Late to this, but loving it from @simonkuper.bsky.social - at every World Cup, there are several prestigious titles at stake besides that of the champion www.ft.com/content/0c54...

Despite Spain having more than 74% possession, Cape Verde committed only one foul all game. It's the fewest by any team in a World Cup match in Opta's record books (since 1966).

Mikel Oyarzabal has either scored or assisted a goal in each of his last TWELVE starts for Spain - outstanding analysis from @jamiemkemp.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com theanalyst.com/articles/mik...

Opta has logged every World Cup game since 1966 . . . now we can savour the most famous moments in football history the way they were meant to be experienced . . . as a bunch of rows in a spreadsheet (via @markcarey93.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/727...

Michael Lang, professor of data analytics at the University of Galway, has completed interesting research into the maladaptive parasocial interactions that Mayo fans have had with their Gaelic football team (report via Denis Walsh for the @irishtimes.com) www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic...

As PSG prepare to play in back-to-back Champions League finals, Luis Enrique is arguably the most complete coach in world football (analysis via @jameshorncastle.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/730...

An excellent read here from @rbenson92.bsky.social on how Vitinha is emblematic of the PSG transformation (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/vit...

There is no question that the Premier League, and English football in general, has Pep Guardiola to thank for making football into the game we now know (analysis via @alitweedale.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/pep...

Interceptions, pressing and on track to break a passing record matched only by Cesc Fàbregas - Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi is a rock at the back and even better going forward (analysis via @jamesgheerbrant.bsky.social for @thetimes.com) www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Como are flying high with the help of the former Arsenal player, ambitious owners and a scouting guru inspired by Football Manager (story via Sam Dalling for @theguardian.com) www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes sat down with @optaanalyst.optajoe.com to discuss his season, and why adding context to the data behind his output is crucial to fully understanding his qualities (via @mattfurniss.bsky.social for @statsperform.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/bru...

It's out! Again. Here's the "30th anniversary edition" of Football Against the Enemy, with a new foreword and "where are they now?" section by me. Behind the old and battered author is the brilliant poster for the Spanish translation. Get your copy here: www.orionbooks.co.uk/titles/simon...

Being recognized at the SJA British Sports Journalism Awards was the latest validation that it has been five years well spent for the @optaanalyst.optajoe.com team - story via @kevinchroust.bsky.social (@statsperform.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/opt...

“The Irish surplus is the largest in the EU per capita, yet our infrastructure index is below Poland’s... The State takes in €126 billion a year and cannot create a civil protection agency, a gas storage facility or a train to Donegal.” Sinéad O’Sullivan making some solid points.

Paul DePodesta is back in baseball with the Colorado Rockies (via @theathletic.com) www.nytimes.com/athletic/721...

The World Cup, in theory, is an event which should belong to all of us - it doesn’t (analysis via @jonathanliew.bsky.social for @theguardian.com) www.theguardian.com/football/202...

Lincoln City have quietly built something that most clubs only talk about: their own in-house software development team (story via the Training Ground Guru) trainingground.guru/why-lincoln-...

After 28 years, sadly my time at Opta has come to an end. Through seven different owners, some good, some bad, I've helped the companies grow the brand from start up to global behemoth and I've been very lucky to have a job that was also my hobby.

Marie-Louise Eta has become the first female head coach in Europe’s top five men’s leagues by taking interim charge of Union Berlin (story via @thetimes.com) www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

The national children’s hospital, originally budgeted at €650 million for completion in 2020, reached €2.24 billion by 2025 - an overrun of over 220 per cent (analysis via David McWilliams for the @irishtimes.com) @davidmcwecon.bsky.social www.irishtimes.com/opinion/2026...

There is cause for optimism that the next information revolution may take us in a less corrosive direction than the last - LLMs elevate expert consensus and moderate views, in sharp contrast to social platforms (analysis via @jburnmurdoch.ft.com for @financialtimes.com) www.ft.com/content/3880...

Roberto Baggio proposed an overhaul of Italy’s talent pathway in 2011, but it was never acted upon - the national team’s approach is just not working (analysis via @nickybandini.bsky.social for @theguardian.com) www.theguardian.com/football/202...

In the space of two seasons, Como could go from preparing to play Bari to Barcelona, Modena to Man City and Palermo to Paris Saint-Germain. The management of Cesc Fabregas is a key reason why (analysis via @jameshorncastle.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

“It isn’t much of a betrayal of industry omerta to reveal that Opta’s stat packs, issued to paying media outlets before a Premier League weekend and after each individual game, are the unsung heroes of football match reporting” (via @theathleticfc.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/714...

