Spain beat Peru 3-1 in an international friendly and reached the historic mark of 30 consecutive matches without defeat. The clash took place on Monday night and marked the team’s last test before the start of the 2026 World Cup. Under the direction of coach Luis de la Fuente, the Spanish team established its longest unbeaten run prior to a World Cup. The squad’s positive streak began in March 2024. Midfielder Pedri scored one of the goals in the triumph.
The performance consolidates Spain’s preparation for the national team tournament. With the positive result obtained against the Peruvians, the group surpassed marks from previous campaigns that also arrived at the tournament with strong expectations. The Spanish squad travels to the headquarters of the competition with a background that includes both official matches from continental tournaments and friendly preparatory matches.
Current squad surpasses historical records of previous coaches
The current series of matches without defeat has surpassed emblematic marks established by former football commanders in the country. The mark of 30 games reached by Luis de la Fuente exceeds by ten matches the record built by Julen Lopetegui before the World Cup in Russia. On that occasion, the Spaniards had 20 unbeaten performances, but ended up being eliminated by the home team in the round of 16 of the dispute.
The statistical survey details the evolution of numbers in different pre-World Cup cycles:
- Luis de la Fuente Cycle (2026): 30 unbeaten games until the last friendly
- Luis Aragonés Cycle (2006): 22 unbeaten performances before elimination against France
- Julen Lopetegui Cycle (2018): 20 matches without defeat until the fall in Russia
- Ciclo Vicente del Bosque (2010): 12 unbeaten matches before the unprecedented title
The comparison exposes a curious dynamic about the team’s behavior in the final stages. In 2006, the group led by Luis Aragonés arrived in Germany boasting 22 unbeaten performances, but stopped against the French in the round of 16 after losing 3-1. On the other hand, the country’s most successful campaign occurred with a shorter sequence. Vicente del Bosque had a 12-game unbeaten run when he arrived in South Africa, a competition that ended with the trophy for the Spanish side.
Statistics count official matches and friendlies from the recent cycle
The mathematical structure of the 30 undefeated matches considers all appearances by the men’s main team since the setback suffered in March 2024. The count by the Royal Spanish Football Federation unifies the results of qualifiers, continental tournaments and friendly preparation games. The technical committee used these commitments to test tactical variations and rejuvenate the squad. Pedri’s goal against the Peruvian team confirmed the strength of the young players who play in the midfield sector.
The 3-1 victory served to make final adjustments in the defensive and offensive sectors. Luis de la Fuente rotated important pieces during the second half to preserve athletes physically and observe bench options. The end of the preparatory cycle begins the period of total concentration for the official debut in the group stage of the most important competition on the international sporting calendar.