Is the 2026 World Cup proving that high possession is dead?

[cibsgans]

We are seeing heavy verticality and lightning-fast transitions completely dominate the current 2026 World Cup data. Teams are using possession just to lure opponents out, then attacking vertically rather than circulating the ball. Germany and the Netherlands both just crashed out in the Round of 32 despite dominating possession metrics. Are we witnessing the final death of 'tiki-taka' style control at the international level, or is this just a tournament-specific trend driven by physical fatigue?