In the initial stages of the World Cup, an unusual trend has emerged. The teams that have maintained possession of the ball for the majority of the game have not been successful. Further details are available from El Mundo, which reports on the performance of various teams during the first day of the tournament.

It is known that the five teams with the most possession did not win their games. Specific examples include Turkey, which had over 70% possession in two games but lost both, and Spain, which made 811 passes but only managed seven shots on goal. El Mundo provides more information on the teams' performance, including the effectiveness of teams like Germany and Portugal.