<p>Who is the author of Soccermatics?</p>

<p>David Sumpter is the author of Soccermatics.</p>

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Soccermatics Book Summary - Soccermatics Book explained in key points

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Soccermatics summary

Name: Soccermatics
Rating: 3.9 (46 reviews)
Author: David Sumpter

David Sumpter

Mathematical Adventures in the Beautiful Game

3.9 (46 ratings)

15 mins

Brief summary

Soccermatics by David Sumpter is a book that explores the science of soccer, analyzing how mathematics and statistics impact the game. It offers insights into game strategy, player performance, and the impact of different variables on match outcomes - all through a mathematical lens.

Topics

Mathematics

Table of Contents

Soccermatics
Summary of 6 key ideas

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Key idea 1 of 6

What’s in it for me? Study the science behind soccer.

Wherever you are on this planet, the next soccer team probably isn’t far away. Like few other sports, soccer inspires the masses and every four years, when the World Cup is played, millions of fans will sit in stadiums and behind television screens to cheer on their favorite team.

It is a sport packed with emotion. However, there is also another, more rational approach to soccer. Over the last several years, scientists have discovered soccer for themselves and have begun to meticulously analyze the game, the players and the viewers – with some remarkable findings.

In these blinks, you will learn about the science behind one of the most exciting sports in the world. You will learn about the mathematical beauty of the game, what makes for a successful team and how to best place your next bet on a soccer match.

You’ll also learn

about Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s knowledge of physics;
how players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi baffle statisticians; and
why a crowd of soccer fans is a wise entity.

Successful teams often utilize geometric patterns of movement and establish decentralized passing networks.

Most of us know that soccer is all about team strategy and that a team’s ability to work together determines whether it will soar or plummet. But did you know that math is an integral aspect of these tactics?

It’s true. The movement patterns of successful soccer teams often fall into geometric forms. Just take Inter Milan, which during the 1960s used a formation known as the “net.” In this strategy, the midfield and defense form a web of connections, making it nearly impossible for an attacker to break through.

Or consider Liverpool FC in the 1970s and 80s, which filled the pitch with right-angled triangles, helping the team pass and move ahead.

And there’s FC Barcelona’s 2008 team, which invented a strategy known as tiki-taka. In this technique, players quickly pass the ball, hoping to force an imbalance in the other team’s defense. Tiki-taka also relies on the beauty of geometry because the team uses well-spaced zones for passing, building a network of wide-angled triangles.

But using shapes in their formations isn’t all successful teams do; they also form decentralized passing networks. For instance, while analyzing matches in the English Premier League, scientist Thomas Grund paid special attention to the relationship between passing networks and performance. He found that teams that passed the ball between fewer players – in other words, who employed more centralized networks – were on average less successful.

A good example is when, in the 2012 European Championship, Italy went up against England in the quarter-finals. Italy employed a solid passing network centered around the midfielder Andrea Pirlo, but while the Italians were in possession of the ball for two-thirds of the match, they couldn’t turn this advantage into goals. As a result, the match ended in a 0–0 draw.

In the end, Italy’s passing network was too centralized, allowing the English players to easily block their central path forward.

On the other hand, Spain’s national team in Euro 2012 relied on four central midfielders. This decentralized passing network produced greater variability, more striking options and resulted in them winning the championship.

Great players intuitively apply and defy scientific laws.

When most people think of soccer, they think of the stars of the sport; everyone knows about the likes of Messi, Ronaldo and Ibrahimovic. Week after week, these exceptional players give breathtaking performances. But what makes them stand apart from the rest?

In the case of the Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic, it’s a surprisingly accurate sense for Newton’s laws of physics. For instance, in a friendly match between England and Sweden in 2012, Ibrahimovic scored an incredible goal. He was 30 metres out with his back to the goal and executed an astonishing bicycle-kick volley that soared over the goalkeeper and ended with the ball in the back of the net.

As the old adage goes, the best offense is a stellar defense – and math can make it even stronger.

Nowadays, scientists can collect and analyze the motion data from sensors in a player’s cleats or a goalkeeper’s gloves. This is a major boon for tactics and strategies, because this data has a lot to tell us.

In-game data suggests that counterattacks offer the best opportunities to score, and here’s how we know:

Good coaches build collective spirit, but the interests of individuals and their teams don’t always align.

Soccer is a team sport and having lots of superstars isn’t enough if they can’t work as a team, investing in the collective effort. Successful coaches believe in and instill the collective spirit in their teams, and to do so, they must build an atmosphere in which individuals will readily sacrifice themselves for the greater good.

Just take Louis van Gaal, the renowned former manager of Bayern Munich and Manchester United, who believes coaching is all about building team spirit and self-discipline. And van Gaal wasn’t alone in his support for this theory – in fact, it grew to become the predominant soccer philosophy in the Netherlands, where Van Gaal grew up, during the 1970s and 80s.

Groups are better at making predictions than individuals – but only when each member acts independently.

Have you ever heard of the wisdom of the crowd? It refers to the mathematically supported fact that the average of a group’s predictions tends to be closer to the truth than individual guesses. This knowledge has been used to outperform experts in a number of fields, and it is likewise invaluable for making predictions about soccer.

But first, a little bit about how solid the predictions of a group can be. The first experiment testing such performance was conducted by Sir Francis Galton in the early twentieth century. His study consisted of visiting a commercial fair and asking both expert and amateur attendants to estimate the weight of an ox. And guess what? The average of all amateur predictions outperformed those of individual experts.

Three techniques can help boost your bets.

It’s always a challenge to do better than the crowd, but it’s still possible to make a bit of extra cash on bets – and here are a few pieces of advice that can help:

First, only bet when your subjective probability of winning beats the odds. The odds offered by bookies tell you how much money you’ll win if a particular outcome occurs; to ensure a fair chance of consistently winning, you should only bet if your perceived likelihood of winning is higher than the bookies’.

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What is Soccermatics about?

Soccermatics (2016) highlights the link between the world’s most popular sport and something slightly less popular – math. These blinks will show you how statistical models can help explain the beautiful game, from strategy on the field to tips for beating the spread.

Soccermatics Review

Soccermatics (2016) by David Sumpter is a fascinating exploration of the math and science behind the beautiful game. Here's why this book is worth reading:

With numerous real-world examples, it delves into the intricate strategies and tactics used by successful teams, providing valuable insights for both players and fans.
Sumpter's expertise in mathematics shines through as he explains complex concepts in a clear and accessible manner, making it enjoyable for readers with varying levels of mathematical knowledge.
The book's unique blend of sports and science makes it an engaging and eye-opening read, challenging conventional wisdom and offering fresh perspectives on soccer.

Best quote from Soccermatics

The first international football match ever played was held between England and Scotland in 1870 and ended in a 1–1 draw.

—David Sumpter

Who should read Soccermatics?

Every soccer fan
People who want to predict scores
Anyone interested in applied mathematics or collective behavior

About the Author

David Sumpter is an applied mathematician and a professor at the University of Uppsala in Sweden, where he leads the collective behavior research group. In his spare time, he coaches his ten-year-old son’s soccer team.

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