Spain travels to Prague to face the Czech Republic in the Nations League, looking to extend an unbeaten run that has reached 42 matches.
While the team has already secured a spot in the competition’s quarter-finals, the upcoming fixture serves as a critical test of their historical momentum.
The national side remains undefeated in official competition since a 2-0 loss to Scotland in Glasgow on March 28, 2023. Their only defeat in any format over the last two years occurred in a March 2024 friendly against Colombia.
Luis de la Fuente has emphasized that his squad is not treating the trip to Prague as a mere formality. The team currently holds the best unbeaten record in the history of men’s international football, surpassing the 37-game streak set by Italy between 2018 and 2021.
“We want to keep hitting milestones. Nobody thought about reaching 35, but 43… Well, we want to reach 44,” said De la Fuente. He said that the squad must seek motivation from every available source, especially with a high-stakes match against England scheduled to close out the calendar year.
Spain enters the match facing several personnel challenges. The team will be without Rodri and Dani Olmo, who were already sidelined due to injury. Lamine Yamal will miss the trip due to knee discomfort, and Mikel Oyarzabal is unavailable following a bout with the flu.
These absences open the door for tactical adjustments. De la Fuente is expected to evaluate other options, including Martín Zubimendi in the midfield and Fermín López, who arrives in form after scoring twice against Atlético de Madrid. Fabián Ruiz also returns to the squad after missing the previous international window.
The match features a notable tactical matchup between two coaches with a shared history. The Czech Republic is managed by Santi Denia, the former Spanish Olympic coach who led the team to gold at the Paris Games. Denia previously worked under De la Fuente within the Spanish youth setup.
“It is the second time and it gives you joy to see them, but when the match starts you forget everything,” Denia said. While acknowledging a desire for Spain to continue their success in future fixtures, the Czech manager made his intentions clear for the upcoming encounter: “But we will have to break the streak. I’m sorry.”
Spain previously defeated the Czech Republic 3-1 in Sevilla on October 3. The current Nations League group stage concludes with a match against England at the Metropolitano, where a single point would guarantee Spain the top spot in the group.
The team is scheduled to face the Czech Republic in Prague before concluding their 2026 campaign against England on Sunday.
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