Identification of football teams styles of play by cluster analysis

Abstract

The aim of this study was to characterize performance patterns of attack and defence of football teams, and the inter-team's relation throughout the game. First and second leg of the Brazilian Cup Final 2018 Under-20 category were recorded using two video cameras. Three hundred twelve attacks and defences sequences in the two football matches were analyzed. All players and the ball were tracked throughout the matches, then notational and spatiotemporal variables were measured: attack duration, number of actions per attack, occupied area, team centroid, ratio between number of action and attack duration, total centroid trajectory, and ball displacement. Those variables were grouped using Ward's minimum variance method. The results showed that: (i) teams presented variated styles of play in attack and defence intra and intermatches; (ii) spatial variables such as positions and displacements contributed the most to separate the patterns; (iii) the interteams synchrony found throughout the game revealed different outcomes; and (iv) specific attacking patterns led to shoot to goal. We concluded that football teams vary their style of play within match and intermatches; spatial variables such as positions and displacements contributed the most to separate the patterns; and the interteam relation revealed synchrony throughout the game.