The most impressive team streaks of the 21st century: Where does Spain rank 2024-26?

Spain not only won the 2026 FIFA World Cup; he did it in a historic way.

With their 1-0 victory against Argentina on Sunday at the New York New Jersey Stadium, Spain broke the historic streak of unbeaten matches (38), which was previously held by Italy (37) in matches played between 2018 and 2021. During this streak, Spain recorded 29 wins and nine draws.

Spain’s unbeaten streak joins a list of incredible team streaks of the 21st century. Here are some other incredible milestones that have been accomplished by professional sports teams over the past 25 years:

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

During the 2003-2004 NFL season, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were a force of nature. Their dominance set the overall record for most consecutive wins, including the regular season and playoffs.

Tom Brady played a significant role in the Patriots’ success in his third season as the team’s starting quarterback. Although they started the season 2–2, he helped the Patriots to a victory in Week 5 against the Tennessee Titans, starting a streak that would see them win every game for the rest of the season, until the playoffs, where they defeated the Carolina Panthers 32–29 for their second title in three seasons.

The streak ended seven games the following season, against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The only team to come close since then is the Green Bay Packers, who won 19 games in 2010-11.

(Photo by Alex Trautwig/MLB via Getty Images)

For three weeks, not a single MLB team could stop the Cleveland Guardians (then Cleveland Indians). During the 2017 MLB season, the Guardians delivered 22 games of absolute mastery to every baseball fan watching. Not a single team came close to dominating the Guardians, except for the Yankees, against whom the Guardians always won, 2-1.

Even though Cleveland’s streak ended with a heartbreaking 4–3 loss to the Kansas City Royals in a 10th inning tie, they still finished the season with 102 wins; only the Los Angeles Dodgers have recorded more wins this season. They also managed to beat the Houston Astros five of the six times they faced each other, a team that went on to win that season’s World Series.

The last team to have such an impressive streak was the New York Giants in 1916, with a streak of 26 consecutive games. But, in the 21st century, the only team that comes close to sniffing the Guardians’ record is the Athletics, with 20. Even though they didn’t win a ring that year, they still managed to etch their name in baseball history.

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

The Miami Heat showed no mercy throughout the 2012-2013 NBA season, winning the NBA championship and a record to go with it.

The Heat began their historic 27-game winning streak on February 3, 2013, in a 100-85 victory over the Toronto Raptors. They then faced strong teams such as the Rockets, Clippers, Lakers, Thunder and Knicks, beating them all. The King, LeBron James, spearheaded this streak, with an impressive 39-point performance in a close game against Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The rest of the season was no different. Besides two losses, one to the Bulls and the Knicks, the Heat eliminated every team that stood in front of them and fought their way to the NBA Playoffs. The Heat won the NBA Finals by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in seven games.

(Photo by Alex Pantling – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Thirty-eight matches without defeat; this is Spain’s record since March 2024, and a loss does not appear to be happening in the near future.

Spain’s dominance is now known around the world following their 2026 FIFA World Cup triumph, but most fans are unaware of how long La Roja have been dominating. Between friendlies, UEFA Nations League matches, the European Championship and, most recently, the World Cup, Spain have not suffered a single defeat.

In the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Spain not only beat every team they played against, but they only allowed one goal – against Belgium – during the entire tournament. On top of that, he kept a clean sheet against every country he faced. Spain’s victory over Argentina not only earned them a World Cup trophy, but it also dethroned the men’s all-time international unbeaten record of 37 matches.

Now this streak continues. Can Spain extend this record, or will another country enter the conversation?

(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

From November 23, 2014 to March 31, 2017, the UConn Huskies women’s basketball team was unstoppable, going 111 consecutive games without being beaten.

During this streak, they won two national titles, the latter completing a streak of four consecutive championships from 2013 to 2016. They also managed to reach the Final Four for the tenth consecutive time.

This 859 day period was not unusual for Huskies. In fact, UConn owns four of the five longest winning streaks in D1 women’s basketball history. The constant variable every year? Legendary head coach, Geno Auriemma. He began his reign in 1985, and during his 41-year tenure, he set records for most NCAA Division I women’s basketball championships (12) and most wins by an NCAA Division I women’s basketball coach.

The UConn Huskies women’s basketball team and its dominance were no accident; just pure talent.