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 a half-space is, and why this site is named after one
The two in-between lanes of the pitch give a player the passing angles of the centre with less traffic, which is why coaches obsess over them.