Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41150492›Full record

ArticleSports (Basel, Switzerland)2025

Comparative Analysis of Passing, Possession, and Goal-Scoring Trends in Euro 2024 and Copa America 2024.

Sattar Taheri-Araghi, Moji Ghadimi, Juan Del Coso

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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0 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Sattar Taheri-AraghiDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, California State University, Northridge, CA 91311, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8736-1893
Moji GhadimiQueensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-8456-9453
Juan Del CosoSport Sciences Research Centre, Rey Juan Carlos University, 28943 Fuenlabrada, Spain.ORCID 0000-0002-5785-984X

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Football, as a team sport, relies on a delicate balance where tactical cohesion and strategic play are as critical as physical prowess. While evidence suggests that European teams often display higher physical intensity, the tactical differences between European and American football are still not well quantified. The aim of this study is to conduct a comparative analysis of passing, possession, and goal-scoring dynamics in Euro 2024 and Copa America 2024. Data from 51 Euro matches and 32 Copa America matches, encompassing all game events with sub-second precision, were obtained from StatsBomb. Analyses were performed in MATLAB, with possession calculated as 'pure possession,' excluding inactive periods. Euro 2024 teams demonstrated significantly more total passes per match (p<0.05, Cohen's d=1.43), higher pass completion rates (p<0.05, Cohen's d=1.30), and longer possession sequences (p<0.05, Cohen's d=0.24). They also showed greater possession in the five minutes prior to goals (p<0.05, Cohen's d=0.63). In contrast, Copa America 2024 teams favored longer passes (p<0.05, Cohen's d=0.15), reflecting a more direct playing style. Possession disparities between teams in individual matches did not differ significantly (p=0.31, Cohen's d=0.23), and the distribution of shot distances for goals was also similar across tournaments (p=0.86, Cohen's d=0.02). In summary, Euro 2024 teams emphasized control through longer possession and greater passing accuracy, while Copa America 2024 teams relied on more dynamic and direct play. These findings underscore how regional footballing philosophies shape match strategies and outcomes, offering insights into the tactical diversity of international football.

Indexed as

ball possessionfootball analyticsgoal-scoring patternsmatch statisticspassing sequencestactical analysis

Identifiers

PMID41150492
PMCPMC12567690

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.