DATA DEPENDENT: Which formations were the most successful in the 2022 World Cup?

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4 years ago

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It’s been a pretty special World Cup so far. It started slow with lots of goalless or low-scoring games but once the tournament found its feet, it made for compelling viewing. The teams stacked up in numerous ways to suit their personnel, situations, and footballing philosophy. Set-up is where it all starts. Even if a team has the best players, setting them up wrong will negate most of their talents. Get it right, a smaller team can punch way above its weight.

We’ve compiled data that reflects what teams played certain formations and how effective they were from an offensive standpoint. The most common formation was the very balanced 4-2-3-1 and right behind that is the fundamentally sound 4-4-2. Take a look at how teams performed when they changed formation. We’ve added charts to make parsing through the data a little easier.

3-4-1-2

SHOTS

Team	Total	OutOfBox	SixYardBox
Netherlands	8.2	3	0.6
Serbia	12	1	1

GOALS

Team	Total	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea
Netherlands	2	0.2	1.6
Serbia	2	0	2

PASSES

Team	Total	AccLB	InAccLB	AccSP	InAccSP
Netherlands	539.6	23.6	23.8	431.8	60.4
Serbia	466	21	31	342	72

KEY PASSES

Team	Total	Long	Short
1. Netherlands	6.4	1.4	5
2. Serbia	11	2	9

ASSISTS

Team	Cross	Corner	Throughball	Throwin	Total
1. Netherlands	0.6	0	0	0	1.6
2. Serbia	1	0	0	0	1

POSSESSION LOSS

Team	UnsuccessfulTouches	Dispossessed
1. Netherlands	14.4	8.6
2. Serbia	14	6

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3-4-2-1

SHOTS

Team	Total	OutOfBox	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea
Belgium	9	3	0	6
Costa Rica	4	3	0	1
Tunisia	10.7	4	0	6.7
Denmark	10	5	0	5
Serbia	10	4	0	6
Ecuador	15	5	1	9
Canada	22	4	0	18

GOALS

Team	Total	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea	OutOfBox
Belgium	1	0	1	0
Costa Rica	1	0	1	0
Tunisia	0.3	0	0.3	0
Denmark	1	0	1	0
Serbia	1.5	0	1	0.5
Ecuador	1	1	0	0
Canada	0	0	0	0

PASSES

Team	Total	AccLB	InAccLB	AccSP	InAccSP
Belgium	520	25	34	407	54
Costa Rica	443	25	44	328	46
Tunisia	394.3	23	38	277.3	56
Denmark	528	33	21	423	51
Serbia	454.5	19.5	28.5	348	58.5
Ecuador	413	19	35	309	50
Canada	429	21	28	332	48

KEY PASSES

Team	Total	Long	Short
Belgium	8	2	6
Costa Rica	2	0	2
Tunisia	7.3	0.7	6.7
Denmark	7	1	6
Serbia	7	1	6
Ecuador	9	2	7
Canada	18	3	15

ASSISTS

Team	Cross	Corner	Throughball	Freekick	Throwin	Other	Total
Belgium	0	0	1	0	0	0	1
Costa Rica	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Tunisia	0	0	0	0	0	0.3	0.3
Denmark	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Serbia	0	0	0	0.5	0	1	1.5
Ecuador	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Canada	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

POSSESSION LOSS

Team	UnsuccessfulTouches	Dispossessed
Belgium	16	9
Costa Rica	13	13
Tunisia	17.3	16.3
Denmark	15	10
Serbia	17.5	8
Ecuador	20	15
Canada	18	8

3-4-3

SHOTS

Team	Total	OutOfBox	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea
Japan	7.5	4	0.5	3

GOALS

Team	Total	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea	OutOfBox
Japan	1.5	0.5	0.5	0.5

PASSES

Team	Total	AccLB	InAccLB	AccSP	InAccSP
Japan	310.5	17.5	29.5	214	49.5

KEY PASSES

Team	Total	Long	Short
Japan	6	0	6

ASSISTS

Team	Cross	Corner	Throughball	Freekick	Throwin	Other	Total
Japan	0	0	0	0	0	1.5	1.5

POSSESSION LOSS

Team	UnsuccessfulTouches	Dispossessed
Japan	16	7.5

3-5-1-1

NOTHING TO SEE HERE.

