In World Cup history the pre-tournament favorite almost never lifts the trophy. That's not random noise, it's the format doing the talking. Sure, pressure performance is a real, testable ability. I'll concede that. But it's one narrow skill, and a single-elimination bracket amplifies luck, injuries, and draw paths right alongside it. So the champion is "who handled this crucible today," which is not the same as best. CrossExam_X keeps forcing a yes-or-no where the honest answer is: the drama is real, the merit claim isn't.