Real example
Argentina 3–3 France (Argentina won 4–2 on penalties)
2022-12-18 · World Cup final · includes extra time, shootout excluded.
Argentina
2.76 xG
20 shots · 3 goals
France
2.27 xG
10 shots · 3 goals
Totals include penalties during the match. Equal goals don't mean equal chance quality — and xG doesn't decide who deserved to win.
Figures calculated from the public event dataset. StatsBomb attribution and usage terms.
Football stats can seem overwhelming, but once you understand what each metric actually tells you, they become a powerful tool for analysing matches, evaluating players, and making smarter predictions.
Attacking Stats
Goals
Total goals scored. The most fundamental attacking metric, but doesn't tell you about chance creation.
Assists
Passes that directly lead to a goal. Shows a player's creative contribution.
Shots on Target
Shots that would have gone in without goalkeeper intervention. A high ratio indicates accuracy.
xG (Expected Goals)
The probability-weighted total of all shots taken. A better measure of attacking quality than goals alone.
Key Passes
Passes that directly create a shot opportunity. Counts chances but does not weight their quality.
Defensive Stats
Tackles Won
Successful attempts to dispossess an opponent. Shows defensive engagement.
Interceptions
Passes read and cut out. Indicates positional intelligence and anticipation.
Aerial Duels Won
Headers won against an opponent. Key for centre-backs and target strikers.
Clean Sheets
Matches where a team conceded zero goals. The gold standard for defensive assessment.
Blocks
Shots or passes blocked by a defender. Shows defensive commitment in the box.
Possession & Passing
Possession %
Share of the ball during a match. Higher isn't always better — some top teams succeed with low possession.
Pass Accuracy
Percentage of passes that reach a teammate. Context matters — a team playing long balls will have lower accuracy.
Progressive Passes
Forward passes that advance the ball significantly. Better for measuring build-up quality than raw pass count.
Successful Dribbles
Times a player beats a defender while keeping the ball. Indicates individual ability to break defensive lines.
Advanced Metrics
xG Difference (xGD)
The difference between a team's xG and their opponent's. Useful for describing chance balance, with model and competition context.
PPDA
Passes Per Defensive Action. Lower means more aggressive pressing.
xA (Expected Assists)
The xG value of chances created by a player's passes. Better than raw assists for measuring creativity.
Per 90 Stats
Stats divided by minutes played × 90. Essential for fair comparisons between players with different playing time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important football stats?
xG (Expected Goals), xGD (xG Difference), and per-90 stats are the most insightful metrics for evaluating team and player performance. Possession and pass accuracy are less predictive than most fans assume.
How do I compare two players fairly?
Always use per-90 minute stats instead of raw totals. This normalizes for playing time differences. Also consider the player's role, team context, and league strength.
What is a good pass accuracy in football?
There's no universal target. Compare teams from the same competition, and account for style — teams playing long balls will have lower accuracy but may be more effective.
Why is xG better than goals scored?
Goals can be heavily influenced by luck in small samples. xG shows the quality of chances created, which is a more stable measure of performance.