“BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD”
The World Cup of the World
This is the Cup where the whole World is truly represented.
At least, in the first round of the finals. But, most definitely, the journey starts much earlier — in each continent, in each FIFA Confederation, and in each of the football-playing nations that dream of standing on the podium one day.
The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has 46 members. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has 54. The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) has 41. South America (CONMEBOL) has 10 members. The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has 11 members, while the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has 55 members.
This accounts for no less than 227 Member Associations — 227 National Football Federations, each with its own football story, its own challenges, its own identity and, ultimately, its own dream.
For some, the World Cup is over.
For others, it will come in four years’ time.
For others, those four years have already started.
And for others still, it started a long time ago.
The plans put in place in the Under-8s and Under-10s are designed to bear fruit in the future.
That is the reality of World Cup football.
For the sober ones, it starts with reflection on what was planned prior to June/July 2026. An assessment of all aspects that existed. Each part must be examined to give effect to what was expected versus what eventually happened — identifying the similarities as well as the differences.
For the one-season wonders, “an achievement” in one edition is “success”.
But for those who understand the game, success is not an event.
It is a process.
It is about analysing where things went well and where improvements, adjustments, discontinuation and enhancement are required.
For the longest time, it has been evident that World Cup success is a long and absorbing process. For anyone to dream of their team on the podium requires a lot of sacrifices beyond self, and from a lot of people involved working together — including those not directly involved in the game.
A small item in the organisation of an Under-16 match somewhere, in any of the FIFA Member countries, can impact on the outcome of the World Cup four, eight, 12 or even 16 years later.
Those Under-16 players in that game, with proper organisation, facilities and consistency in all the requirements for Youth Football Development, could one day decide the outcome of a match at the FIFA World Cup.
That is how the World Cup is built.
Not in one month.
Not in one tournament.
But over generations.
The Senior Men’s World Cup
The Senior Men’s World Cup is keeping to its tradition, despite all unwarranted interferences, including the total disregard of the Laws of the Game — and its physiological considerations — as was observed in the last SMWC Final, where the half-time break was doubled.
Instead of players simply having a break, medical personnel had the tough task of keeping those muscles ready for the game longer than they ever did.
All involved in a game had to prepare for the “once-off event” of a 30-minute break.
Football may change.
Technology may change.
Tactics may change.
But the human body does not negotiate.
“To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.”
Having been played 23 times in 96 years, this being the 23rd edition, the FIFA Senior Men’s World Cup has only been won by nine nations: Argentina (3), Brazil (5), England (1), France (2), Germany (1), Italy (4), Spain (2), Uruguay (2) and West Germany (3).
That speaks volumes.
It speaks about the readiness of each and every candidate who aspires to challenge for the Crown.
Certain aspects of the game must be met. There is no other way around it.
Those who have tried have consistently and surely come out second best. Some have tried different approaches but have not come close.
Why?
Because the World Cup does not merely reward talent.
It rewards readiness.
And at the heart of that readiness is identity.
Identity is not optional
The identity of each nation is a must for anyone hoping to come close to the podium.
Some have lost their identity and have even gone the route of hiring foreign coaches in their loss of identity.
This has proven to be a disaster.
However, some still do.
It is not surprising that all nine previous World Cup winners were led by their native coaches.
Foreign coaches have come as far as the Bronze Medal. The most recent was England, following in the footsteps of Belgium in 2018.
In the last 20 years, those are the only two nations who have managed to get a medal with a foreign national as Head Coach.
Since 2006, only Portugal (Luiz Filipe Scolari — Brazil), Belgium (Roberto Martinez — Spanish) and England (Thomas Tuchel — Germany) have managed to reach the last four, with the last two taking bronze.
Countries that used to be strong contenders and/or previous champions but have lost their identity/DNA are struggling to reach the advanced stages at the World Cup.
Some are listed above as former champions, while others have always made a good case but never won the Cup, like the Netherlands.
That they have hired a Spanish coach does not make their chances any better.
Unless history has changed.
Germany, like Brazil, seem to have lost their DNA.
Little wonder that, in the last 20 years, Germany had one coach for 15 years (2006–2021), Joachim Löw, and has had four in the last five years — all German nationals.
Brazil had a foreign coach for the first time in their history in 2026.
That confirmed the loss of identity.
Besides their worst showing in 1966, where they lost two matches and were eliminated in the first round, getting eliminated in the last 16 was their worst showing at the FIFA World Cup.
The lesson is simple:
You cannot abandon what made you great and expect greatness to remain.
Countries Making Progress
Countries like Japan and Norway deserve a mention as they continue to make progress.
Particularly Norway.
Here is a country with a very limited pool, a population of 5.6 million people and about six months a year of guaranteed outdoor football.
