Only two countries in the world have managed to win both the FIFA U-20 Men's World Cup and the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup, and those are Germany and Spain. The feat is a rare distinction that highlights the depth of footballing talent emerging from these two European nations.
Germany was the first to accomplish this historic double, with its men's team — then representing West Germany — claiming the U-20 World Cup title back in 1981. The country's women's team followed suit by winning the U-20 Women's World Cup in 2004, 2010 and 2014, adding three consecutive titles to its record.
Spain also joined the exclusive club after its men's team won the U-20 World Cup in 1999, the tournament being hosted by Nigeria. In the final held in Lagos, the Spanish men's side defeated Japan 4-0 to secure their first-ever title.
More than two decades later, Spain's women's team won their maiden U-20 Women's World Cup in 2022, defeating Japan 3-1 in the final in Costa Rica. Spain added a second women's title in 2026, further cementing its place among the world's elite.
The achievement places Germany and Spain firmly in a select group of countries that have conquered both sides of FIFA's U-20 World Cup competitions, making them the only nations to have tasted success on both fronts.