Goals From Distance Make A Comeback

Kolkata: Remember James Rodriguez’s strike against Uruguay in the 2014 World Cup, that left-foot volley on the half-turn after the Colombian cushioned the ball on his chest? Or Lionel Messi’s free-kick against Nigeria wrapping his left boot around the ball so that it arced into goal also in the same edition? Or Messi scoring from range against Mexico in 2022 picking a spot from a thicket of legs in a manner that was beyond ordinary?

If you do, it is probably because of the sheer audacity of the attempts. Also, because with every World Cup since 2010, goals from outside the penalty area have been a rare thing going on rarer. As per the AI powered assistant Copilot, nearly 16% of the 145 goals scored in South Africa were from outside the 18-yard box. The number kept dropping in World Cups thereafter hitting 7.6% in 2022 where 13 of the 172 goals were long-range efforts.

After all 48 teams have played once, the trend is on the up. Of the 70 goals scored till the end of Wednesday’s matches, at least 12 or 17% of them were struck from range.

The 23rd World Cup has seen Ismail Saibari’s measured lob over Alisson as Morocco scored against Brazil. Kylian Mbappe and Switzerland’s Yasin Ayari caught goalkeepers out of position and punished them with powerful strikes.

Emam Ashour’s first international goal put Egypt ahead against Belgium and came from the top of the dee and Croatia’s Martin Baturina let one fly that gave England goalie Jordan Pickford no chance. Messi’s first and third goals against Algeria were from far out but he wasn’t the first ginger beard on the scoreboard in this edition. That distinction was Connor Metcalfe’s after the Aussie sucker-punched Turkey with a left-footer from distance.

Some of them were power-packed efforts, others like when Keito Nakamura scored for Japan against Netherlands or Messi’s third goal were strikes that preferred precision. Most of the goals have come from not farther than 25 yards out and not one was from a direct free-kick. After VAR was introduced, fouls are usually farther away from goal leading to a drop in the number of successful direct free-kicks.

But that has not stopped shots from open play from outside the box in the World Cup’s first week. Preferring control and possession, elite clubs do not do this but it may be due to a combination of factors that it is being seen more often in this World Cup. Factors such as teams deploying a low block, being hit on the break, turnovers and a high line.

With five stretched across the backline, Ayari fired from nearly 20 yards out. Nakamura’s strike, Messi’s third and Ashour’s goal came from a similar situation if not the same area on top of the 18-yard box. Romano Schmid’s strike for Austria was more powerful but came when Jordan had a bank of five in the box and three in front of them. A crowded penalty area also means goalkeepers may spot the shot late and that encourages players to have a go.

Alexander Isak scored when Viktor Gyokeres caught Tunisia on the break with only one player in their half. Metcalfe’s goal also came from a counter-attack and after Turkey kept retreating into their penalty area. For Mbappe’s second and Messi’s first, space had opened up because of line-breaking passes from Adrien Rabiot and Rodrigo de Paul respectively. Saibari exploited Brazil’s high defensive line leaving Marquinhos and Gabriel trailing his wake.

Booting the ball out deep in the opposition half so that the press can be started is what Champions League winners Paris St-Germain do under Luis Enrique. Morocco introduced it in the World Cup and Czechia got their goalie to kick it out for the same reason. Pressing high in the pitch have had teams conceding possession in dangerous areas (think Mexico’s first goal) but it didn’t trouble either Brazil or South Korea.