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| Lies, damned lies and World Cup 2014 group-stage statistics | Lies, damned lies and World Cup 2014 group-stage statistics |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| A quick pub quiz question: why has Norwich City’s Leroy Fer had a better World Cup than Lionel Messi? You might think the Argentinian’s four goals outweigh Fer’s solitary strike, but while Messi has scored a goal per hour in Brazil, the Dutch midfielder averages a goal every 15 minutes on the pitch. | A quick pub quiz question: why has Norwich City’s Leroy Fer had a better World Cup than Lionel Messi? You might think the Argentinian’s four goals outweigh Fer’s solitary strike, but while Messi has scored a goal per hour in Brazil, the Dutch midfielder averages a goal every 15 minutes on the pitch. |
| Lies, damned lies, and all that. But some of the statistics of this group stage, even beyond the record-breaking headline figure of 136 goals scored, do make quite startling reading. | Lies, damned lies, and all that. But some of the statistics of this group stage, even beyond the record-breaking headline figure of 136 goals scored, do make quite startling reading. |
| Some figures are particularly surprising. Which team committed the most fouls in the group stage? Honduras, right? Wrong. Holland, free-flowing, slick-attacking, butter-wouldn’t-melt Holland, were the dirtiest team in the group stages in terms of fouls committed with 68. Honduras, in contrast, committed only 46, putting them below not only the Dutch but also Costa Rica, Colombia and seven others. The Hondurans don’t even come out on top in terms of bookings, where they are level with four other teams on six and beaten by Ivory Coast’s seven. | Some figures are particularly surprising. Which team committed the most fouls in the group stage? Honduras, right? Wrong. Holland, free-flowing, slick-attacking, butter-wouldn’t-melt Holland, were the dirtiest team in the group stages in terms of fouls committed with 68. Honduras, in contrast, committed only 46, putting them below not only the Dutch but also Costa Rica, Colombia and seven others. The Hondurans don’t even come out on top in terms of bookings, where they are level with four other teams on six and beaten by Ivory Coast’s seven. |
| And, on the flip side, which team has been the unfortunate victim of the most fouls? Spain, perhaps? Or the twinkle-toed hosts Brazil? Nope – Greece, who have been fouled 61 times, one of which, of course, provided the last-gasp penalty that secured their place in the knockout stages. And forget the idea of the jinking runs of Neymar or Messi being continually ended by brutal challenges – Greek striker Georgios Samaras is the joint most fouled player at the tournament, his 17 free-kicks won more than those of Neymar and Messi combined and only matched by Chile’s Alexis Sánchez. | |
| Much was made of Arjen Robben’s pace when tearing Spain apart in Salvador. Fifa’s official speed statistics, though, show the flying Dutchman lagging behind with a top speed of 31kph, while the Ivory Coast full-back Serge Aurier leads the pack at 33.5kph. And the slowest outfield player? Rickie Lambert, although he hardly had much opportunity to stretch his legs during his three-minute stint against Uruguay so a top recorded speed of 16.9kph is not all that shameful. | Much was made of Arjen Robben’s pace when tearing Spain apart in Salvador. Fifa’s official speed statistics, though, show the flying Dutchman lagging behind with a top speed of 31kph, while the Ivory Coast full-back Serge Aurier leads the pack at 33.5kph. And the slowest outfield player? Rickie Lambert, although he hardly had much opportunity to stretch his legs during his three-minute stint against Uruguay so a top recorded speed of 16.9kph is not all that shameful. |
| Some stats, on the other hand, are rather more predictable. One of the impacts of the heat in Brazil has been that the ball has been in play for an average of just 55.5 minutes per game. In South Africa, by comparison, that figure was 69.8 minutes. | Some stats, on the other hand, are rather more predictable. One of the impacts of the heat in Brazil has been that the ball has been in play for an average of just 55.5 minutes per game. In South Africa, by comparison, that figure was 69.8 minutes. |
| Anyone who has seen the high-energy performances of Michael Bradley in the USA midfield will not be surprised to learn that he has covered a greater distance in the tournament than any other player, racking up an impressive 38km in three matches thus far. Similarly, it is no great shock that Javier Mascherano position at the base of Argentina’s midfield has helped him complete more passes than any other player, his 278 eclipsing Toni Kroos’s 260, Philipp Lahm’s 252 for Germany, and Andrea Pirlo’s 249 for Italy. | |
