Football Analytics

Football analysis.

Independent analysis of the 2026 World Cup, Liverpool and the game behind the numbers.

Tactical writing grounded in match data, reporting and what happened on the pitch.

Liverpool FC - three seasons of data.

How did the reigning champions regress so sharply? The analysis spans Slot's title-winning first season, his troubled second, and Klopp's final year as the baseline - using SportsMonks match statistics and Understat per-shot xG across 114 fixtures.

Latest analysis.

World Cup previews and features, plus longer-running club projects. Browse the full World Cup 2026 archive.

01

Spain won the World Cup. Argentina lost the final - and then lost control

Twenty-five fouls. Two shots. None on target. The former champions' defence of their crown ended with one dismissal during the match and another after it....

World Cup 2026
02

The numbers say Argentina. The route says England.

At 39, Lionel Messi has never once faced England. Not at a World Cup, not in a friendly, not anywhere in a senior shirt. Two...

World Cup 2026
03

Four semifinalists, no simple fatigue answer - stage to watch the benches get involved

Each semifinalist brings a different mix of repeated selection, running, extra time, schedule and geography. None of it proves fatigue - but it sharpens what...

World Cup 2026
04

France vs Spain: the deepest attack against the best midfield

Spain have the stronger control game. France have been the more clinical side and possess one of the tournament's deepest attacking benches. The margin is...

World Cup 2026
05

France have the forward line - Morocco are the test

France want to break the game open early. Morocco have spent four years learning how to make favourites wait.

World Cup 2026
06

Brazil have more ways to win. Norway have Haaland.

This is not just Brazil nostalgia, though the mood around them has changed. The current conversation has moved from crisis to Ancelotti's calm, from Neymar...

World Cup 2026

Analysis by Gaurav Ahlawat. Independent football writing built from match data, reporting and tactical context. Analysis code on GitHub.