How Spain Won the World Cup: Six Keys to Their Gameplay, Frame by Frame

A Formidable Center of the Field

Throughout the tournament, Spain's Rodri, Pedri, and Dani Olmo have consistently demonstrated their intelligence, tactical awareness, and ability to recover the ball. This has allowed the team to control the pace of the game and accelerate when they detect an opportunity. A notable example of this was in the quarterfinals against Portugal, where Rodri recovered the ball and played it to Pedri, who then turned and played a through ball to Dani Olmo. Olmo controlled the ball, detected the space between the Portuguese lines, and played a pass that broke the first defensive line. Spain quickly counter-attacked, with Olmo controlling the ball and finding Mikel Oyarzabal with a pass that left the Portuguese defense exposed.

A Solid Defense

Spain's defense has been a key factor in their success, and it has been built on the principle of high-pressure defense. The team has consistently recovered the ball in the opponent's half, limiting their opponents' chances of scoring. According to Driblab, Spain has been the second team with the highest percentage of defensive actions in the opponent's half (62.5%), the team that has allowed the fewest passes to be completed by the opponent's forwards, and the team that has conceded the fewest scoring opportunities. A notable example of this was in the match against Austria, where Ferran Torres lost the ball in the opponent's half, but Mikel Merino, Lamine Yamal, and Ferran Torres themselves quickly put pressure on the Austrian player, forcing him to play the ball back. This pressure ultimately led to the loss of possession by the Austrians.

Depth of the Wingers

The depth and explosiveness of Spain's wingers have been a hallmark of their gameplay since the Euro 2024. In this World Cup, it was the turn of Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella to shine. Porro has been the primary generator of danger from the sides, and Cucurella has been one of the most accurate passers from the flanks. A notable example of this was in the match against Austria, where Porro and Cucurella worked together to create a scoring opportunity. After a defender blocked a shot by Dani Olmo, the ball fell to Marc Cucurella in the opponent's half. Porro, who had been tracking the action, quickly joined Cucurella in the area, and the two wingers worked together to create a scoring opportunity. Porro's movement and Cucurella's passing ultimately led to the second goal of the match.

Effective Substitutions

The bench has also been crucial in Spain's success. A notable example of this was in the quarterfinals against Portugal, where Ferran Torres, Fabián Ruiz, and Mikel Merino came on as substitutes and helped to turn the game around. The match-winning goal was scored by Merino, who had come on as a substitute and had quickly made an impact on the game. Merino's movement and passing had created a scoring opportunity, and he ultimately scored the goal that won the match for Spain.