The author is using the centrality measure as a proxy for teams' performance. Centrality is a measure of the importance of a node in a network, and it is possib

The author is using the centrality measure as a proxy for teams' performance. Centrality is a measure of the importance of a node in a network, and it is possible that teams with higher centrality are more likely to perform well in the World Cup. This may be because teams with higher centrality are more connected to other teams and clubs, which could indicate that they have access to a wider pool of players and a higher level of international experience.