters. Spain’s men won Euro 2024 in Germany. Spain’s women, however, have not won the Women’s Euro itself: they lost the 2025 final to England on penalties and currently hold no Euros title. What Spain’s women do hold is the UEFA Women’s Nations League, a separate and newer UEFA competition, first contested in 2023-24 and distinct from the Women’s Euro. Spain won that inaugural Nations League title in February 2024, beating France 2-0 in Seville. It is not the Euros, and it should not be read as one. So Spain’s continental record, precisely stated, is a men’s European Championship title alongside a women’s Nations League title, not a men’s and women’s Euro double to match Germany’s.