| But this has not been a tournament for passing (even if the number of passes per game has actually increased since 2010 – teams in Brazil have averaged 384 passes per game, while in South Africa the figure was 353). This has been a tournament for goals and it is not hard to find plenty of proof, if any was required, that goals are the only statistic that really matters. | But this has not been a tournament for passing (even if the number of passes per game has actually increased since 2010 – teams in Brazil have averaged 384 passes per game, while in South Africa the figure was 353). This has been a tournament for goals and it is not hard to find plenty of proof, if any was required, that goals are the only statistic that really matters. |
| Chile, for example, reached the last 16 with something to spare, despite having only 25 attempts at goal, the second fewest in the tournament behind Iran and only three more than Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo mustered on his own. Ghana, on the other hand, go home (as does Ronaldo) despite only France having more shots than their 59. | Chile, for example, reached the last 16 with something to spare, despite having only 25 attempts at goal, the second fewest in the tournament behind Iran and only three more than Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo mustered on his own. Ghana, on the other hand, go home (as does Ronaldo) despite only France having more shots than their 59. |
| Italy and Spain are right at the top of the tables for possession (61.4% and 57.6%), pass success rate (85% and 82%) and total passes (2071 and 1859) yet they will watch the last 16 from home, while Algeria completed only 68% of their passes and attempted more than 800 fewer than Spain and 600 fewer than the Azzurri but still have a last-16 tie with Germany to look forward to. And perhaps most telling of all, Holland stormed through their “group of death” despite having a total of only 39.5% of the possession – only bettered (if that is the correct word) by Iran’s measly 29.7%. | Italy and Spain are right at the top of the tables for possession (61.4% and 57.6%), pass success rate (85% and 82%) and total passes (2071 and 1859) yet they will watch the last 16 from home, while Algeria completed only 68% of their passes and attempted more than 800 fewer than Spain and 600 fewer than the Azzurri but still have a last-16 tie with Germany to look forward to. And perhaps most telling of all, Holland stormed through their “group of death” despite having a total of only 39.5% of the possession – only bettered (if that is the correct word) by Iran’s measly 29.7%. |
| Iran’s travails were the thin end of the wedge as far the Asian teams were concerned. The AFC’s representatives in Brazil – Iran, South Korea, Japan and Australia – failed to muster a win between them, the first winless World Cup for the confederation since 1990. | Iran’s travails were the thin end of the wedge as far the Asian teams were concerned. The AFC’s representatives in Brazil – Iran, South Korea, Japan and Australia – failed to muster a win between them, the first winless World Cup for the confederation since 1990. |
| It has also been a poor tournament for Europe, with six Uefa teams in the last 16 equalling the worst-ever performance set in 2010. Conversely, it is the first time two African teams have reached the last 16 at the same World Cup and Concacaf is also better represented than ever before, with three teams getting through the group stages. | |
| While Uefa’s national teams struggled, players at their club sides have thrived. The Premier League had a poor season in 2013-14 in European competition, but the self-styled Greatest League in the World™ has had a strong summer. Players from the Premier League scored 25 group stage goals, a tally bettered only by players from the Bundesliga, who bagged 26. La Liga, hampered by Spain’s miserable tournament, could lay claim to 20, Serie A just 10. | While Uefa’s national teams struggled, players at their club sides have thrived. The Premier League had a poor season in 2013-14 in European competition, but the self-styled Greatest League in the World™ has had a strong summer. Players from the Premier League scored 25 group stage goals, a tally bettered only by players from the Bundesliga, who bagged 26. La Liga, hampered by Spain’s miserable tournament, could lay claim to 20, Serie A just 10. |
| And Manchester United’s players have managed to put a disappointing season behind them, scoring eight goals in total. Only players from Bayern Munich, with 13, and Barcelona, with nine, have scored more.While goals are all well and good, there is a difference between a 3-2 thriller and a 5-0 romp and the excitement in Brazil has not only been driven by the sheer weight of goals, but also by their timing. This has also been a tournament of comebacks and late thrills. Seven matches have been won by teams coming from behind, while substitutes have scored 24 goals (already more than in any other World Cup). | |
| Three teams reached the last 16 despite losing their opening games (prior to this tournament a feat only five teams had managed since 1994), Greece’s last-ditch penalty against the Ivory Coast was the latest goal ever scored to secure passage from the group stage, and Belgium won all three of their matches with goals in the final 12 minutes. More of the same please. |