Yet the strides they have made are remarkable.
Their progress is less about results in matches than their performances and identity.
And that distinction matters.
Because football development cannot always be measured by the scoreboard.
Sometimes, the most important victory is becoming better.
Coach Education and Coaching
Coach Education and Coaching are key to making it at the World Cup.
Countries that are focused on this aspect have a better chance than those who do not pay as much attention.
This has become a very important tool in the development of Football.
Yes, technology has advanced. Match analysis, player profiling and many other aspects are becoming increasingly prominent.
However, the basic element of Player Coaching may not be replaced.
So, the human in the Coach is still as valuable as it ever was.
Technology can analyse.
Technology can measure.
Technology can provide information.
But the Coach still has to understand the player.
The Coach still has to teach.
The Coach still has to develop.
The Coach still has to make the human decision.
When Identity Disappears
It was strange that, except for Argentina, all the other CONMEBOL nations at this World Cup were led by foreign nationals.
Most interestingly, and except for Brazil, all others had Argentinian coaches.
Unsurprisingly, none reached the last eight.
Argentina has been the most consistent nation in the last 20 years of the World Cup.
Since 2006, they have had only one disastrous campaign.
That was in 2018, where they bombed out of the first round.
For the other two — 2006 and 2010 — they were eliminated in the last eight and, on both occasions, very interestingly, by Germany.
As if by design, they were beaten by the same Germany in the final in 2014.
Argentina has made the most appearances in the final since the turn of the century.
They have featured in three, winning one and losing two.
There is a lesson here, too.
Consistency does not happen by accident.
Youth Development: The Long Game
Youth Development has played a big role in making it possible for countries that pay particular attention to Youth Systems and Programmes.
None demonstrate this better than Spain in the 21st century.
They had the second-youngest team in Qatar in 2022, where they were eliminated by Morocco via kicks from the penalty mark in the Round of 16.
But setbacks are part of development.
It is worth noting that when they won their first World Cup title, 16 years ago, their squad had eight players from Barcelona.
These players were developed by that club from its academy.
Sixteen years later, in 2026, they won their second title.
This time, they had eight players from the same club and one more player developed in their academy but playing for a different foreign club — Marc Cucurella.
And it is this very same academy that also developed Lionel Andreas Messi Cuccittini, who played in the final against Spain.
In total, the Barcelona Academy had seven players in the FIFA World Cup Final in 2026.
A remarkable feat indeed.
This is not merely a coincidence.
It is development bearing fruit.
The strong Youth System in Spain as a country has delivered two World Cup titles, with particular and exceptional work from Barcelona.
They are benefitting from it.
And this is where the importance of youth development becomes impossible to ignore.
What is planted in the academy today can become the foundation of a World Cup-winning team tomorrow.
The League Shapes the National Team
There can be no doubt that their Leagues are playing a big role in ensuring that their Playing Philosophy is entrenched and enhanced every round of matches during the season.
Countries whose Domestic Leagues do not complement, let alone contradict, the National Style will never come close to the podium.
The league entrenches habits.
And habits cannot be detached in a few days during International Week.
You cannot spend an entire season teaching one way of playing and then expect players to suddenly become something else when they arrive at national team camp.
The domestic game matters.
The club matters.
The academy matters.
The coach matters.
The player matters.
And all of these must ultimately speak the same football language.
One observes that all the players who are given the opportunity to play international matches at their young ages gain valuable experience and show maturity in their game, even if they are still young.
This is why development cannot be separated from competition.
Development Football vs Competition Football
As people say in South Africa, there is “Development Football” and “Development Coaches” — a term used derogatorily to undermine a certain group of coaches.
Then there is “Competition Football” and “Competition Coaches”.
But perhaps we have misunderstood the relationship between the two.
Perhaps development and competition were never supposed to be enemies.
Perhaps one is supposed to lead to the other.
This FIFA Senior Men’s World Cup was won by “Development Football” in Spain and by a “Development Coach” in Luis de la Fuente.
That is not an accident.
It is the result of a system.
A system that develops players.
A system that develops coaches.
A system that develops a philosophy.
A system that allows that philosophy to live in the academies, in the clubs, in the leagues and, eventually, in the national team.
Until 2030, that remains.
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.”
— Robert Collier
ALL BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD
And so, the World Cup is over.
The celebrations will fade.
The medals will be stored.
The photographs will remain.
But for those serious about winning the next one, there is no time to wait.
The drawing board is already calling.
For some, it is back to the drawing board.
For others, it is simply time to continue what they started.
And for those who understand that World Cup success begins long before the World Cup itself, the work never stopped.
Class Dismissed!!!!!
By Ziphozonke Dlangalala – Football Coach, Youth Football Specialist, Author and Developer of Technical Content