All football fans should read this piece of analysis from Matthew Syed - after ignoring Roman Abramovich’s dubious wealth for years, the Premier League’s meagre fine for endemic cheating shows it’s one rule for the elite and another for the rest (via @thetimes.com) www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Motherwell manager Jens Berthel Askou is a serious operator (story via Jordan Campbell for @theathleticfc.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/711...

During their #6Nations clash, Wales chose not to compete at ruck time against Ireland - Jonathan McCormick uses @statsperform.optajoe.com data to explain how and what impact the strategy had (via @optaanalyst.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/wal...

It is fitting that Atalanta will have the final word for Serie A in the Champions League; a club with its own stadium and a clear identity, that promotes young players, signs smart, and plays enterprising football (analysis via Alasdair Mackenzie for @thetimes.com) www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

João Pedro is playing a different role under Liam Rosenior - with the help of Opta Vision data, @mattfurniss.bsky.social captures exactly how a change in the runs made by the Brazilian have transformed the Chelsea attack (for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com ) theanalyst.com/articles/joa...

Fans of English football, read this (analysis via @jamesgheerbrant.bsky.social for @thetimes.com) www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

The 24-year-old me who published Football Against the Enemy in 1994 did not imagine this, but in April we're republishing the book as a "classic edition" 32 years on, with a new introduction + a "Where are they now?" from me. Will feel weird. Preorder here geni.us/OpNA Plus our first ever audiobook

If Monday told us anything, it’s that Manchester United appear to be in very steady hands with Senne Lammens (analysis via @rbenson92.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/sen...

We’re recruiting for a Data Engineer to join our Research team at Liverpool FC. In my (perhaps biased) view, it’s a great opportunity to join an excellent team, work at the forefront of sports analytics, and have a tangible impact. www.linkedin.com/posts/conorq...

This is a good profile of up-and-coming Middlesbrough coach Kim Hellberg (via @mwalkerfoot.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

CD Castellón are a very real candidate to earn promotion from the Segunda División in Spain - Haralabos Voulgaris has adopted a data-led approach and, interestingly, has also partnered up with Jamestown Analytics (story via @trlkershaw.bsky.social for @thetimes.com) www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Real Sociedad hired Pellegrino Matarazzo in December as the first American manager in La Liga history - his impact has been significant (analysis via @robbiejdunne.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com / @statsperform.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/rea...

A team of football analytics experts (featuring @worville.bsky.social as head of data intelligence) aim to transform Sport Uniao Sintrense in Portugal’s fourth division (story via @markcarey93.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/701...

Fresh investment and computer algorithms that have redefined player recruitment fuel Hearts’ transformation (via Robert Orr for the @financialtimes.com) www.ft.com/content/a0de...

Need to update my list of soccer analytics and tactics accounts, tell me who's posting good stuff

At youth level at Barca, the emphasis on link-up play and connecting with others means the responsibility for goalscoring is often shared, but the profile of the serial goalscorer is missing (via @laiacervello.bsky.social for @theathleticfc.bsky.social) www.nytimes.com/athletic/703...

Brentford were among the favourites for relegation at the start of the season, but now Keith Andrews has them dreaming of Europe (analysis via @davidsegar.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com / @statsperform.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/bre...

France kicked off their Six Nations defence in style, with a commanding home victory against Ireland. The key to their victory? The humble offload (analysis via Jonathan McCormick for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com / @statsperform.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/fra...

Here are 12 numbers that tell the story of Super Bowl 60, in case “29-13” doesn’t do it on its own (analysis via @alexkirshner.com for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com / @optaanalystus.optajoe.com)‬ theanalyst.com/articles/num...

How is it possible that an NFL team with a roster that’s not among the nine best in 2025 has played like one of the five best teams of the past 35 years? Good question (analysis via @tmbech23.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/sea...

Liverpool’s £100 million summer signing didn’t hit the ground running, but Florian Wirtz is now starting to live up to the initial hype (analysis via @davidsegar.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/liv...

Had a lot of fun writing this - some of the more obscure facts around James Milner's Premier League career as he looks to equal the appearance record this weekend. A man whose debut is closer to the 1970s than it is today. A proper legend.

This is excellent from @hkhaliqueloonat.bsky.social on the transformative effect José Mourinho had on Chelsea (and football) in 2004-05 (for @thetimes.com) www.thetimes.com/sport/footba...

Man City have dropped 11 points from half-time leads in the Premier League this season (analysis via @mattfurniss.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/man...

Happily, we can use Opta Vision data to identify and measure the quality of Enzo Fernández’s box-crashing runs for Chelsea (analysis via @alitweedale.bsky.social for @optaanalyst.optajoe.com) theanalyst.com/articles/enz...

There were tears after Como’s nonsensical draw with Atalanta, but Cesc Fàbregas’s young possession-based team is going places (analysis via @nickybandini.bsky.social for @theguardian.com) www.theguardian.com/football/202...