Football Statistics Glossary

Basic Statistics

Goals G

The total number of goals scored by a player. The primary measure of a player's finishing ability and offensive contribution.

Attacking Core Stat

Assists A

The final pass or cross leading directly to a goal being scored. Measures a player's ability to create scoring opportunities for teammates.

Creativity Core Stat

Appearances

Total number of matches in which a player has participated, including both starts and substitute appearances.

Playing Time

Minutes Played

Total time in minutes a player has been on the pitch during matches. Used to normalize statistics to per-90-minute metrics.

Playing Time

Rating

Average match rating based on comprehensive performance analysis. Typically ranges from 6.0 to 10.0, with 7.0 being average performance.

Overall Performance

Yellow Cards

Total number of cautions received. Indicates disciplinary record and aggressive play style.

Discipline

Red Cards

Total number of dismissals. Serious disciplinary infractions resulting in player ejection.

Discipline

Offsides

Times caught in an offside position. Can indicate poor timing or aggressive positioning.

Positioning

Touches

Number of times the player has touched the ball. Indicates involvement in play and ball dominance.

Involvement

Shooting Statistics

Expected Goals xG

Statistical measure of the quality of chances created. Represents the likelihood of a shot resulting in a goal based on factors like distance, angle, and type of assist.

Range: 0.00 to 1.00 per shot

Advanced Finishing

Expected Goals Difference xG Diff

The difference between actual goals scored and expected goals. Positive values indicate clinical finishing above expectation.

Goals - xG

Efficiency

Shots Total

All attempts at goal including shots on target, off target, and blocked. Measures shooting volume and attacking intent.

Volume

Shots On Target

Shots that would go into the goal if not saved by the goalkeeper. Excludes shots hitting the post or crossbar.

Accuracy

Shot Accuracy %

Percentage of total shots that are on target. Measures shooting precision.

(Shots on Target / Total Shots) × 100

Efficiency

Conversion Rate %

Percentage of shots that result in goals. Key indicator of finishing efficiency.

(Goals / Total Shots) × 100

Clinical Finishing

Big Chances Missed

Clear goal-scoring opportunities that should reasonably result in a goal but are missed. Typically one-on-ones or very close range shots.

Wastefulness

Shots Off Target

Shots that miss the goal completely. Combined with shots on target and blocked shots to calculate total shots.

Accuracy

Hit Woodwork

Shots that hit the goal frame (post or crossbar). Often indicates near-misses and unlucky finishing.

Near Misses

Passing & Creativity

Key Passes

Passes that directly lead to a shot attempt. Measures chance creation ability regardless of whether the shot results in a goal.

Creativity Playmaking

Passes

Total number of attempted passes. Indicates involvement in build-up play and ball distribution.

Volume

Accurate Passes

Successfully completed passes that reach a teammate. Core measure of passing ability.

Accuracy

Pass Accuracy %

Percentage of attempted passes that are successfully completed. Key indicator of technical ability and decision-making.

(Accurate Passes / Total Passes) × 100

Efficiency

Through Balls

Passes played between or behind the defensive line to create scoring opportunities. Measures vision and execution of defense-splitting passes.

Penetration

Long Balls

Passes over 25 yards. Used for switching play, bypassing pressure, or creating direct chances.

Range

Crosses

Balls played from wide areas into the penalty box. Key attacking weapon for creating headed chances.

Wing Play

Cross Accuracy %

Percentage of crosses that successfully find a teammate. Measures quality of delivery from wide positions.

(Accurate Crosses / Total Crosses) × 100

Delivery

Big Chances Created

Clear goal-scoring opportunities created for teammates. Shows elite playmaking ability.

Elite Creativity

Goal Contributions

Combined total of goals and assists. Overall measure of attacking output.

Goals + Assists

Attacking Output

Successful Dribbles

Completed take-ons past an opponent while maintaining possession. Shows ability to beat defenders 1v1.

