Spain fans are trying not to get carried away ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final against Argentina. That’s becoming increasingly difficult, and not just because of their stunning semifinal performance against France.

Superstitions have always been part of soccer. Lucky shirts, lucky seats, lucky pregame meals. I even have my own little routine ahead of big clashes. And when a country hasn’t lifted the World Cup since 2010 – yes, I know that’s nothing to English fans – it’s only natural that supporters start searching for echoes of that unforgettable summer.

Most (OK, all) of these similarities prove absolutely nothing. They won’t help Lamine Yamal complete a pass or stop Lionel Messi from producing another moment of magic. But together they paint a surprisingly entertaining picture.

Some are genuine historical quirks. Others are almost too perfect to ignore.

Why are people comparing Spain’s 2026 World Cup run to 2010?

The parallels actually started before a ball had been kicked.

1. Same countries, same date for opener

The 2010 World Cup began on June 11 with South Africa facing Mexico.

Sixteen years later, the 2026 tournament also kicked off on June 11 with, you guessed it... Mexico against South Africa.

The home team and away team swapped places, but the opening fixture featured the exact same nations on the exact same date. Before Spain had even started its campaign, history was already offering an unusual little wink.

2. Spain landed in Group H again

Spain’s only World Cup-winning team emerged from Group H in South Africa.

When the draw was made for 2026, Luis de la Fuente’s side found themselves in Group H once more.

The journey through the group wasn’t identical, so I’m not going to force the comparison. But ending up in the very same section of the draw is another curious detail on an increasingly long list.

3. They arrived as European champions

The Spain side that conquered the world in 2010 had already won Euro 2008.

This squad traveled to North America as reigning European champions after lifting Euro 2024.

That’s more than just a coincidence. Spain are once again chasing one of international soccer’s hardest achievements: holding both the European Championship and the World Cup within the same cycle.

4. José Mourinho joined Real Madrid in both World Cup years

This is my favorite. Back in 2010, José Mourinho arrived at Real Madrid shortly before Spain lifted the World Cup for the first time.

Sixteen years later, almost unbelievably, he has returned to the Bernabéu in another World Cup year following another disappointing period for the club.

It has absolutely nothing to do with Spain’s performances on the field. But if you’re looking for omens, one of the defining characters from that unforgettable summer has reappeared in exactly the same place. Maybe Florentino Pérez had a bigger plan in mind.

5. Portugal were beaten 1-0 in the round of 16... again

If one coincidence really jumps off the page, it’s this one.

In 2010, Spain eliminated Portugal 1-0 in the round of 16 thanks to David Villa’s winning goal.

In 2026, Spain again met their Iberian neighbors in the round of 16.

The result?

Another 1-0 victory. I’ll leave that there.

6. Another Spain squad built around Barcelona

Spain’s 2010 World Cup squad contained eight Barcelona players if David Villa is included, as his move to Camp Nou had already been completed before the tournament.

This year’s squad also features eight Barça players: Joan García, Eric García, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi, Pedri, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal.

As you’d have expected, FC Barcelona themselves highlighted the coincidence. More importantly, both World Cup finalists have been built around a strong Barcelona core rather than simply sharing the same number of players.

7. Shakira is back at the World Cup

No song is more closely linked with Spain’s greatest soccer triumph than Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).

Shakira’s anthem became the soundtrack to Spain’s victory in 2010. Now she’s back as part of the World Cup entertainment once again, and the song Dai Dai this time driving the hip shakes.

Will that make any difference to Sunday’s final? Almost certainly not.

But if Spain do lift the trophy again, don’t be surprised if plenty of fans decide that, just like in 2010, having Shakira around was simply part of the recipe.

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