The World Cup has been one of the highest-scoring in history so far, with 121 goals scored in the first 40 games. This is nearly 25% more than the same span of games in the previous World Cup.
Reasons for the Increase in Scoring
One reason for the increase in scoring might be the ball that FIFA is using for this tournament. The ball has been designed with deep seams to produce “optimal in-flight stability,” and players and coaches say it has been rocketing toward goalkeepers at a high velocity.
The games are also running longer because of increased stoppage time related to hydration breaks that are new for this tournament, allowing more scoring opportunities. The tournament has a bigger talent gap because of the expanded 48-team field that debuted this year.
Colombia coach Néstor Lorenzo said he was not surprised by the number of goals considering the talent of the players at the World Cup. He said also said attackers are more protected by officials than they used to be.
Goal Scoring by League
More than half the goals scored so far in the tournament were by players from the top three professional leagues in England, Germany, and Spain. The English Premier League leads the way.
Real Madrid, Inter Miami of Major League Soccer, and Liverpool were the clubs whose players have produced the most goals. Miami, of course, is all because of one man — Lionel Messi, who has five goals in two games.
Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
