Spain may have made a sluggish start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 quest, drawing 0-0 with Cape Verde, but the 2010 global soccer kings and current European champions have got their act together since.

Spain put their World Cup rivals on notice with a dominant 3-0 ​win over Austria on Thursday thanks to a Mikel Oyarzabal double and another commanding defensive display to reach the last 16.

This, remarkably, may have been Spain’s first knockout-stage win at a World Cup since they won the final in 2010, but more instructive is the unbeaten run that now stands at 34 matches, one short of e...