3-5-2

SHOTS

Team	Total	OutOfBox	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea
Denmark	11	4	4	3
Wales	8.5	3	1	4.5
Uruguay	11	4	1	6

GOALS

Team	Total	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea	OutOfBox
Denmark	0	0	0	0
Wales	0.5	0	0.5	0
Uruguay	0	0	0	0

PASSES

Team	Total	AccLB	InAccLB	AccSP	InAccSP
Denmark	595	35	32	466	62
Wales	452	39	33.5	310	69.5
Uruguay	403	15	31	280	77

KEY PASSES

Team	Total	Long	Short
Denmark	10	4	6
Wales	6.5	1.5	5
Uruguay	10	0	10

ASSISTS

Team	Cross	Corner	Throughball	Freekick	Throwin	Other	Total
Denmark	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Wales	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Uruguay	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

POSSESSION LOSS

Team	UnsuccessfulTouches	Dispossessed
Denmark	16	12
Wales	16.5	9.5
Uruguay	19	8

4-1-2-1-2

SHOTS

Team	Total	OutOfBox	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea
Portugal	15	11	0	4

GOALS

Team	Total	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea	OutOfBox
Portugal	2	0	1	1

PASSES

Team	Total	AccLB	InAccLB	AccSP	InAccSP
Portugal	603	28	34	473	68

KEY PASSES

Team	Total	Long	Short
Portugal	11	0	11

ASSISTS

Team	Cross	Corner	Throughball	Freekick	Throwin	Other	Total
Portugal	0	0	0	0	0	1	1

POSSESSION LOSS

Team	UnsuccessfulTouches	Dispossessed
Portugal	14	8

4-1-4-1

SHOTS

Team	Total	OutOfBox	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea
Poland	9	2	1	6
Saudi Arabia	9.5	3.5	1	5
Australia	4	2	1	1

GOALS

Team	Total	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea	OutOfBox
Poland	0.5	0	0.5	0
Saudi Arabia	1	0	1	0
Australia	1	1	0	0

PASSES

Team	Total	AccLB	InAccLB	AccSP	InAccSP
Poland	389	21	36	281.5	50.5
Saudi Arabia	401.5	21.5	27.5	297	55.5
Australia	440	20	30	348	42

KEY PASSES

Team	Total	Long	Short
Poland	5.5	1	4.5
Saudi Arabia	5.5	0.5	5
Australia	2	0	2

ASSISTS

Team	Cross	Corner	Throughball	Freekick	Throwin	Other	Total
Poland	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Saudi Arabia	0	0	0	0	0	0.5	0.5
Australia	0	0	0	0	0	1	1

POSSESSION LOSS

Team	UnsuccessfulTouches	Dispossessed
Poland	15.5	6.5
Saudi Arabia	20.5	8
Australia	12	14

4-2-2-2

NOTHING TO SEE HERE.

4-2-3-1

SHOTS

Team	Total	OutOfBox	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea
France	17	4.5	2	10.5
Cameroon	7	2	0	5
England	10.5	2.5	0	8
Mexico	26	16	2	8
Brazil	19.3	6.5	1.3	11.5
Germany	23	7	2.7	13.3
Ghana	8.5	3	1.5	4
South Korea	14.5	5.5	1	8
Switzerland	9	2.7	1	5.3
Japan	12.5	3.5	1.5	7.5
Belgium	13	4	2.5	6.5
Senegal	13	5.7	0.7	6.7
Wales	7	6	0	1

GOALS

Team	Total	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea	OutOfBox
France	2.8	1	1.5	0.3
Cameroon	1	0	1	0
England	3	0	3	0
Mexico	2	1	0	1
Brazil	1.5	0.3	1.3	0
Germany	2	0.3	1.7	0
Ghana	1.5	0.5	1	0
South Korea	1	0.5	0.5	0
Switzerland	1.3	0.3	1	0
Japan	1	0.5	0.5	0
Belgium	0	0	0	0
Senegal	0.7	0.3	0.3	0
Wales	0	0	0	0

PASSES

Team	Total	AccLB	InAccLB	AccSP
France	535.5	26.5	24	435.8
Cameroon	299	28	22	203
England	669	40	20	554
Mexico	426	27	37	293
Brazil	567.8	18.8	13.5	482.5
Germany	609.3	26.3	17	505.3
Ghana	376	16.5	29	282.5
South Korea	473	33	30.5	357.5
Switzerland	470.3	26	26.3	359
Japan	425.5	20	29.5	327.5
Belgium	622.5	28.5	20	520.5
Senegal	340	23.7	31.7	237.3
Wales	329	31	30	226

