The Spaniards lost for the first time since 1993! Despite a partial failure, Italy becomes the second best team in history!

Misleading headline? It may seem like it, but it’s basically one big fact. We’re just going to have to take it one step at a time. Qualification for the 2022 World Cup offered two sensational records that will go down in bold in the football textbooks. Here we go!

I’m sure you’re thinking that Spain hasn’t been doing well lately, and you’ll recall that they’ve lost several times. Yes, that’s true, but Spain have been stumbling lately, especially in big tournaments, but for the first time since 1993 they lost a game in a World Cup qualifier!

Their last loss in a World Cup qualifying match was 0-1 to Denmark in 1993. Yesterday, their long unbeaten run (28 years) in qualifying matches came to an end and it came again from a Nordic opponent! This time the executioner of the team from the Iberian Peninsula was Sweden.

The Swedes won in Solna 2: 1. Isak and Claesson scored for the Norse, while Soler scored for Spain in the 5th minute. If you wanted to quantify Spain’s qualification unbeatenness in games and not in time, it lasted exactly 66 games!

The Italians can rejoice too! But it’s a joy with a big aftertaste, because Italy only drew with the underrated Bulgarians 1-1. But by not losing, Roberto Mancini’s charges have reached a huge milestone!

In fact, they became the second most successful team in the history of international football. Their unbeaten streak now stands at 35 games. There is only a fine line ahead of them, which they may soon surpass!

They have matched Spain’s unbeaten run from 2007-2009, which lasted 35 matches! And the longest ever streak is held by the legendary Brazil team from 1993-1996 (36 matches).

Italy can finally break the record in this national break! All it needs is not to lose to the Swiss and Lithuania.

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