England, once again, fell short of achieving World Cup glory – and you may be tempted to analyse: Where and how did we go wrong?

As founders, a more valuable question is: What can we learn from Spain’s victory?

We know it was anything but accidental. Having been eliminated at the group stage of the Euros in 2004, Spain recognised the need to undergo a cultural and tactical rebuild.

They went on to win the Euros in 2008, 2012 and 2024; the World Cup in 2010 and 2026; and the Women’s World Cup in 2023.

In fact, from Under 17 to senior level, Spain have won an incredible 16 world and international titles in the past five years.

So, what changed? More importantly, what can founders learn from a nation that has built such consistency?

As a performance coach specialising in leadership, mindset and culture, with a background in sports science and experience working with Premier League and International footballers, two lessons stand out.

Master the fundamentals

Spain approached the 2026 World Cup in a humble, non-fussy manner, with manager Luis de la Fuente displaying calm and consistency throughout the whole campaign.

While Norway dominated news headlines with Erling Haaland and the Viking Row, and pundits fixated on the fortunes of Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Spain quietly went about their business – easing into the tournament and avoiding any temptation to fast-track the plan or panic under pressure.

This competition wasn’t a one-off. Regardless of the opposition, the importance of the occasion or stage of the tournament, Spain stick to the same principles which are drilled into players at academy level.

Defeat does not send them back to the drawing board; instead, they maintain an unwavering belief in their philosophy and game plan.

Founder’s lesson

Many founders get drawn into ‘Shiny Object Syndrome’. They are in pursuit of the next hack or shortcut, rather than focusing on mastery.

Mastery takes time, patience and repetition. It begins with gaining absolute clarity about what you stand for and what success looks like, as well as having a disciplined commitment to your game plan, rather than bending for others under scrutiny or examination.

Do what you believe in and do it in a quiet, determined, businesslike fashion.

Less is more. Stick to a few key principles and focus on them relentlessly – instilling them into new recruits from day one.

Build a team, not a team of stars

Spain stopped building around individual brilliance and adopted a team-centric style of play to dominate possession with technically gifted players.

Since 2008, they have won five of 10 major tournaments – an incredible feat!

The individual awards at the 2026 World Cup reinforced this point: The Golden Ball went to Rodri; the Golden Glove to Unai Simón; and Pau Cubarsí took Best Young Player.

High-performing organisations rarely depend on a single star; they develop excellence across the entire team.

Founder’s lesson

People don’t rise to the level of expectation. They sink to the level of their training.

That’s a lesson I learned while spending time training with Navy SEALs.

Don’t expect teams to just show up and be brilliant. Make sure you train them to be brilliant.

Prepare them for excellence so that when the pressure comes, excellence is simply what they do.

In summary

Founders who, like Spain, have clarity of purpose; the confidence to execute their game plan; and the calmness to see it through can emerge as consistent champions of their chosen field.