Football World Research Articles

AI-based betting anomaly detection system to ensure fairness in sports and prevent illegal gambling

This study develops a solution to sports match-fixing using various machine-learning models to detect match-fixing anomalies, based on betting odds. We use five models to distinguish between normal and abnormal matches: logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), the k-nearest neighbor (KNN) classification, and the ensemble model—a model optimized from the previous four. The models classify normal and abnormal matches by learning their patterns using sports betting odds data. The database was developed based on the world football league match betting data of 12 betting companies, which offered a vast collection of data on players, teams, game schedules, and league rankings for football matches. We develop an abnormal match detection model based on the data analysis results of each model, using the match result dividend data. We then use data from real-time matches and apply the five models to construct a system capable of detecting match-fixing in real time. The RF, KNN, and ensemble models recorded a high accuracy, over 92%, whereas the LR and SVM models were approximately 80% accurate. In comparison, previous studies have used a single model to examine football match betting odds data, with an accuracy of 70–80%.

Institutional Change in the Governance of Chinese Football: The Era of ‘Top-Level Design’ Under the Leadership of Xi Jinping

This article explores the dynamics of institutional change in the governance of Chinese football in the Xi Jinping era, focusing on the concept of ‘top-level design’. Since Xi Jinping took over as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in 2012, Chinese football has been at the centre of a series of far-reaching policy reform programmes, driven by Xi’s vision to promote the sport and improve China’s position in world football. To date, no study has examined whether institutional change has occurred in Chinese football from the theoretical perspective of actor-centred institutionalism. The aim of this study is to investigate whether there has been an institutional shift towards ‘top-level design’ in Chinese football governance under the leadership of Xi Jinping and, if so, what key aspects can be identified. Given the post-hoc character of the theoretical approach of actor-centred institutionalism, the qualitative method of process tracing was chosen to reconstruct and explain possible institutional changes. The data are based on extensive document analysis and complementary interviews with 22 experts. The findings suggest that under Xi Jinping’s leadership, institutional changes towards ‘top-level design’ have taken place in Chinese football in the form of anti-corruption campaigns and the emergence of new actors.

Weak Foundations: The Origins of Women’s Football in Spain, 1894–1931

In 1914 in Spain, the first recorded football matches played by women took place, although the first media mention of Spanish women playing football dates from 1894. As in other countries, Spanish pioneer women footballers were helped by men who acted as coaches, referees and supportive journalists, and the first female footballers played for the benefit of charitable causes. The origin of women’s football in Spain is a multi-dimensional historical phenomenon that encompasses more than Spanish women playing football. Journalists working for Spanish media reported on foreign female teams practicing the sport abroad and/or touring Spain to play football, and Spanish vaudeville actresses parodied women footballers in real pitches or on theatre stages. The years 1894–1931 provided weak foundations to women’s football in Spain. Spanish women played football (if only sporadically) but only two teams are known with certainty to have existed, and no system of regular contests emerged. As time passed, women footballers faced increasingly ferocious criticism from the printed media. The Spanish case shows that after an early and promising start, the historical process of women’s inclusion into the world of football stalled. The process was not linear, as stagnation and steps backwards followed a hopeful beginning.

Foreign Players in the Greek Football League: Evidence from the 2023-24 Regular Season

After the Bosman ruling of the European Court of Justice in 1995 and the freedom of movement of football players that followed, professional football clubs have become a modern Tower of Babel. The Greek Football League is not only not an exception but leads the relevant list of the highest percentage of expatriates in its first division. This paper uses descriptive statistics to showcase the extent of the use of foreign players in the world of football, with an emphasis on the Greek professional football league. Descriptive evidence from professional football clubs in 31 European countries shows that there is a non-linear association between the percentage of foreign players and the average age of players. There also exists a negative non-linear association between the percentage of foreign players and club-trained players. In the Greek football league, the use of foreign players improves the results as measured by the points gained during the 2023-24 season. It is found that a 10% increase in the number of foreign players results in a 14% increase in the number of points gained. Keywords: sports, football, players, expatriates, migration, Greek League, Olympic Games, sports performance

