 Sergio Ramos (top center) of Spain tries to pass the ball toFernando Torres (center) as Portugal'sFábio Coentrão (left),Bruno Alves (right) andCristiano Ronaldo (top) look on during a match at2010 FIFA World Cup match. | |
| Location | Europe |
|---|---|
| Teams |  Portugal Spain |
| First meeting | 18 December 1921 Friendly Spain 3–1 Portugal |
| Latest meeting | 8 June 2025 UEFA Nations League finals Portugal 2–2 (a.e.t.)(5–3p) Spain |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 41 |
| Most wins | Spain (17) |
| Top scorer | Isidro Lángara (7) |
| All-time series | Portugal: 6 Draw: 18 Spain: 17 |
| Largest victory | Spain 9–0 Portugal 1934 FIFA World Cup qualification (11 March 1934) |
  Portugal Spain | |
ThePortugal–Spain football rivalry (popularly known asThe Iberian Derby) is one of the oldest football rivalries at a national level. It began on 19 December 1921, when Portugal lost 3–1 away in Madrid in their first ever international friendly game. Spain won several meetings thereafter as well, with the first draw (2–2) only coming in 1926. Portugal's first win came much later (4–1) in 1947.
Both countrieshave ranked among the highest rated national teams in the world since the 1980s and both have regularly featured in the top 10 ranked teams onFIFA Men's World Rankings. They have met a total of 41 times (of which 12 were competitive) which resulted in 6 victories for Portugal, 18 draws, and 17 victories for Spain.
The rivalry between the two countries goes back to 1581, when KingHenry of Portugal died with no heir, thus triggeringa succession crisis, where the main claimants to the throne werePhilip II of Spain andAntónio, Prior of Crato. Philip II of Spain was made king, and he united both theCrown of João VI and theSpanish Crown to form theIberian Union, which lasted only 60 years, until 1640, when thePortuguese Restoration War was initiated against Spain, and Portugal regained its independence under theBraganza dynasty.
In the 18th century, wars were very often between major kingdoms, and Portugal and Spain regularly found themselves on opposite sides. The Portuguese, courtesy of their long-standing alliance, aligned themselves withGreat Britain, while the Spaniards, through thePacte de Famille, allied themselves toFrance. In 1762, during theSeven Years' War, Spain launched an unsuccessfulinvasion of Portugal.
In 1777, there was a conflict between the two states over the borders of their possessions inSouth America.
During the Napoleonic Era, in 1807, the king of Spain and his French allies invaded Portugal, using a route through Spanish territory. However, the French decided to take over both countries, overthrowing the king of Spain and forcing the Portuguese royal family toescape to the Portuguese colony ofBrazil.
After the fall of Napoleon, both countries came close to war a number of times during the early 19th century. Both lost their American colonies shortly after the end of thePeninsular War, which severely weakened their global power.
Spain and Portugal met in1950 FIFA World Cup qualification round with Spain going away with a 5–1 victory at home in the first leg.
The second leg saw both sides drawing 2–2, meaning Spain qualified for1950 FIFA World Cup.
InUEFA Euro 1984 group stage Portugal and Spain were paired together, both sides qualified to the next round as Portugal drew Spain 1–1.António Sousa gave Portugal in 52nd minute, after 21 minutesSantillana equalised for Spain at 73rd minute.[1]
Portugal and Spain faced off ingroup stage of theUEFA Euro 2004 hosted by Portugal. In a game where both teams must win to qualify for the knockout stage, Portugal won the game 1–0 as half-time substituteNuno Gomes scored a goal from 20 yards, giving Portugal their first ever victory against Spain in a major tournament, eliminating Spain on goals scored, and handed the other knockout berth to eventual winners Greece.[2] This was also Portugal's first victory over Spain since 1981.[3]
