England v Spain matches at major tournaments

England and Spain have met only seven times at a World Cup or a European Championship, a thin record for two nations who face each other regularly in friendlies and the Nations League. That scarcity is why the England vs Spain betting markets get read against tournament history as much as current form. Those seven games have produced two goalless draws, one penalty shoot-out and a European final.

Zarra settles the first meeting in 1950

The first came in the group stage of the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro on 2 July. Telmo Zarra scored early in the second half and Spain won 1-0 to top the group. England, who had beaten Chile and then lost 1-0 to the United States, went home after three games. It was England's first World Cup, and Spain went on to finish fourth in the four-team final group.

England win the 1968 quarter-final over two legs

Euro 1968 settled its quarter-finals over home and away legs. Bobby Charlton scored late at Wembley on 3 April 1968 for a 1-0 first-leg win. In Madrid five weeks later, Amancio levelled the tie soon after the interval, Martin Peters equalised, and Norman Hunter scored the winner for a 2-1 away victory. England took the tie 3-1 and reached the finals in Italy, where they finished third. It stands as the only tie between the two played over two legs at a major tournament.

Naples 1980 and Madrid 1982

England beat Spain 2-1 in Naples on 18 June 1980 in their final group game at Euro 1980. Trevor Brooking opened the scoring, Tony Woodcock added a second after Luis Arconada had saved from Terry McDermott, and Dani replied from the spot for Spain. England still finished third in the group, and Belgium went to the final.

Two years later Spain were hosts, and the sides met in the second group phase at the Bernabeu on 5 July 1982. England needed to win by two goals to reach the semi-finals. Kevin Keegan, on as a substitute, headed the clearest chance wide, the game finished 0-0, and England went out unbeaten, having conceded just one goal in in five matches.

Wembley 1996 and the penalty shoot-out

The Euro 1996 quarter-final at Wembley on 22 June was goalless after extra time, with Spain arriving unbeaten from their group. Spain had two efforts ruled out for offside, including a Julio Salinas finish that the replays showed to be onside.

England won the shoot-out 4-2, with Alan Shearer, David Platt, Stuart Pearce and Paul Gascoigne all scoring. Fernando Hierro hit the bar and David Seaman saved from Miguel Angel Nadal. Pearce's penalty came six years after the one he missed against West Germany at Italia 90.

Berlin 2024 and Spain's fourth European title

The two met in a major final for the first time at the Olympiastadion in Berlin on 14 July 2024. Nico Williams scored two minutes into the second half, Cole Palmer, on as a substitute three minutes earlier, levelled on 73 minutes with a low finish from the edge of the penalty area, and Mikel Oyarzabal turned in Marc Cucurella's cross with four minutes left, also from the bench.

Spain won 2-1 for a record fourth European Championship, and England lost a second consecutive European final. Sky Bet lists its current betting offers on one promotions page.

What the tournament record shows

Between 1950 and 2024, England won three of the seven meetings, drew two and lost two, with the goals standing at 6-5 in England's favour. Zarra, Amancio, Dani, Williams and Oyarzabal scored for Spain. Charlton, Peters, Hunter, Woodcock, Brooking and Palmer scored for England. No player on either side has scored in more than one of the seven games.

Berlin was also the first time Spain had removed England from a tournament in a knockout tie, having lost the quarter-finals of 1968 and 1996. No individual match among the seven has been settled by more than a single goal, and none of them has produced more than three goals in total.

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