Point Deductions in World Football: The Issue of Financial Fair Play

Point Deductions in World Football: The Issue of Financial Fair Play

Loneliness at the top: outstanding success, peace lasting one match

Learning outcomes Firstly, leaders are assessed according to a wide variety of criteria. To be an effective leader, one should be aware of these criteria and perform accordingly. Secondly, there is an ongoing debate between scholars on whether leaders are lonely at the top or not. Leaders might feel lonely because of the great responsibility and exhaustion related to the role. Social support from the leader’s network helps to cope with the loneliness. Thirdly, work motivation and job satisfaction have an impact on employee performance. A leader should pay attention to these concepts for higher organizational performance. Case overview/synopsis In the early 2020s, the world of Turkish football met a new leader: Hakan Karaahmet, the club president who led Giresunspor’s rise to the Turkish Super League. In the summer of 2020, Karaahmet was elected as the president of Giresunspor, which is the most popular football club in Giresun, a small city in Turkey on the Black Sea coast. The club was founded in 1925 and re-formed in 1967 as three other small clubs merged. It played in Turkish Super League (Turkish first league) between 1971 and 1977 and was back in the top flight after a 44-year absence, with the leadership of Karaahmet in the 2020–2021 football season. Even though it was quite a difficult task, the president ensured that the club was not relegated from the super league in the 2021–2022 season. Although Giresunspor made a promising start to the 2022–2023 football season with two wins out of three matches, the team fell behind its rivals regarding squad depth because of financial difficulties. As of 1 February, the consecutive crushing losses pushed the team into the relegation zone. The team, fans and the president were devastated. Karaahmet was faced with the dilemma of resigning from the club or not. Complexity academic level This case study can be taught to undergraduate students. Supplementary materials Teaching notes are available for educators only. Subject code CSS 6: Human resource management.

A valuation of football companies between tangible and intangible values: A preliminary study

This study delves into the dynamic world Football Club Valuations, an area rich in economic and cultural significance. It addresses the complex issue of which factors most profoundly influence the enterprise value of a football club. Central to the hypothesis is the notion that a club's infrastructural investments, player salaries, and on-field successes are determining factors in its financial value. To test this, and the other hypotheses of the study, the research employs a rigorous quantitative approach, utilizing multiple linear regression analysis, to investigate the factors influencing the enterprise value of European football clubs. Examining data from 28 prominent clubs between 2018 and 2023, our research focuses on infrastructural investments, player salaries, team value, and on-field performance. The results of this study are revealing, demonstrating a clear correlation between the hypothesized factors and club valuations, with infrastructural investments and player salaries emerging as key determinants of club valuation. The integration of a polynomial transformation for team value captures its complex, non-linear relationship with enterprise value. The model provides nuanced insights for football club stakeholders and managements. What distinguishes this work is its pioneering integration of financial acumen with a deep understanding of the unique cultural and economic landscape of football and reveals, how the dynamics of investment in infrastructure and player salaries, along with success in international competitions, significantly and complexly influence the corporate value in the football sector, offering a new framework for analyzing enterprise value in football.

Research on the Influence of Football Transfer Behavior on Major Leagues in the 21st Century

Recently, within the global scope, led by the Saudi League and regional clubs such as Manchester City, some teams have relied on solid capital support to purchase many players, affecting the fairness of the league. At the same time, it has also led to a decline in the quality of matches in major leagues. So based on this, this research decide to Discuss some unreasonable transfers in the world of football today and the significance of capital to the development of major leagues and football. The meaning of discussing this issue is that we hope that by discussing this issue, this research hope to find a suitable way to change the trend of using large amounts of capital to buy players to affect the fairness of the game. Our research searched for controversial deals and then compared the impact of these deals on leagues and teams. In conclusion, while the Saudi leagues and Manchester City's spending power is reshaping global football, it is crucial to balance this with the development of local talent and to maintain a competitive balance in international football. The pursuit of money should not over shadow the essence of the sport. Our research believes that the World Football transactions, such as setting up a wage cap and requiring and managing transactions.

