​Spain are reaching for a second World Cup title 16 years after the first on Sunday against Argentina.They are doing so in a way that hardly fits the dominance of the superstars at this tournament. While other teams rely on their biggest names, the European champions have earned their return to a World Cup final in their own unique way.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementFollowing are three key reasons for their success:The team is the starNo Spaniard receives as much attention from fans and the media as Lamine Yamal. The 19-year-old, who celebrated his birthday the day before the 2–0 semi-final win over France and then rewarded himself with the hoped-for trip to the final in New Jersey, is the biggest star on his team.But he is nowhere near as dominant as Lionel Messi is for Argentina, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are for England, Erling Haaland is for Norway, or Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembélé are for France.”We played against one of the best national teams, but they had to face the best team. We are a team,” coach Luis de la Fuente said after Spain’s semi-final display.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSpain are in the final even though Yamal has managed just one goal and one assist.Key figures on the road to the final included Mikel Oyarzabal, whose successful penalty against France was his fifth goal of this World Cup. Yet the Real Sociedad forward would probably not make the top ten on any list of the world’s best-known strikers. Neither would Mikel Merino, the super-sub who scored last-minute winners against Portugal and Belgium.”We all work toward the same goal, not just that of one individual. I have never experienced such an exemplary group, both on and off the pitch. In 47 days together, we didn’t have a single problem,” de la Fuente said.Attack wins games, defence wins titlesThe World Cup final is Spain’s eighth match at the World Cup across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and they have so far only conceded one goal.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWhile the opening 0–0 draw against Cape Verde was initially met with ridicule, the world has long since recognized that the European champions are having an outstanding defensive tournament.Only Belgium, in the quarter-finals, managed to put Spain’s defenders under pressure on several occasions and became the only team to score against them. As the saying goes: offense wins games, defence wins titles.Goalkeeper Unai Simón set a World Cup record with 649 minutes without conceding a goal, comfortably surpassing Walter Zenga’s 36-year-old mark.The Athletic Bilbao keeper, who has often faced criticism, only had to make saves against France in the closing stages because the players in front of him, led by Rodri and the 19-year-old Pau Cubarsí, allowed hardly any chances.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementA coach with the aura of being unbeatableSince taking over in January 2023, Luis de la Fuente has been in charge of 48 international matches.