Explainers
What the numbers and tactical terms actually mean.
- What expected goals (xG) is, and what it isn't
xG puts a number on how good a chance was. At Women's Euro 2025 it tracked how often shots actually went in at almost every distance.
- How to read a shot map
Where shots came from, how good they were and which went in, all on one pitch. The Euro 2025 final shows how much a shot map adds to a 1–1 scoreline.
- How to read a pass network
Dots for where players stood, lines for who passed to whom. Spain's network from the Euro 2025 final shows a team built on its centre-backs and right side.
- What PPDA measures, and how to read it
Passes per defensive action is the simplest number for how hard a team presses. At Women's Euro 2025, Spain allowed opponents the fewest passes before stepping in.
- What is a half-space, and why do coaches want players there?
At Euro 2024, players who received the ball in a half-space had nearly twice as much chance of being free as in the centre, and set up or took a shot three times as often as on the wing.