LA NECESSARIA EQUAZIONE TRA ETICA, POLITICA ED ECONOMIA NEL MONDO DEL CALCIO

The article contains an in-depth examination of the presentation held on March 6, 2023, at the University of Campania at the congress “Regulation of Football between Theory and Practice”. The author provides a comprehensive overview of the football world in Italy, focusing on the impact that the football industry has on the economy of the Italian social fabric. The article highlights the interconnection between football, the economy, and political choices regarding the development of the system itself. Lastly, the contribution delves into the analysis of the ongoing crisis in the Italian football world and its repercussions, offering operational proposals aimed at attempting to counteract the prevailing trend.

LA “CONDOTTA LIBERA” DELL’ILLECITO SPORTIVO DE IURE CONDENDO NELLA GIUSTIZIA SPORTIVA DELLA F.I.G.C.

The paper aims to offer a functional contribution, and in certain respects operational, to the experts on sports law who engage in the sector’s procedural dynamics, other than a scientific in-depth analysis of substantial and procedural subjects of the present case of match-fixing, with particular reference to the F.I.G.C. sports justice system. After a brief overview of the reference regulatory framework, the article issues a view of the concrete cases which has enriched de iure condendo the set of substantial and procedural rules applicable specifically to alterations of the course or the result of a match in the football world. From the notorious “Calciopoli” trial to the recent ‘capital gains case’, which has affected the European competitions’ rankings and the top divisions in Italian football and which, although it cannot relate to a combine on the field, being a managerial and economic offense, has profoundly altered the juridical understanding of the principles of loyalty and fair play, where the economic and financial behaviors of football clubs decisively invalidate the regularity of the championships.

Effect of Quality of Sleep on Choice Reaction Time, Coordination and Fatigue Level in Football Players

Introduction: The relationship between sleep quality and athletic performance is an important but little-researched topic in the immense world of football. This study aims to provide insight into how sleep quality affect football players’ choice reaction time, coordination, and fatigue levels, providing important information for training optimisation and improving on-field performance. Aim: To examine the effects of sleep quality on the athletic performance of young football players. Materials and Methods: A total of 40, (U-17)-developmental stage male football players who were able to perform functional keys for choice reaction time task from Chandigarh Football Association were recruited using non-probability convenience sampling. Correlational design was employed to assess sleep quality and fatigue levels using Sleep Quality Scale-(SQS) and Fatigue Assessment Scale-(FAS). Choice reaction time and coordination was determined via Deary liewald reaction time task software and Hand-eye coordination test respectively. Quantitative analysis was conducted by Karl Pearson’s coefficient correlation. Results: Study found a non significant weak positive relationship between sleep quality and choice reaction time, [r (40)=0.025, p=0.881], significant moderate positive relationship between sleep quality and coordination, [r (40)=0.433, p=0.005], and significant moderate negative relationship between sleep quality and fatigue level, [r (40)=-0.517, p=0.001]. Increased sleep quality improved coordination and reduced fatigue levels, while choice reaction time showed no significant improvements. Conclusion: Sleep quality significantly impacts coordination and fatigue levels, but no effect was observed on choice reaction time. Future research should explore various sports with a larger sample size.

What Makes Mega-Events Profitable? Determinants of Revenues and Costs of the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup

What Makes Mega-Events Profitable? Determinants of Revenues and Costs of the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup

A CIDADE EM JOGO: EFEITOS SOCIAIS E URBANOS DAS POLÍTICAS PÚBLICAS NAS COPAS DE 1950 E 2014

The main objective of this article is to describe and analyze how the construction of sports equipment was carried out to meet the demands of mega sporting events, such as the Football World Cup and the Olympics. Thus, we seek to think about the results of public policies that aimed to establish new forms of sociability in urban space in the city of Rio de Janeiro to the detriment of mega-events. The hypothesis presented in this work is based on the idea that government rearrangements aimed to meet a demand from international capital, taking the city as a commodity. To do this, we start with a comparative analysis between the 1950 and 2014 World Cups. This article is inserted in the context of studies on the city, football and mega sporting events. Part of these studies demonstrate that the construction of sports arenas emerges as a tactic for producing new spaces of sociability under the control of a transnational entity, FIFA. The results are interference with the sovereignty of public policies, in urban, national and local spaces, generating a set of controversies between the effective demands of the population and the interest of international capital.

