Analysis of attacking play in the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa

Abstract

The present study is concerned with creating a specific performance profile of England’s performances in the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup. The performance indicators used to measure attacking performance included i) number of passes per sequence of play, ii) time taken (seconds) per sequence of play, iii) origin of attack (defensive, midfield or attacking third of pitch) and iv) end result of sequence of play (on/off target, goal). Comparisons were made between England and the teams that reached the semi-finals of the competition (Spain, Holland, Germany and Uruguay). A total of 25 matches were analysed to record the data of each team. The data was then compared using the Mann Whitney test, which revealed significant differences (P<0.05) between England and Uruguay with regards to both number of passes and time taken (seconds) in attacking sequences of play. However there were no significant differences between England and the remaining teams. Ultimately the findings of the research identified the different styles of play that teams adopted during the FIFA 2010 Soccer World Cup and concluded that no one tactical approach was more effective than the other, as there are too many external factors that affect a team in its attempts to succeed at the highest level.