How Professional Soccer Has Evolved in the Last 5 Years

The game of soccer – known as football to much of the world – is evolving. Recent research indicates a significant shift in gameplay over the last five years, marked by increased passing volume, improved accuracy, and a generally faster pace.

A Deeper Look at the Data

Researchers at the newly formed NetSi Sport, a research group within Northeastern University’s Network Science Institute, analysed event-level records from 13,067 matches across 10 top-tier leagues in England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and the United States between 2020 and 2025. They examined both traditional performance statistics and pitch-passing networks to understand how the ball moves across the field.

Did You Know? The study represents one of the first large-scale assessments of trends in soccer and one of the first large-scale studies of women’s professional soccer.

Beyond the Scoreboard

This research isn’t simply about counting passes. According to Brennan Klein, an assistant teaching professor at Northeastern University, the study demonstrates how network science can be applied to understand patterns in confined physical spaces. He drew a parallel between tracking ball movement on a soccer pitch and tracking the flow of people on subway systems.

The team tracked player actions, representing carries with purple, passes with gold, and shots and fouls with blue, to visualize the dynamics of each match. This detailed approach allowed them to characterize teams based on their “imprint on the pitch passing network,” as Klein explained, citing the English Premier League team Liverpool as an example of a team with a distinct style.

What the Numbers Reveal

The analysis revealed that gameplay has become “harder, sharper, shorter and forward” over the past five years. This translates to more passes made under pressure, quicker ball movement, and an increased average shortest path length, indicating wider circulation of the ball. Maddalena Torricelli, a postdoctoral researcher with the Network Science Institute, noted, “There are so many more passes per possession. This proves a faster way of playing the ball.”

Expert Insight: The increasing pace and complexity of passing networks suggest a growing emphasis on possession-based strategies and tactical flexibility in modern soccer. This could indicate a shift away from more direct, long-ball approaches.

A Tale of Two Leagues

Interestingly, the shift towards faster, more intricate play was more pronounced in women’s competitions than in men’s. Researchers also observed nationality-based trends, noting that both the men’s and women’s Spanish teams recorded a higher number of offsides compared to other countries.

Torricelli explained that women’s soccer appears to be undergoing a period of rapid professionalization and evolution, with these trends increasing or decreasing at a faster rate than in the men’s game. For some metrics, she added, nationality proved to be a stronger indicator than gender.

Looking Ahead

The analytical techniques employed in this study could potentially be applied to other sports, offering new insights into player performance and team dynamics. If this approach proves successful in other athletic arenas, we may see a broader adoption of network science in sports analytics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What leagues were included in the study?

The research included event-level records from 10 top-tier soccer leagues in England, Spain, Germany, Italy, and the United States.

What time period did the research cover?

The study analysed matches played between 2020 and 2025.

Was there a difference in trends between men’s and women’s soccer?

Yes, the shift towards faster, more intricate play was more prominent in women’s competitions than in men’s.

As soccer continues to evolve, will these trends in passing and pace continue to accelerate, and how might teams adapt their strategies to gain a competitive edge?