Ball Carrying

Dribble Attempts

Number of attempted take-ons against opponents. Shows willingness to attack defenders directly.

Attacking Intent

Dribble Success %

Percentage of attempted dribbles that are successful. Efficiency metric for take-on ability.

(Successful Dribbles / Dribble Attempts) × 100

1v1 Ability

Through Balls Won

Number of accurate through balls that successfully reach a teammate. Measures execution of penetrative passes.

Precision

Long Balls Won

Number of accurate long balls that successfully reach a teammate. Shows range and accuracy of distribution.

Long Range

Long Ball Accuracy %

Percentage of long balls that successfully reach their target.

(Long Balls Won / Total Long Balls) × 100

Distribution

Backward Passes

Passes played backwards towards own goal. Can indicate safety-first approach or recycling possession.

Possession

Chances Created

Combined total of assists and key passes. Overall measure of creative contribution.

Assists + Key Passes

Creativity

Defensive Statistics

Tackles

Successful attempts to dispossess an opponent. Core defensive action measuring defensive engagement.

Ball Winning

Interceptions

Defensive actions where a player reads the game and cuts out opposition passes. Shows anticipation and positioning.

Reading the Game

Clearances

Defensive actions to clear the ball from danger areas, typically the penalty box. Essential for defenders.

Box Defending

Blocks

Shots or passes blocked by a defensive player. Shows commitment and last-ditch defending.

Shot Blocking

Crosses Blocked

Number of crosses prevented from reaching their target. Important defensive action for full-backs and center-backs.

Wide Defending

Duels Won

Total individual battles won including aerial, ground, and dribble challenges. Measures physical dominance.

Physical

Duels Win Rate %

Percentage of total duels that are won. Key indicator of defensive reliability and physical presence.

(Duels Won / Total Duels) × 100

Efficiency

Aerials Won

Headed duels won. Critical for defenders and target forwards. Shows aerial dominance.

Aerial Ability

Dribbled Past

Times beaten by an opposing dribbler. Lower numbers indicate better 1v1 defending.

1v1 Defending

Defensive Actions

Combined total of tackles, interceptions, and clearances. Overall measure of defensive contribution.

Tackles + Interceptions + Clearances

Composite Metric

Fouls

Infractions committed. Balance needed between aggressive defending and discipline.

Discipline

Fouls Drawn

Fouls won from opponents. Indicates ability to win free kicks and relieve pressure.

Ball Retention

Fouls Balance

Difference between fouls drawn and fouls committed. Positive values indicate drawing more fouls than committing.

Fouls Drawn - Fouls Committed

Game Management

Dispossessed

Times a player loses the ball due to poor control or being tackled. Lower is better for ball retention.

Ball Security

Turn Over

Times the player has given the ball away to the opposing team through poor passes or loss of possession.

Ball Loss

Possession Lost

Total times possession is lost including dispossessions, turnovers, and unsuccessful touches.

Ball Security

Ball Recovery

Number of times possession is regained for the team. Shows defensive work rate and pressing effectiveness.

Pressing

Tackles Won

Number of successful tackles where possession is won. More specific than total tackles.

Ball Winning

Tackles Won %

Percentage of tackle attempts that successfully win possession.

(Tackles Won / Total Tackles) × 100

Efficiency

Aerials Lost

Number of aerial duels contested but lost. Indicates areas for improvement in heading ability.

Aerial Weakness

Aerials Won %

Percentage of aerial duels won. Key metric for defenders and target forwards.

(Aerials Won / Total Aerials) × 100

Aerial Dominance

Total Duels

Total number of individual battles contested including aerial and ground challenges.

Physical Engagement

Duels Won %

Percentage of all individual battles won including ground and aerial challenges.

(Duels Won / Total Duels) × 100

Physical Dominance

Clearance Offline

Clearances that put the ball out of play. Often last-ditch defending to relieve immediate pressure.

Emergency Defending

Shots Blocked

Number of opposition shots blocked by the player. Shows defensive positioning and commitment.

