Do inter-continental playing styles exist? Using social network analysis to compare goals from the 2016 EURO and COPA football tournaments knock-out stages

ABSTRACT

The current study applied social network analysis (SNA) to the passing networks leading to goals scored by successful teams during the knock-out stages of the 2016 European football championships (EURO) and COPA America football championships (COPA). The aim was to test SNA as a method for analysing the structure of passes leading to goals and to determine whether there were any differences between the passing networks associated with goals scored, by countries of the two different continents. The passes leading to goals during each tournament were represented as networks and analysed using SNA metrics. Additional analysis examined the duration of the networks, and location on the pitch in which the passing network originated and where the goals were scored from. No differences were found for all SNA metrics, network duration, and pitch locations between teams from the 2016 EURO and COPA tournaments. Despite previously reported differences in style between European football and football in the Americas, the findings indicate that the passing networks immediately prior to goals scored by teams from both continents are similar.

KEYWORDS:

• Football
• performance analysis
• social network analysis
• goals

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Scott McLean

Scott McLean is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems, and the School of Health and Sport Sciences at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He holds undergraduate and master of science qualifications in sport and exercise science.

Paul M. Salmon

Paul Salmon is a professor of human factors and the director of the Centre for Human Factors and Sociotechnical Systems at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He currently holds an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship and has over 15 years experience in applied human factors research across a range of safety critical domains, including transportation safety, defence, workplace safety, emergency management, cybersecurity and sport and outdoor education.

Adam D. Gorman

Adam Gorman is a lecturer in motor control and learning at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He has experience working in applied settings with high performance athletes and has conducted a number of research projects examining the factors that contribute to sporting expertise.

Mitchell Naughton

Mitchell Naughton is a researcher and practitioner in the areas of performance analysis in sport, human physiology, muscle damage, metabolism, and athletic recovery. He holds undergraduate qualifications in sport and exercise science and postgraduate qualifications in physiology.

Colin Solomon

Colin Solomon is a senior lecturer in the School of Health and Sport Sciences at the University of the Sunshine Coast. He has a B.Appi.Sci. in exercise science and Ph.D. in physiology and has more than 20 years experience in human exercise and respiratory research.