Comparison of Technical Data of 2018 Russia and 2022 Qatar World Cups: Football Evolving on the Road to 2026 World Cup

Öz

The study aims to evaluate the technical changes in the game of football by comparing the technical data of the last two FIFA World Cups, namely Russia 2018 (RWC) and Qatar 2022 (QWC). The data source used is "fbref.com" (https://www.fbref.com), a publicly available football statistics website that utilizes original data from OPTA Sportsdata. In the study, a total of 102 variables related to general aspects, ball touches-dribbling, shot-penalty, pass-passing areas, shot-goal-creating actions, interventions, and defensive actions were compared using independent samples t-tests to understand the differences between the tournaments. The comparisons were made among all teams (AT, n=32), teams that reached the playoffs (PO, n=16), and teams that did not reach the playoffs (NPO, n=16) in terms of independent variables. The analysis reveals significant differences between the two tournaments, particularly in variables related to dribbling-dribble-successful actions and their associated factors. The percentage differences show that in QWC, dribbling success rates decreased by 26.3% (from 62.4% to 36.1%) for AT and by 28.6% for PO teams. Consequently, the actions following dribbling were more frequent in RWC, and the reasons for ball losses differed between the two tournaments. While interventions in RWC were observed in the form of interceptions and clearances, they occurred during dribbling-dribble-ball control in KWC. An increase in variables related to challenges is observed in KWC. The analysis further reveals that in KWC, there was an increase in short and medium-range passes, more ball touches, and a lower risk of ball loss (due to a decrease in long passes, an increase in successful medium-range passes, and an overall increase in the total number of passes). Overall, KWC placed greater emphasis on ball possession by minimizing risks associated with the ball, reducing risky actions that could lead to ball losses, and specifically focusing on the dribbling-dribble-successful action. In conclusion, the study highlights notable technical changes between the two tournaments, particularly in terms of dribbling-dribble-successful actions. KWC demonstrated a greater emphasis on ball possession and reduced risky actions, resulting in more controlled play and fewer ball losses. These changes were primarily associated with the dribbling-dribble-successful action.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Soccer
• world cup
• technical data
• match analysis
• dribbling

2018 Rusya Ve 2022 Katar Dünya Kupalarının Teknik Verilerinin Karşılaştırması: 2026 Dünya Kupası Yolunda Evrimleşen Futbol

Öz

Çalışmada son iki futbol Dünya Kupası olan Rusya 2018 (RDK) ve Katar 2022 (KDK) turnuvalarının teknik verileri karşılaştırılarak, futbol oyunundaki değişim teknik yönden değerlendirilmeye çalışılmıştır. Veri kaynağı, OPTA Sportsdata şirketinin orijinal verilerini kullanan, “fbref.com” (https://www.fbref.com) adlı, halka açık bir futbol istatistik sitesidir. Çalışmada genel, topa dokunma-dripling, şut-penaltı, pas-pas alanları, şut-gol yaratan aksiyonlar, müdahale ve defansif aksiyonlara ilişkin 102 değişken, turnuvalar arası farkın anlaşılmasına yönelik; tüm takımlar (TT, n=32), Play-Off oynayanlar (PO, n=16), Play-Off oynamayanlar (PO-O n=16) takımlar arasında bağımsız değişkenlerde tek örneklem t-testi ile karşılaştırılmıştır. İki kupa arasındaki farkın dripling-çalım-adam geçme ve bununla ilişkili değişkenlerde oldukça dikkat çekici olduğu ortaya koyulmuştur. Yüzdesel farklar olarak dripling ile adam geçmenin KDK’nda TT’da %26,3 (%62,4’den %36,1’e), PO takımlarında %28,6 oranında zorlaştığı ortaya koyulmuştur. Bu yüksek farka bağlı olarak dripling sonrası yapılan aksiyonlar RDK’nda daha yüksek oluşmuş ve top kayıplarının nedeni iki kupa arasında farklılaşmıştır. RDK’nda müdahaleler pas arası yapma ve uzaklaştırma şeklinde olurken seyrederken KDK’nda dribling-çalım-top sürme esnasında müdahale şeklinde gerçekleşmiştir. KDK’nda mücadele ilişkili değişkenlerde artış meydana gelmiştir. KDK’nda daha fazla kısa ve orta pas yapıldığı, topa daha fazla dokunulduğu, topun kaybının daha az riske edildiği (uzun pasların azalması, orta mesafe pas başarısının artışı, total pas sayısının artışı) ortaya koyulmuştur. Genel olarak KDK’nda topu daha az riske etmeye ilişkin değişkenlerden dolayı topa sahip olma oyununun daha fazla önemsendiği, top kaybı getirecek riskli aksiyonların azaldığı, bunların özellikle dripling adam geçme aksiyonuna kaydığı söylenebilir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Futbol
• dünya kupası
• teknik veriler
• maç analizi
• dripling

Kaynakça

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