It's hard to put into words exactly how good this Spain squad really is.
While other nations arrived at the World Cup surrounded by noise, celebrity and expectation, Spain quietly went about their business. No drama. No dependence on one superstar. Just control, clarity and an almost frightening level of consistency.
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Our Facebook post tells the story. Spain are now unbeaten in 38 international matches, a sequence made up of 29 victories and nine draws. That run has delivered the European Championship and now the World Cup, with Luis de la Fuente’s side breaking the previous international record along the way.
They did not simply survive the World Cup, either.
New Defensive Benchmarck Unlocked
Spain conceded just once across eight matches, setting a new defensive benchmark for a World Cup-winning nation. In the final, they restricted Argentina to almost nothing for long periods, kept their shape when the match became ugly and found the winner through Ferran Torres in extra time.
That winning goal summed up the squad.
Torres had not started the final. He entered from the bench and delivered the biggest moment of the tournament. Spain’s strength has never been limited to the first 11. Every player understands the system and every replacement appears ready to carry the same responsibility.
Rodri remains the brain of the operation. He controls the speed of matches, protects the defence and gives Spain authority when the contest becomes frantic.
Ahead of him, Dani Olmo and Fabián Ruiz provide imagination without sacrificing discipline. Mikel Oyarzabal offers movement, intelligence and goals, while Lamine Yamal gives Spain something their great possession teams did not always possess: genuine unpredictability.
Then there is Pau Cubarsí. Still only 19, the Barcelona defender played the World Cup final with the composure of a veteran, completing 96% of his passes while repeatedly shutting down Argentina’s attacks.
De la Fuente deserves enormous credit.
He was never the glamorous appointment. He had spent years inside Spain’s youth system and understood the generation emerging beneath the senior side. That knowledge allowed him to introduce players such as Yamal, Cubarsí and Gavi without tearing up Spain’s identity.
Spain have evolved beyond the old possession stereotype. They can dominate the ball, defend deep, attack quickly and win ugly. The scary thing is this is not about a generation. The power in youth La Roja possess, and the DNA they stick to, means they can continue to dominate for years to come.
Thirty-eight games. Two major trophies. One defeat-free machine.
The rest of international football is now chasing them.
