Experience Trumps Youth, Super‑Subs and More as World Cup Patterns Emerge
The most expansive FIFA World Cup ever staged delivered statistics that matched its scale. With 48 nations competing across 104 matches in three host nations, a staggering 308 goals were scored before Spain lifted the trophy.
Beyond sheer size, this edition proved to be older, more geographically demanding and less balanced than any previous tournament. The average difference in FIFA rankings be…