NEWS FEATURE
15 November 2022

Science and the World Cup: how big data is transforming football

As the FIFA tournament kicks off, researchers are showing their skills to help soccer coaches develop players and tactics.

David Adam⁰

David Adam
1. David Adam is a science journalist in London.
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Axel Witsel of Belgium, Toby Alderweireld of Belgium and Roberto Firmino of Brazil battle for the ball, 2018 FIFA World Cup. — Belgium (in red) beat Brazil in a quarter-final match during the 2018 World Cup. Credit: TF-Images/Getty

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The scowl on Cristiano Ronaldo’s face made international headlines last month when the Portuguese superstar was pulled from a match between Manchester United and Newcastle with 18 minutes left to play. But he’s not alone in his sentiment. Few footballers agree with a manager’s decision to substitute them in favour of a fresh replacement.

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Nature 611, 444-446 (2022)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-03698-1

References

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