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If the 2026 World Cup had a single defining tactical pattern - the one that separated the teams who lasted past the Round of 16 from the teams who went home after two group matches - it was speed of transition, specifically the second phase of transition: the moment after the ball is recovered and before the opponent's defensive shape re-sets. Teams that could compress that window into 6–8 seconds consistently created high-quality chances out of nothing. Teams that could not, spent long portions of matches chasing possession against opponents already organised behind the ball. What the Data Showed Opta...