How much does speed really matter in controlling space? Pitch control models have become one of the most powerful tools in modern football analytics. They estimate the probability that a player or team will gain possession if the ball moves to a specific location on the...
Are black players inherently more athletic? It is a stereotype that has existed for decades in sport. But what happens when we test it with objective match data from elite professional soccer? This study analysed 4,011 individual match observations from the 2018–2019 Spanish LaLiga season, including 3,319...
Does physical performance really collapse at the end of a match? Or does it depend on who you are and how long you play? Most studies analyse match running performance using aggregated full-match data. This study does something different. It divides matches into 5-minute intervals and, crucially,...
Do teams really run more without the ball? For years, the common conclusion has been simple: players cover more distance out of possession than in possession. This study shows that the answer is not that simple. Using 8,468 individual match observations from 412 outfield players in the 2018–2019...
Not every high-intensity action in football is a sprint. Some of the most demanding movements in elite competition occur over 8 or 9 metres. They last barely two seconds. And yet they may define performance. This study analysed 271,535 intense relative accelerations performed by 102 players from...
Returning to play is not the same as returning to performance. This study moves beyond the classic medical clearance question and addresses something much more relevant for elite environments: how does absence time after a muscle injury affect match running performance in LaLiga players? A total of...