Debate with the world champions: is the Spain of 2010 or 2026 better?

For a thousandth of a second, there were those who saw Ferran Torres' goal against Argentina, Andrés Iniesta shoot, burst the net and celebrate, with that shirt in memory of Dani Jarque, the goal that decided the grand final of the World Cup for the Spanish team; or Iker Casillas, taking Rodri Hernández's place for a moment, raising the World Cup to the sky. That emotion of seeing in this Spain the same one that marked an era has lasted a very short time. Because – we already know – football has no memory. And from the celebration of a feat of such magnitude we have moved on to comparison: which Roja is better, the one from 2010 or the one from 2026?

It's hard to choose one over the other. One has had great names, today legends of world football, and a marked style that laid the foundations for future triumphs. On top of it, another team has been built that has dominated in recent times like no one remembers, with fewer individualities, but a collective that works like a perfect gear to crush mercilessly.

From the data, it is also difficult to equate the two. Vicente del Bosque's La Roja will always be special for being the first, but they also scored fewer goals in the World Cup tournament in 2010: eight, to become the champion with the fewest goals in the history of the championship, compared to the 14 that Luis de la Fuente's boys have scored. And they received one more: two they did to the Spain of 16 years ago, one more than to that of 2026, which in New Jersey was proclaimed the champion with the fewest goals in history.

Continuing with the goals, the top scorer in both teams scored five goals: David Villa was the great offensive reference then, while Mikel Oyarzabal, after three World Cups and two European Championships of disappointments, was in the US, Canada and Mexico.

And at the goal, Unai Simón's seven clean sheets, with which he broke the unbeaten record in the tournament and set the bar very high (650'), helped the Athletic goalkeeper to win the Golden Glove. Casillas was also the same – with five clean sheets – more than a decade ago, after signing a World Cup full of decisive saves that are still remembered today and great performances.