The conquest of the 2026 World Cup was the outcome of a process that Spain had been building for more than three years. The 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final not only gave them their second star, but also cemented a streak of 38 official matches without knowing defeatthe longest achieved by a European team in official competitions.
Since his last fall, on June 15, 2023, the team led by Luis de la Fuente linked 31 wins and seven drawswith 96 goals for and 26 against. The series includes only official matches: qualifying phases, UEFA Nations League, Euro Cup and World Cup.
But undefeated is not explained solely by the passage of time. The World Cup numbers show how Spain sustained that streak with a defined playing identity.
A team that dominated with the ball
Spain finished the tournament as the team with more passes completedwhen registering 5 thousand 288 during the eight games played.
That dominance of possession was also reflected in offensive production. La Roja was the team with more shots of the championship, with 140 attemptsand also led the classification of corner kickswith 54.
Far from limiting themselves to managing results, the Spanish team spent a good part of the tournament installed in the rival field, generating chances and forcing their opponents to defend near their area.
A constant attack without losing balance
The offensive superiority was accompanied by notable defensive solidity.
Spain only received 95 fouls committed during the World Cup, a figure lower than that of other teams that advanced to the decisive rounds, while maintaining a high volume of ball recovery and constant pressure on their rivals.
The fact that best summarizes that balance came in the defense of his goal.
In eight World Cup games, Spain only conceded one goalthe best defensive record of the tournament. This action allowed Unai Simon was chosen as the best goalkeeper of the championship, while the defender Pau Cubarsi He received the award for best young player.
The final was the confirmation of a style
The victory against Argentina did not break any trend. He confirmed it.
Spain closed the tournament with seven wins and one drawwon the world title without losing a single match and maintained the line he had maintained since June 2023.
The unbeaten streak of 38 official games ended up becoming more than just a record. It was the consequence of a team that dominated the games from possession, generated more chances than any other rival and built one of the most solid defenses in the World Cup.
The second star came as the last chapter of a story that had been in the making for years.