The Practicality and Effectiveness of Soccer Scoring Techniques Revealed by Top Elite Soccer Scorers

Background: Although there are 43 soccer scoring techniques (SSTs) identified in the elite soccer games, most of them are overlooked by the current coaching practice. Obviously, the lack of scientific quantification on the fundamental issues related to SSTs could be one of the reasons for the crisis. Therefore, improving coaching practice requires efforts on fundamental researches to supply evidences that can be used to better guide the SST research and the development of SST training systems. Two of the fundamental aspects are the practicality and effectiveness of SSTs. The current study aims to uncover these two aspects. Method: All repeated nominees of the FIFA Puskás Award were selected as study subjects. The terminology system and the identification method developed by Zhang in 2021 were applied in scoring video analysis of the subjects’ career goals. The percentage of goal obtained by each SST (practicality) and ball possessions before shooting for each goal (effectiveness) were determined to reveal the SSTs’ practicality and shooting effectiveness of the top elite scorers. In total, 2315 goals were quantified. Results and Conclusion: The study has unveiled: 1) the practicality is increased if a SST can be applied in shots under all-body-orientation regardless of the ball spatial position at the instant of shooting, 2) the practicality is also associated with the SSTs that can provide either sudden change of ball motion direction at the instant of shooting or unpredictable ball flight, 3) the effectiveness is linked to shots taken with no or one setting of the ball, and 4) the practicality and effectiveness do not always go along with each other and anthropometrically-dependent characteristics should be considered in SST development. As the 1st pilot investigation on the topic, this study would supply a foundation and rich food for speculative thoughts in further explorations that aim to innovatively develop SSTs’ training systems in the future.