Abstract
Corner kicks are one of the most important set pieces in high-level football. The present study aimed to analyze the evolution of the tactical approach to corner kicks in high-performance football. For this, a total of 1704 corner kicks executed in the 192 matches corresponding to the 2010, 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cups were analyzed. To achieve the proposed objectives, the observational methodology was used. The results show an evolution in the mode of execution of these actions, but instead the success rate remains low. The log-linear test allowed to find significant relationships between some of the most important categorical variables in these actions: match status, number of intervening attackers and time. The decision tree models show that the number of players involved in these actions is the criterion that presents the greatest information gain. These results corroborate previous multivariate studies, although more research is still needed. Finally, the results of the present study can be used by coaches to create different training situations where success in this type of action can be enhanced.
Highlights
Set pieces actions are those that have great importance in football, both men’s and women’s
As regards the number of players who intervene on the ball during the execution of the corner kick, we find again notable differences depending on the competition, the season and the type of football
The observational methodology has a good fit in the analysis of behaviors in soccer, mainly due to the following characteristics [27,29,30,31]: the degree of intervention and manipulation is zero; the study of behavior is based on terms of spontaneity and genuineness; the behavior occurs in its natural context, guaranteeing the absence of intrusively caused alterations
Summary
Set pieces actions are those that have great importance in football, both men’s and women’s These are static actions within a dynamic context such as soccer, where teams can achieve a significant number of goals [1,2]. Various studies consider these actions as performance indicators in football [3,4] due to their high relevance in the applied field. There are an average of 10 corner kicks per game, regardless of the competition analyzed, and the type of men’s or women’s football [14,15]. Higher percentages of shot on goal are found in world cups (FIFA World Cup) [16,17], than in European championships between nations
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