The strongest squad on paper does not always arrive in its strongest state. That matters more in international football than almost anywhere else.
When decisive players are below their best, elite teams can lose the edge that normally separates them from the chasing pack. A favourite built around tempo, pressing or individual brilliance can look ordinary if its most important legs are heavy. In that scenario, discipline and structure become equalisers.
Reports have noted that coaches are alert to how officials may judge contact in the box. That is not a minor detail. It can shape the whole tournament.
A stricter line on grappling and blocking gives organised outsiders a route into games. A looser one rewards physical defending and forces attacking teams to find another way. Either way, margins shift quickly when dead-ball situations become decisive.
That is one reason England under Gareth Southgate often looked so tournament-aware. The plan was not always flashy, but it reduced chaos and maximised moments. In a World Cup, that can be a strength rather than a compromise.
Some sides win by imposing a clear identity. Spain became the modern example of that. Others win by bending to the environment. Brazil 1970 is still a useful reference point because tournament conditions in Mexico demanded energy management as much as brilliance.
That is the lesson to watch for at the next World Cup: not simply who has the best names, but who understands the competition quickest. Early matches will reveal plenty - fitness levels, refereeing tone and which contenders are ready to adapt before the tournament adapts for them.