An observational analysis of kicker–goalkeeper interaction in penalties between national football teams in international competitions

ABSTRACT

An observation instrument was designed to analyse the interaction between the kicker and goalkeeper in a penalty kick, which allows to obtain relevant information in order to predict the direction of the kick. To fulfil this aim, an analysis was carried out of the interaction between kickers and goalkeepers in penalties taken in the following international team competitions: European Football Championship, Africa Cup of Nations, Copa América, AFC Asian Cup and Concacaf Gold Cup. Intra and inter-observer reliability was guaranteed using Cohenʼs Kappa coefficient. Evidence was produced of generalisation accuracy in the observation sample and of the validity of the observation instrument. The results obtained provide relevant information regarding the zone –or sector– of the goal towards which the kick is aimed, from the information contained: in the contextual dimensions “competition”, “match time”, “match score” and “match result”; and in the dimensions that make up the diachronic structure of the observation instrument –“start of kicker’s run-up in relation to the ball”, “goalkeeper actions prior to the kick”, “movements in kicker’s run-up”, “length of kicker’s run-up”, “speed of kicker’s run-up”, “direction of kicker’s supporting foot”, “position of opposite arm to kicker’s kicking foot” and “contact surface”.

KEYWORDS:

• Football
• penalty
• interaction
• observational methodology
• synchronic and diachronic analysis

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of a Spanish government project Integración entre datos observacionales y datos provenientes de sensores externos: Evolución del software LINCE PLUS y desarrollo de la aplicación móvil para la optimización del deporte y la actividad física beneficiosa para la salud [EXP_74847] (2023). Ministerio de Cultura y Deporte, Consejo Superior de Deporte and European Union. In addition, authors thank the support of the Generalitat de Catalunya Research Group, GRUP DE RECERCA I INNOVACIÓ EN DISSENYS (GRID). Tecnología i aplicació multimedia i digital als dissenys observacionals [Grant number 2017 SGR 1405]. Also, this study was funded by grants from the University of La Rioja.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.