KEY PASSES

Team	Total	Long	Short
France	14.3	3.3	11
Cameroon	7	2	5
England	8	2	6
Mexico	15	3	12
Brazil	13.8	0.8	13
Germany	17.3	1.7	15.7
Ghana	6	1	5
South Korea	11.5	2.5	9
Switzerland	7	1	6
Japan	8	1	7
Belgium	10.5	2	8.5
Senegal	8.7	1.7	7
Wales	5	1	4

ASSISTS

Team	Cross	Corner	Throughball	Freekick	Throwin	Other	Total
France	1.3	0	0.3	0	0	1.3	2.8
Cameroon	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
England	1	0	0	0	0	2	3
Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Brazil	0	0	0.3	0	0	0.8	1
Germany	0.7	0	0	0	0	1	1.7
Ghana	0.5	0	0	0	0	0.5	1
South Korea	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
Switzerland	0	0	0	0	0	1.3	1.3
Japan	0	0	0	0.5	0	0	0.5
Belgium	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Senegal	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Wales	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

POSSESSION LOSS

Team	UnsuccessfulTouches	Dispossessed
France	11.5	9.8
Cameroon	13	10
England	12.5	6
Mexico	22	11
Brazil	15.8	11.8
Germany	14.7	13.7
Ghana	16	11
South Korea	13.5	8
Switzerland	15.3	11.3
Japan	13	9.5
Belgium	15.5	7.5
Senegal	14	11
Wales	12	2

4-3-2-1

NOTHING TO SEE HERE.

4-3-3

SHOTS

Team	Total	OutOfBox	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea
Iran	21	14	0	7
England	14	4.3	1.7	8
Argentina	18.5	3	0	15.5
Brazil	13	3	1	9
South Korea	13	6	1	6
Mexico	11	4	1	6
Croatia	9.4	3.8	0.6	5
Spain	10.8	4	0.8	6
Morocco	7.4	3.6	0.4	3.4
Uruguay	10	4	0	6
Portugal	12.8	4.5	1.5	6.8
France	10	5	1	4
Cameroon	10.5	2.5	2	6
USA	11.7	4	1.7	6
Denmark	13	2	0	11
Ecuador	9	3	1	5

GOALS

Team	Total	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea	OutOfBox
Iran	2	0	1	1
England	2.3	0.3	1.7	0.3
Argentina	2	0	2	0
Brazil	1	0	1	0
South Korea	2	1	1	0
Mexico	0	0	0	0
Croatia	1	0	0.8	0.2
Spain	2.3	0.5	1.8	0
Morocco	1	0.2	0.6	0.2
Uruguay	0	0	0	0
Portugal	2.5	0.8	1.8	0
France	0	0	0	0
Cameroon	1.5	0.5	1	0
USA	1	0.7	0.3	0
Denmark	0	0	0	0
Ecuador	1	1	0	0

PASSES

Team	Total	AccLB	InAccLB	AccSP	InAccSP
Iran	298	22	46	175	55
England	562	27	19.7	463.3	52
Argentina	781.5	19	18	686	58.5
Brazil	550	18	15	465	52
South Korea	357	29	38	252	38
Mexico	487	25	27	382	53
Croatia	546.4	27.2	18	441.4	59.8
Spain	870.8	36.5	13.3	757.8	63.3
Morocco	309.4	22.2	28	217.4	41.8
Uruguay	548	39	30	409	70
Portugal	577	31.8	27	466.8	51.5
France	622	22	28	512	60
Cameroon	417	27.5	35.5	304.5	49.5
USA	536.7	29.3	20.7	425.7	61
Denmark	664	49	38	499	78
Ecuador	434	20	39	316	59

KEY PASSES

Team	Total	Long	Short
Iran	15	1	14
England	10	1.3	8.7
Argentina	14	0	14
Brazil	11	1	10
South Korea	8	4	4
Mexico	8	1	7
Croatia	7.2	1.2	6
Spain	8.3	1.5	6.8
Morocco	5.6	1.8	3.8
Uruguay	8	1	7
Portugal	9.5	1.8	7.8
France	7	2	5
Cameroon	7	2.5	4.5
USA	9.3	1.3	8
Denmark	10	2	8
Ecuador	7	1	6

