India, July 17 -- Spain is probably the most complete team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They have conceded only once in this tournament, dominated possession against top teams and arrive in the final as the favourites. Before the tournament, there were doubts over Mikel Oyarzabal's role as the lone frontman. But he has silenced his critics in style, scoring five goals and bagging an assist. Yet, writing off Lionel Messi has rarely ended well.

The 2026 World Cup has repeatedly reached the same conclusion, whenever Messi is involved, predictions become fragile.

Spain began their campaign on a shaky note, with a goalless draw to debutants Cape Verde. Then they cruised to a 4-0 victory past Saudi Arabia and beat Uruguay (1-0), topping Group ...