Spain vs England in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final: which team has the best head-to-head record?

History will be made at Stadium Australia on Sydney on Sunday, when Spain will take on England in the Women’s World Cup 2023 final. Neither of the two nations had previously reached the tournament’s showpiece game, let alone won it, with a new name set to be inscribed on a trophy that has been won on four occasions by the USWNT.

Spain and England’s upward trajectory in women’s soccer

La Roja have some of the most talented players in world soccer, such as two-time Ballon d’Or Féminin winner Alexia Putellas and Barcelona teammate Aitana Bonmatí, yet few would have predicted that they would do so well in the tournament given how chaotic their preparation was. Spain have shattered their previous best performance at the tournament, which saw them lose in the round of 16 to the United States in France in 2019.

England, meanwhile, have steadily improved over the course of the last 15 years or so. After missing out on qualification for the 1999 and 2003 tournaments, they have now reached the quarter-finals or better in five consecutive World Cups and will also improve on their previous best - third in Canada in 2015. That progression has also been seen in the UEFA Women’s Championship, culminating in their victory on home soil in 2022.

What happened the last time Spain played England?

The two European nations have faced each other on a total of 16 occasions between December 1993 and July last year, their most recent meeting seeing England post a narrow victory in the quarter-finals of Euro 2022. For the majority of the second half in Brighton, the Spaniards looked likely to progress to the last four thanks to Esther González’s goal, only for Ella Toone to level for the hosts in the closing stages and Georgia Stanway to flip the game on its head in extra time.

Have Spain and England played each other in a World Cup?

Spain and England have never met in a World Cup, although they did play each other in qualification for the 2011 tournament, with The Lionesses winning 1-0 in London before a draw in Aranda de Duero. England won the group and qualified for the finals through the playoff stage, with Spain forced to watch on TV.

Previous major tournament meetings

In major tournaments, the teams have faced off twice, in the group stage of European Championships in both 2013 and 2017. Putellas scored an injury-time winner in the first of the two clashes, which sent Spain through and England home, although La Roja were eliminated in the first knockout round (the quarter-finals).

Four years later, England got their revenge in a 2-0 win, although both teams ultimately progressed from the group. Spain again lost in there quarter-finals, with The Lionesses soundly beaten by eventual winners the Netherlands in the semis.

Spain vs England: overall head-to-head record

When results in all competitions and friendly marches are taken into account, England have won seven matches to Spain’s three, with six draws.