A reporter on the side: Vittorio Pozzo and the 1934 World Cup

On 10 June 1934, the Italian national team won the second edition of the World Football Championship. It was an event that the fascist regime transformed into an important propaganda element and broadening consensus. Ninety years later, the following essay reconstructs the peculiar coverage of the competition that was made in the columns of “La Stampa” by Vittorio Pozzo, technical commissioner of the national team and sports reporter for the Turin newspaper.

Sistem Pendukung Keputusan Seleksi Pelatih Sepakbola Pada PSMS Medan Menerapkan Kombinasi Metode ROC Dan ARAS

Football coaches are people who are fully trained and guide players in carrying out training. Therefore in determining the feasibility of a trainer is very important. In the world of football, many football club management are not optimal in choosing coaches, as is currently experienced by the PSMS Medan football club, which is experiencing a decline in performance due to coaches who are less able to cultivate bad tactics or strategies so that at this time they are relegated. to the 2nd Caste of the Indonesian League which was previously in the 1st (Main) Indonesian League of Caste. In fact, so far in the process of selecting football coaches, especially at PSMS Medan, it is still being implemented in the form of direct appointments because this method does not sound objective, causing injustice to other candidates who may be better. Therefore, a system is needed to solve this, namely a Decision Support System to make it easier for football club management to determine football coaches and avoid system data calculation errors quickly and more accurately by using the Rank Order Centroid (ROC) method and the combination method. Additive Ratio Assessment (ARAS). From the results of this study, Angelo Alessio (A6) is eligible to become a soccer coach with a score of 1,682 as the first rank.

The relationship between game success indicators in the FIFA World Cup – Qatar 2022: An elastic-net regularization approach

Background and Study Aim. The significance of analyzing statistical indicators is paramount, as they provide valuable insights into the distinguishing performance factors of teams. The purpose of this study: 1) to identify statistically significant differences between relevant performance factors among winning, drawing, and losing teams in the 2022 Football World Cup in Qatar; 2) explore indicators that are most strongly associated with the game results in this tournament. Material and Methods. A total of 64 matches and 32 participating teams were analyzed. The variables included in the research were: total shots, shots on target, shots off target, effectiveness, passes, passes completed, crosses, crosses against, offsides committed, offsides received, fouls received, ball possession, fouls committed, corners, corners against, yellow cards and red cards. The results are extracted from the official FIFA website. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the ordinal logistic regression with elastic net were used for data calculation. Results. The results indicate that winning teams have statistically significantly higher mean values of variables related to goals scored: total shots (p < 0.05), shots on target (p < 0.01), and effectiveness (p < 0.01). According to the information-based model selection criteria AIC (Akaike information criterion) and BIC (Bayesian information criterion) effectiveness and shots on target are the most important variables regarding game results. They, along with corners, are best associated with successful teams. In contrast, crosses, ball possession, corners against, and yellow cards are associated with less successful teams. Results suggest that teams with high ball possession and large number of crosses, but fewer shots on target, have weaker results than teams with more shots on target and less ball possession. Conclusions. The study underscores the significance of certain performance indicators, such as total shots, shots on target, and effectiveness, in predicting a team's success. These findings provide valuable insights for coaches and teams to focus on specific aspects of their game to enhance their chances of winning. Additionally, understanding the impact of variables like ball possession, crosses, corners, and yellow cards emphasizes the importance of a well-rounded strategy for achieving success in international football tournaments.

