India, July 13 -- The FIFA World Cup 2026 has reached its semifinal stage, but the final four have not arrived here by following one dominant tactical formula.

France have overwhelmed opponents through attacking volume. Spain have suffocated them through possession and territorial control. Argentina have turned finishing into a competitive advantage. England have built their campaign around high-value chances and the decisive contributions of two extraordinary players.

The numbers underline how different these routes have been. Only 1.5 expected goals separate the four semifinalists, yet Argentina have scored 17 goals, France 16, England 13 and Spain 11. The ability to convert broadly similar attacking output into very different results...