Reading the game through data since 2017.
When football analytics was still a niche, we were already publishing it. Here our data scientists share original metrics like Gegenpressing Intensity and AERO, league previews, scouting reports and the validation studies behind XSEED: the story of football intelligence, told as it happened.
2021/22 Ligue 1 Preview
The 2021/22 French Ligue 1 is kickstarting on Friday 6th August at 9:00pm CET, with the match between Monaco and Nantes. The league’s obvious frontrunners seem to be PSG, as they strengthened their already competitive squad (highest amount of Expected Points last season, according to our model) with the arrivals of Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Hakimi […]
Looking for hidden gems?
The football market is still characterised by high levels of inefficiency, offering plenty of opportunities for arbitrage (trading the same asset in different markets to take advantage of differences in price). In this context, data analytics can offer market actors a significant competitive edge. Using our proprietary performance indicators, plus player salaries, to build an […]
EURO 2020's penalty takers
In a tournament like the European Championship, the difference between victory and defeat is often determined by penalties. Since 1976, more than one-fourth of the knock-out matches have indeed been decided by penalty shoot-outs (27.7%). Skilled finishers who are able to handle high pressure can clearly become a decisive factor in such a competition. Obviously, […]
[ITA] – "La Juventus che vorrei" secondo la tesi di Andrea Pirlo
La Juventus è una delle squadre più interessanti in Europa in questa stagione. La ragione principale è l’atto di fede compiuto dalla dirigenza bianconera nel nominare il debuttante assoluto Andrea Pirlo come nuovo allenatore; una decisione che sembra urtare con l’approccio storico della Vecchia Signora. La rosa della squadra bianconera sembra essere abbastanza in linea […]
Juventus under coach Pirlo
Juventus will be one of the most interesting teams to watch in Europe this season. The main reason for our excitement is the leap of faith taken by the top management in naming rookie Andrea Pirlo as the new Head Coach, an appointment that seems to jar with the Old Lady’s historical approach. Juventus’s squad […]
The Growing Importance of Football Analytics
From the origins of data analytics in football to FC Liverpool’s dominance, we explore how stats and algorithms are changing the Beautiful Game.
AZ Alkmaar's Talent Factory
The quantity and quality of players that the AZ Academy is able to promote to the first team every year is outstanding. This is no coincidence, but is the result of a well thought-out long-term plan, structured over the past five years. In this in-depth analysis we look at what distinguishes AZ’s player development process. […]
Top heading players in European football
Headings require three key skills: a good timing, jumping reach and coordination. In the top 5 leagues, three forwards stand out for their heading skills: Giroud (Chelsea), Pavoletti (Cagliari) and Carrillo (Leganes). In the current season, the “king” of headers is Leonardo Pavoletti, who has already scored 9 headed goals. Mexico City, Sunday 21 June […]
Bend it like Beckham: the top free-kick takers in Europe
Who have been the best free-kick takers in Europe over the past five years? Lionel Messi? Cristiano Ronaldo? According to our research, neither of the two. After analysing all the free-kicks taken in the top 5 European leagues since 2014/15, we arrive to some counterintuitive conclusions. Andrew is attempting yet another dribble. The defender tackles him with energy. […]
The Vitruvian Goalie: A deep dive into the goalkeepers' stats
Goalkeepers save 69% of the opponents’ shots on target, on average. The save ratios differ greatly depending on whether the shots are taken inside or outside the box (60% and 85%, respectively). This suggests that, to be relevant, the save ratio needs to be considered along with the quality of the shots faced by the goalkeepers. To […]
Player salaries in the Italian Serie A (2018/19)
We analysed the contractual details of all the 548 players of the Italian Serie A (‘ISA’) and then aggregated the data by team, by role, by country and by age. The average salary per player, net of taxes, is €1m per year. The top-earner is Juventus’s Cristiano Ronaldo, €31m per year, costing more than the […]
The non-correlation between physical efforts and football performances
The stats of ‘Russia 2018’ confirmed the absence of any meaningful correlation between physical efforts and football performances. The overall outcome is in line with the available literature, although more clearly than widely perceived, in our view. Our main takeaway is the confirmation of the validity of ball-based training sessions, key to master football. By the way, […]
