Experience Over Youth, Super‑Sub Influence and More as World Cup Trends Emerge
The latest World Cup, the most expansive edition ever staged, produced statistics that matched its scale. With 48 national teams competing across 104 matches in three host nations, the tournament saw a record‑breaking 308 goals before Spain lifted the trophy.
Beyond sheer size, the competition proved to be older, more geographically demanding and less evenly matched than any previous edition. Th…