ASSISTS

Team	Cross	Corner	Throughball	Freekick	Throwin	Other	Total
Iran	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
England	0.3	0	0	0	0	1.3	1.7
Argentina	0.5	0	0	0	0	1	1.5
Brazil	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
South Korea	0	0	1	0	0	0	1
Mexico	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Croatia	0.4	0	0.2	0	0	0.4	1
Spain	0.5	0	0.3	0	0	0.5	1.3
Morocco	0.4	0	0.2	0.2	0	0.2	0.8
Uruguay	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Portugal	0.3	0.3	0.3	0	0	1.5	2
France	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Cameroon	0	0	0.5	0	0	0.5	1
USA	0	0	0.3	0	0	0.7	1
Denmark	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ecuador	0	0	0	0	0	1	1

POSSESSION LOSS

Team	UnsuccessfulTouches	Dispossessed
Iran	12	4
England	11.3	5.7
Argentina	13.5	8
Brazil	20	9
South Korea	9	3
Mexico	16	11
Croatia	14.6	8
Spain	16	10
Morocco	16.6	6
Uruguay	13	5
Portugal	14.3	5.5
France	23	15
Cameroon	13	7
USA	19.3	12.7
Denmark	19	3
Ecuador	28	6

4-4-1-1

SHOTS

Team	Total	OutOfBox	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea
Iran	4	1	1	2
Canada	5	1	2	2

GOALS

Team	Total	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea	OutOfBox
Iran	0	0	0	0
Canada	1	0	0	0

PASSES

Team	Total	AccLB	InAccLB	AccSP	InAccSP
Iran	466	38	42	323	63
Canada	524	19	22	434	49

KEY PASSES

Team	Total	Long	Short
Iran	4	1	3
Canada	4	1	3

ASSISTS

Team	Cross	Corner	Throughball	Freekick	Throwin	Other	Total
Iran	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Canada	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

POSSESSION LOSS

Team	UnsuccessfulTouches	Dispossessed
Iran	21	8
Canada	17	10

4-4-2

SHOTS

Team	Total	OutOfBox	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea
Uruguay	12	5	1	6
Ecuador	6	3	0	3
Senegal	13	3	0	10
Poland	6.5	1	0.5	5
Argentina	10	3.5	1	5.5
Australia	7.3	3	0.3	4
USA	10	4	0	6
Saudi Arabia	10	3	1	6
Canada	8	7	0	1
South Korea	8	4	1	3
Costa Rica	0	0	0	0

GOALS

Team	Total	SixYardBox	PenaltyArea	OutOfBox
Uruguay	2	1	1	0
Ecuador	2	0	2	0
Senegal	3	0	3	0
Poland	1	0	1	0
Argentina	1.5	0	1	0.5
Australia	1	0	0.7	0
USA	0	0	0	0
Saudi Arabia	1	0	1	0
Canada	1	0	1	0
South Korea	1	0	0	1
Costa Rica	0	0	0	0

PASSES

Team	Total	AccLB	InAccLB	AccSP	InAccSP
Uruguay	433	27	29	308	69
Ecuador	486	24	28	388	46
Senegal	502	33	25	399	45
Poland	307	30	35.5	206.5	35
Argentina	562	13	21.5	464	63.5
Australia	363.3	29	36.3	235.3	62.7
USA	421	19	28	333	41
Saudi Arabia	287	21	47	145	74
Canada	473	28	24	371	50
South Korea	529	27	18	431	53
Costa Rica	230	20	27	145	38

KEY PASSES

Team	Total	Long	Short
Uruguay	8	2	6
Ecuador	4	3	1
Senegal	10	3	7
Poland	5.5	1.5	4
Argentina	7.5	1	6.5
Australia	5.3	1.7	3.7
USA	9	0	9
Saudi Arabia	7	2	5
Canada	5	0	5
South Korea	5	2	3
Costa Rica	0	0	0

ASSISTS

Team	Cross	Corner	Throughball	Freekick	Throwin	Other	Total
Uruguay	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Ecuador	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
Senegal	1	1	0	0	0	1	2
Poland	0	0	0	0	0	0.5	0.5
Argentina	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Australia	0	0	0	0	0	0.3	0.3
USA	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Saudi Arabia	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Canada	1	0	0	0	0	0	1
South Korea	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Costa Rica	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

POSSESSION LOSS

Team	UnsuccessfulTouches	Dispossessed
Uruguay	19	14
Ecuador	17	4
Senegal	18	12
Poland	13	8.5
Argentina	11.5	10.5
Australia	16.3	7.3
USA	17	7
Saudi Arabia	19	8
Canada	17	12
South Korea	11	7
Costa Rica	16	13