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  • NEWS FEATURE

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.
  1. 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

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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