How Spain won the World Cup without a marquee goal scorer or elite defense

Spain won the 2026 FIFA World Cup without relying on a marquee goal scorer in the mold of Messi, Mbappé, or Haaland, according to ESPN analyst Ryan O'Hanlon. The victory is being analyzed as a triumph of collective team play and system over individual star power. This win is also noted as part of Spain's historic dominance of both the men's and women's international games, as reported by Sam Marsden.