Spain started the World Cup with a stunning 7-0 win over Costa Rica. So the last doubts have been dispelled: Luis Enrique's team is one of the top favorites for the world title. The Spaniards' pass and ball possession statistics were particularly impressive - reminiscent of the golden days with Andres Iniesta and Xavi!

'That was only Costa Rica' or 'Results can be deceiving - you might think, but not after this Spain gala at the start of the World Cup. It was undoubtedly the best performance we've seen at the tournament (and knowing that Saudi Arabia beat Argentina). The Spaniards played compelling football reminiscent of legendary times when there were players like Andres Iniesta or Xavi have laced up the kick shoes. Apparently, Spain can continue seamlessly with the new generation around Gavi and Pedri.

Because what stood out next to the result in Spain's victory over Costa Rica was the unbelievable passing and ball possession statistics. With the final whistle, Spain had 81.3% possession, which is the highest level at a World Cup since 1966 (!). The absurd dominance over Costa Rica was also shown by the pass statistics: Luis Enrique's team played an unbelievable 976 passes during the game, while Costa Rica only managed 165. Another historical value: Gavi, 18 years old since August 5th , is not only Spain's youngest World Cup scorer of all time, but also the youngest World Cup goalscorer since 1958. A certain Pele broke this record back then. The result, the game - and above all these two statistics promise that Spain could become the highlight of this World Cup.

This article was originally published on 90min.de as Play Xavi and Iniesta again?! Spain's insane stats against Costa Rica released.