Relationship between key offensive performance indicators and match running performance in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023

Figures & data

Table 1. Variable descriptions.

Variables		Description
Possession		The time that the team spent with ball possession. Excluding the time when the ball is in the contest (such as area duels or when ball control is not explicit for either team).
Goals		Ball possession ends after an attempt at a goal or unintentional touch results in a goal.
Attempts at goal	Attempts	Goal attempts on or out of target.
	On target	Goal attempts on target.
Total Passes	Total	Incomplete and complete passes.
	Complete	Successful passes.
Pass Completion %		Percentage of successful passes.
Completed Line Breaks		When an attacking team moves the ball beyond the deepest player in an opposition unit (defensive line).
Defensive Line Breaks		Overcoming the opposing team’s defence line with a complete pass or carrying the ball (dribble or leading through an empty space).
Receptions in the Final Third		Ball successfully receives in the final third.
Crosses		Long horizontal passes (which cross zones), aiming for an assist to a goal attempt.
Ball Progressions		Intentionally bypassing one or more opposition players while carrying the ball into space or directly beyond an opponent.
Second Balls		Winning the ball possession after an unsuccessful action from a partner or opponent in the ball transferring by crosses, throw-ins, or goalkeeper’s shot (first ball).
Total Distance (Km) Covered		Team total distance (sum of all players)
High Speed Distance (Km) Covered		Distance >20 km/h (sum of all players)

Table 2. Offensive variables and running match distance from 110 cases of performance of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Variables	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std. Deviation
Possession (%)	18.80	68.20	42.43	13.33
Goals (N)	0	7	1.35	1.59
Attempts (N)	0	46	12.19	7.62
Attempts on target (N)	0	17	4.15	3.12
Total Passes (N)	158	925	422.15	147.78
Pass Completion (%)	48	91	74.47	10.51
Completed Line Breaks (N)	31	165	79.81	27.64
Defensive Line Breaks (N)	0	22	7.39	4.83
Receptions in the Final Third (N)	16	356	106.84	64.22
Crosses	1	70	18.14	10.40
Ball Progressions (N)	3	39	18.37	7.47
Second Balls (N)	56	126	90.64	15.91
Total Distance Covered (Km)	91.50	122.80	108.25	5.61
High Speed Distance Covered (Km)	3.30	6.40	4.89	0.61

Table 3. Mixed linear model from offensive variables and team total distance covered (km).

Parameter	Estimate	Sig.	95% Confidence Interval
			LB	UB
Intercept (Km)	106.85	0.00	97.96	115.74
Possession (%)	−0.21	0.00	−0.33	−0.08
Goals (N)	0.73	0.02	0.12	1.35
Attempts (N)	0.05	0.69	−0.18	0.27
Attempts on target (N)	0.16	0.50	−0.31	0.62
Total passes (N)	0.04	0.00	0.02	0.05
Pass Completion (%)	−0.05	0.48	−0.19	0.09
Completed Line Breaks (N)	−0.10	0.00	−0.16	−0.03
Defensive Line Breaks (N)	0.34	0.01	0.10	0.59
Receptions in the Final Third (N)	−0.03	0.03	−0.06	0.00
Crosses (N)	0.10	0.17	−0.05	0.25
Ball Progressions (N)	−0.15	0.02	−0.28	−0.02
Second Balls (N)	0.05	0.07	−0.004	0.11

Figure 1. Decision tree from running distance covered (km) and offensive variables. Risk estimates = 25.28 ± 3.34 (SE).

Table 4. Mixed linear model from offensive variables and team high-speed distance covered.

Parameter	Estimate	Sig.	95% Confidence Interval
			LB	UB
Intercept (Km)	4.41	0.00	3.23	5.60
Possession (%)	0.01	.51	−0.01	0.02
Goals (N)	0.00	0.92	−0.08	0.09
Attempts (N)	−0.02	0.27	−0.05	0.01
Attempts on target (N)	0.05	0.13	−0.01	0.11
Total passes (N)	0.00	0.58	0.00	0.00
Pass Completion (%)	0.00	0.67	−0.02	0.01
Completed Line Breaks (N)	−0.01	0.01	−0.02	0.00
Defensive Line Breaks (N)	0.06	0.00	0.02	0.09
Receptions in the Final Third (N)	0.00	0.04	−0.01	0.00
Crosses (N)	0.02	0.06	−0.001	0.04
Ball Progressions(N)	0.00	0.89	−0.02	0.02
Second Balls (N)	0.01	0.02	0.00	0.02

Figure 2. Decision tree from high-speed running distance covered (km) and offensive variables. Risk estimates = 0.32 ± 0.04 (SE).

Figure 3. Clusters of offensive variables and running distance different letters represent statistical differences between clusters.

Figure 4. Clusters association with 2023-WC final classification. Different letters for the same cluster represent statistical differences for the z-test with Bonferroni correction.