Spain defeated Portugal 1–0 in the Iberian derby to progress to the quarter-finals en route to theirfirst world championship. The game took place on 29 June 2010 at theCape Town Stadium. Spain dominated the game with a ball possession ratio of 62% and several opportunities, but had to endure a pair of missed chances by the Portuguese in the first half, including one byHugo Almeida which nearly resulted in a goal. In the second half, the Portuguese attacking threat decreased, and the entry ofFernando Llorente forFernando Torres on the field brought new energy to the Spanish team. The only goal of the match came on the 63rd minute asDavid Villa picked up a brilliant pass byXavi, having his first shot saved, but then lifted the rebound into the roof of the net.[4] Post-match replays showed that the goal was scored from an offside position (0.22m according toESPN axis).[5][6][7][8][9]
Portugal faced Spain for the sixth time in a major tournament atUEFA Euro 2012 semi-finals.[10] In early minutes of first half, Spain missed an scoring opportunity asÁlvaro Arbeloa shot a half-cleared ball byBruno Alves just above the crossbar. After a Portugal free-kick hit the wall, Spain started a counter-attack withXavi passing the ball at the edge of the box, just to be hit above the crossbar byAndrés Iniesta. Halfway through first halfCristiano Ronaldo shot just waved past the Spanish goalkeeperIker Casillas missing the goal by inches. In the 85th minute Portugal got two back-to-back freekicks as Ronaldo was fouled for the first one and second for handball which happened as Ronaldo hit the first freekick at the wall, the second freekick went above the bar, as the 90 minutes ended 0–0. At 95th minute Portuguese keeperRui Patrício saved a shot from Iniesta as he fired in a cross in the six yard box. As the extra time also ended 0-0, the penalty shoot-out commenced, Spain went out victorious as Cristiano Ronaldo did not take a penalty afterXabi Alonso saw Patrício saving his first penalty. After the match Portuguese coachPaulo Bento said: "We had this order. Ronaldo was fifth."[11][10]
Spain faced Portugal in their opening match ofGroup B. Cristiano Ronaldo gave Portugal an early lead from the spot-kick in 4th minute of the match after deceivingNacho inside the box. In the 24th minute,Diego Costa equalised for Spain after scoring past the Portuguese defence.Isco then saw his shot thumping against the post. Ronaldo gave Portugal lead once again in 44th minute after Spanish keeperDavid de Gea was unable to handle the shot. Costa once again equalised for Spanish side in the 55th minute. Nacho redeemed himself after scoring a superb half-volley from outside the box at 58th minute.Gerard Piqué brought down Ronaldo outside the box at 86th minute, Ronaldo scored the free kick to equalise the game at 3–3, earning his first-ever World Cup hat-trick.[13][14]
Both teams were drawn together in Group 2 of the2022–23 UEFA Nations League A. The first leg was played atEstadio Benito Villamarín on 2 June where the game ended 1–1, withAlvaro Morata of Spain andRicardo Horta of Portugal scoring the goal in that match.[16] The second leg was played atEstádio Municipal de Braga on 27 September in a game where both teams have to win to secure a spot in the2023 UEFA Nations League Finals. Had the match ended in a draw, Portugal would have advanced. In the end, Spain won 1–0 on a winning goal scored by Morata late in the game in the 88th minute for their first win at a Portuguese ground in 19 years.[17]
The teams met at the2025 UEFA Nations League final, the second UEFA Nations League final for Portugal and the third (both overall and in a row) for Spain.
| No. | Date | Location | Competition | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 December 1921 |  Madrid | Friendly | Spain | 3–1 | Portugal |
| 2 | 17 December 1922 | Lisbon | Portugal | 1–2 | Spain | |
| 3 | 16 December 1923 | Seville | Spain | 3–0 | Portugal | |
| 4 | 17 May 1925 | Lisbon | Portugal | 0–2 | Spain | |
| 5 | 10 January 1928 | Portugal | 2–2 | Spain | ||
| 6 | 17 March 1929 | Seville | Spain | 5–0 | Portugal | |
| 7 | 30 November 1930 | Porto | Portugal | 0–1 | Spain | |
| 8 | 2 April 1933 |  Vigo | Spain | 3–0 | Portugal | |
| 9 | 11 March 1934 | Madrid | 1934 FIFA World Cup qualification | Spain | 9–0 | Portugal |
| 10 | 18 March 1934 | Lisbon | Portugal | 1–2 | Spain | |
| 11 | 5 May 1935 | Friendly | Portugal | 3–3 | Spain | |
| 12 | 12 January 1941 | Portugal | 2–2 |  Spain | ||
| 13 | 16 March 1941 | Bilbao | Spain | 5–1 | Portugal | |
| 14 | 13 March 1945 | Lisbon | Portugal | 2–2 |  Spain | |
| 15 | 6 May 1945 | La Coruña | Spain | 4–2 | Portugal | |