Shot Prevention

Penalties Committed

Number of penalties given away by the player. Critical defensive mistake to avoid.

Defensive Errors

Goalkeeper Statistics

Saves

Shots on target prevented from entering the goal. Primary measure of shot-stopping ability.

Shot Stopping

Save Percentage

Percentage of shots on target that are saved. Key efficiency metric for goalkeepers.

(Saves / Shots on Target Faced) × 100

Efficiency

Goals Conceded

Total goals allowed. Context-dependent on team defensive quality.

Goals Against

Clean Sheets

Matches completed without conceding a goal. Ultimate defensive achievement.

Shutouts

Saves Inside Box

Close-range saves from inside the penalty area. Often the most difficult saves requiring quick reflexes.

Reflexes

Punches

Number of times the goalkeeper punches the ball clear instead of catching. Often used in crowded situations.

Box Command

Good High Claim

Successful catches of high balls and crosses under pressure. Shows confidence and command of the penalty area.

Aerial Ability

Goalkeeper Goals Conceded

Goals allowed specifically tracked for goalkeepers. Different from team goals conceded as it accounts for goalkeeper substitutions.

Goals Against

Advanced Composite Metrics

Ball Retention Score

Composite metric measuring a player's ability to maintain possession through passing accuracy, dribbling success, and minimizing turnovers.

Combines: Pass Accuracy, Dribble Success Rate, Dispossessed, Turnovers

Possession Composite

One vs One Defending Score

Measures defensive ability in individual duels through tackle success, duel win rate, and resistance to being dribbled past.

Combines: Duels Won, Tackles Won %, Dribbled Past

1v1 Defense Composite

Ball Recovery Score

Measures ability to regain possession through interceptions, tackles, and duels won.

Combines: Interceptions, Tackles, Duels Won

Pressing Composite

Chance Creation Score

Composite measure of creative output including assists, key passes, big chances created, and crossing accuracy.

Weighted: Assists (2x), Key Passes, Big Chances (2x), Accurate Crosses

Creativity Composite

Goal Threat Score

Measures overall attacking threat through shot volume, accuracy, goals, and expected goals.

Combines: Shots on Target, Total Shots, Goals (2x), xG

Attacking Composite

Goal Efficiency Score

Measures clinical finishing ability by comparing actual goals to expected goals, shot quality, and conversion rates.

Goals vs xG (2x), xGOT vs xG, Goals per Shot, minus Big Chances Missed

Finishing Efficiency

Penalty Area Defending Score

Measures defensive effectiveness in the box through blocks, aerial success, clearances, and avoiding penalties.

Shots Blocked (2x), Aerial Success, Clearances, minus Penalties Committed

Box Defense Composite

Progressive Carrying Score

Measures ability to advance the ball through dribbling, accounting for ambition, success rate, and ball retention.

Dribble Attempts (1.5x), Success Rate (2x), minus Dispossessed

Ball Carrying Progression

Progressive Passing Score

Measures ability to advance play through forward passing, including long balls and through balls.

Long Balls Won, Through Ball Accuracy (2x), minus Backward Passes

Playmaking Progression

GK Command of Area Score

Goalkeeper metric measuring dominance in claiming crosses, punching clear, and high claims.

Clearances, Punches (1.5x), Good High Claims (2x)

Goalkeeper Aerial

GK Distribution Score

Measures goalkeeper's ability to start attacks through accurate passing and long ball distribution.

Accurate Passes, Pass %, Long Ball Accuracy, scaled by Touches

Goalkeeper Build-up

Defensive Workload Score

Goalkeeper metric measuring the volume of shots faced and saves required.

Average of Saves per 90 and Shots Faced per 90

Goalkeeper Activity

Shot Stopping Score

Comprehensive goalkeeper metric combining save percentage, box saves, and goals prevented.

Save % (1.5x), Saves Inside Box, Shot Volume, minus Goals Conceded

Goalkeeper Shot Stopping