“STOP THIS NONSENSE, HARRY!”: An analysis of impoliteness strategies in cyberbullying commentary targeting Harry Maguire

Cyberbullying encompasses a range of negative online behaviours, including harassment, threats, and insults, which can significantly impact individuals’ mental and emotional wellbeing. This study aims to examine the nature and prevalence of impoliteness strategies within cyberbullying commentary targeting Harry Maguire, a prominent figure in the football world. The data consists of 100 purposively selected comments showcasing impoliteness, extracted from the comments section of a post by Maguire, on his official X platform (formerly Twitter) account dated 7th November 2021. Culpeper’s (2005) Model of Impoliteness serves as the theoretical framework while a mixed method approach is adopted in this study. Out of the five strategies proposed by Culpeper (2005), this study discovers four strategies present in the selected cyberbullying comments. The findings show that Positive Impoliteness (39.6%) is the most frequently employed strategy, and this is followed by Bald on Record Impoliteness, which represents 27.7% of the total comments. The study concludes that within the digital sports community on the X platform, fans frequently employ strategies of positive impoliteness and bald-on-record impoliteness as a means to challenge the face wants of players, such as Harry Maguire, particularly when their performances are below expectation.

Https://www.eqoljournal.com/sprint-race-distance-affects-reaction-time-in-male-and-female-sprinters-at-the-2022-world-indoor-athletics-championships/

The author finds the reason for writing the paper in the current holding of the World Football Championship in Qatar, as one of the biggest sporting events bigger and more significant than the Olympic Games themselves. Often this great global event is seen as the last place where the small can defeat the big, thereby losing the illusion that the rich and the big always win, and that “David can beat Goliath”. Taking the facts into account, football is still primarily a game of the poor, in which the largest number of footballers came from the margins which, according to the author, reflects its greatest social strength. In his work, the author intends to describe and explain the world in which we live through the prism of not only previous championships. It is through the metaphor of football that the author deals with the issue of global order, with the fact that the main issues of this work are more cultural than economic. As the work is of a theoretical nature, the author's intention is to devote special attention to the consideration of physical culture and sport as a factor of socialization within this theoretical analysis, with a special emphasis on the sociology of football.

Analysis of the Impact of Domesticated Football Players on the Improvement of National Team Strength

Naturalized players are new things when football develops to a certain level. Since the 21st century, with the vigorous development of market economy globalization, the efficiency of resource allocation has been improved rapidly. This series of factors has made great contributions to the internationalization and professionalization of world football and provided development opportunities for globalization. China has also introduced many well-known foreign coaches and players, and exported excellent local players abroad, while learning advanced football concepts and training in South America and Europe. It is in this international football environment that naturalized players grow rapidly and form an unstoppable trend. Therefore, this article uses the literature method, the data statistics method, the questionnaire survey method, and so on research method to the football naturalized player to our country national team strength enhancement influence analysis research. After the naturalized players join, the ball control rate of our national team will be improved. The higher the ball control rate, the greater the chance of winning. At the same time for our national team to provide more diverse tactical options, more diverse tactics will receive unexpected results in the game; Secondly, our national team will attack and defend both, faster conversion speed.

Sentiment Analysis of the Public Towards the Kanjuruhan Tragedy with the Support Vector Machine Method

A tragedy occurred in the Indonesian football world during the Arema vs. Persebaya match on October 1, 2022, resulting in the loss of approximately 714 lives, including 131 fatalities and 583 injuries. The tragedy is believed to have been caused by tear gas in the spectator stands and the closure of exits at the Kanjuruhan stadium. This event sparked a diverse range of public responses on social media, which can be analyzed through sentiment analysis. In this study, we employed the Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm, known for its speed and accuracy in text classification, to process and analyze tweets from October 1 to 31, 2022, as well as YouTube comments related to the Kanjuruhan tragedy from October 1 to November 20, 2022. Among the different SVM kernels, the RBF kernel exhibited the highest accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 scores, reaching 76.40%, 75.74%, 76.40%, and 75.18% respectively, when predicting data with three labels. Furthermore, the RBF kernel showed the best performance for data with two labels, achieving the highest accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-Score, which increased to 81.54%, 81.56%, 81.54%, and 81.56%, respectively.