Affiliation:
1. Thermo and Fluid dynamics (FLOW), Faculty of Engineering , Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) , Pleinlaan 2 , 1050, Brussels , Belgium
Abstract
Abstract
In this paper, we investigate the correlation between the main physical characteristics of eight variants of football and hockey (such as field size, goal size, player velocity, ball velocity, player density, and game duration) and the resulting average numbers of goals scored per game. To do so, the Pi-theorem in physics is extended to sport science and a non-dimensional parameter of interest is defined. It is based on the ratio between the duration of the game and the order of magnitude of the time needed to cross the midfield, which depends on the average velocity of the ball and the players, the player density and the size of the goals. An excellent correlation is found between the proposed parameter and the average number of goals scored per game during recent international competitions. Using the derived correlation, the effect of any modification of the main characteristics of football and hockey (and their variants) on the scoring pace can be assessed. For instance, it can be predicted that decreasing the length of football fields by 20 m would raise the average number of goals scored to 3.6 (±0.6) per game, versus the 2.6 goals scored during the most recent men’s World Cup.
Subject
Decision Sciences (miscellaneous),Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
Reference31 articles.
1. Alcaraz, P., J. Palao, J. Elvira, and N. Linthorne. 2011. “Effects of a Sand Running Surface on the Kynematics of Sprinting at Maximum Velocity.” Biology of Sport 28 (2): 95–100, https://doi.org/10.5604/942737.
2. Falkenberg, B., and G. Schiemann, eds. 2019. Mechanistic Explanations in Physics and Beyond. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
3. FIFA. 2014. Futsal – Laws of the Game 2014/2015. Tech. Rep. Zurich Switzerland: FIFA.
4. FIFA. 2015a. Laws of the Game 2015/2016. Tech. Rep. Zurich Switzerland: FIFA.
5. FIFA. 2015b. Beach Soccer – Laws of the Game 2015/2016. Tech. Rep. Zurich Switzerland: FIFA.