| 16 | 26 January 1947 | Lisbon | Portugal | 4–1 | Spain | |
| 17 | 20 March 1948 | Madrid | Spain | 2–0 | Portugal | |
| 18 | 20 March 1949 | Lisbon | Portugal | 1–1 | Spain | |
| 19 | 2 April 1950 | Madrid | 1950 FIFA World Cup qualification | Spain | 5–1 | Portugal |
| 20 | 9 April 1950 | Lisbon | Portugal | 2–2 | Spain | |
| 21 | 3 June 1956 | Friendly | Portugal | 3–1 | Spain | |
| 22 | 13 April 1958 | Madrid | Spain | 1–0 | Portugal | |
| 23 | 15 November 1964 | Porto | Portugal | 2–1 | Spain | |
| 24 | 26 September 1979 |  Vigo | Spain | 1–1 | Portugal | |
| 25 | 20 June 1981 | Porto | Portugal | 2–0 | Spain | |
| 26 | 17 June 1984 |  Marseille | UEFA Euro 1984 | Portugal | 1–1 | Spain |
| 27 | 16 January 1991 | Castellón | Friendly | Spain | 1–1 | Portugal |
| 28 | 15 January 1992 | Torres Novas | Portugal | 0–0 | Spain | |
| 29 | 19 January 1994 | Vigo | Spain | 2–2 | Portugal | |
| 30 | 13 February 2002 | Barcelona | 1–1 | |||
| 31 | 6 September 2003 | Guimarães | Portugal | 0–3 | Spain | |
| 32 | 20 June 2004 | Lisbon | UEFA Euro 2004 | Spain | 0–1 | Portugal |
| 33 | 29 June 2010 |  Cape Town | 2010 FIFA World Cup | Spain | 1–0 | Portugal |
| 34 | 17 November 2010 | Lisbon | Friendly | Portugal | 4–0 | Spain |
| 35 | 27 June 2012 |  Donetsk | UEFA Euro 2012 | Portugal | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (2–4p) | Spain |
| 36 | 15 June 2018 |  Sochi | 2018 FIFA World Cup | Portugal | 3–3 | Spain |
| 37 | 7 October 2020 | Lisbon | Friendly | Portugal | 0–0 | Spain |
| 38 | 4 June 2021 | Madrid | Spain | 0–0 | Portugal | |
| 39 | 2 June 2022 | Seville | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League | Spain | 1–1 | Portugal |
| 40 | 27 September 2022 | Braga | Portugal | 0–1 | Spain | |
| 41 | 8 June 2025 |  Munich | 2025 UEFA Nations League Finals | Portugal | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (5–3p) | Spain |
An additional three matches have been played between the countries which are not considered official (although are included in some media articles relating to the rivalry and in some statistical tallies of caps for the players involved):[21][22][23][24][25]
| No. | Date | Venue | Competition | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/A[a] | 29 May 1927[26][27][28] | Madrid | Unofficial friendly[32] | Spain B | 2–0 | Portugal |
| N/A[b] | 28 November 1937[45][46] |  Vigo | Unofficial friendly[34][39][40][42][43] | Spain | 1–2 | Portugal |
| N/A[c] | 30 January 1938[47][48][44] | Lisbon | Unofficial friendly[34][39][40] | Portugal | 1–0 | Spain |
| Competition | Matches | Wins | Draws | Goals | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portugal | Spain | Portugal | Spain | |||
| FIFA World Cup* | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 22 |
| UEFA European Championship | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2** | 2 | 1 |
| UEFA Nations League | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2*** | 3 | 4 |
| All competitions | 12 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 12 | 27 |
| Friendly | 29 | 5 | 12 | 12 | 35 | 52 |
| All matches | 41 | 6 | 18 | 17 | 47 | 79 |
| Competition | Titles | |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | Portugal | |
| FIFA World Cup | 1 | 0 |
| FIFA Confederations Cup | 0 | 0 |
| UEFA Euros | 4 | 1 |
| UEFA Nations League | 1 | 2 |
| Summer Olympics | 2 | 0 |
| All competitions | 8 | 3 |
| Rank | Player | FIFA World Cup | FIFA World Cup qualification | UEFA European Championship | UEFA European Championship qualifying | UEFA Nations League | Friendly | All matches |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isidro Lángara5 | — | 7 | — | — | — | 2 | 9 |
| 2 | Fernando Peyroteo | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 7 |
| 3 | Telmo Zarra | — | 3 | — | — | — | 3 | 6 |
| 4 | Cristiano Ronaldo | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| 5 | Francisco Palmeiro | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 |
| José Travassos | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | |
| Epifanio Fernández | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | |
| César Rodríguez | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | |
| Gaspar Rubio | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | |
| José Luis Zabala | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 |
