ABSTRACT
Understanding the mechanisms by which goals are scored in football provides practical implications for coaches regarding match tactics. Network analysis is a method used to understand the passing interaction between players in football and can assist in understanding the types of passing structures that lead to goals being scored in football. In this chapter, all of the goals scored (169) at the 2018 football World Cup held in Russia were analysed using network analysis, notational analysis and passing efficiency measures to provide a detailed analysis of how goals were scored in the tournament. In general, goals were scored via networks of short duration involving few players and few pitch zones with minimal reciprocity of passes between players. Furthermore, teams that were efficient in terms of total passes to shots ratio, and shots to goals ratio were successful in the tournament.
