2010 World Cup is lowest scoring with 15% fewer goals since ’98 (and other stats)

By Les Tan/Red Sports

With Spain’s victory over Holland last night yielding just one miserable goal after extra time, the 2010 World Cup is now the lowest-scoring edition since FIFA made it a 32-nation tournament in France 1998.

The South African World Cup saw a total of only 145 goals scored, 26 goals (or 15%) fewer than in 1998.

While Spain are also the lowest scoring World Cup winner since the tournament began in 1930 (see below), their possession style of football saw them outpass all the other top-eight teams with an average of 543 passes per game.

Germany outscored all other countries with a total of 16 goals while Ghana had the highest number of shots per game of all the quarter-finalists.

The Ghanaians also covered the most distance of the top-eight teams, chalking up an average of 115.4km per game, or 11.5km per player. The Argentinians, on the other hand, covered the least distance among the top-eight with an average of 98km per game.

Diego Maradona’s men only believed in going forward.

Top 8 2010 World Cup teams - Key Stats

	GOALS	GOALS*	SHOTS*	PASSES*	DISTANCE COVERED (KM)*
Germany	16	2.3	14	409	108.4
Holland	12	1.7	13	380	107.4
Uruguay	11	1.6	14	270	109
Argentina	10	2	19	458	98.8
Brazil	9	1.8	17	450	100
Spain	8	1.1	17	543	109.6
Ghana	5	1	20	329	115.4
Paraguay	3	0.6	12	311	110.2
England	3	0.8	16	394	108.4

Past World Cup Winners
1930: Uruguay – 15 goals in 4 games
1934: Italy – 12 goals in 5 games
1938: Italy – 11 goals in 4 games
1950: Uruguay – 15 goals in 4 games
1954: West Germany – 25 goals in 6 games
1958: Brazil – 16 goals in 6 games
1962: Brazil – 14 goals in 6 games
1966: England – 11 goals in 6 games
1970: Brazil – 19 goals in 6 games
1974: West Germany – 13 goals in 7 games
1978: Argentina – 15 goals in 7 games
1982: Italy – 12 goals in 7 games
1986: Argentina – 14 goals in 7 games
1990: West Germany – 15 goals in 7 games
1994: Brazil – 11 goals in 7 games
1998: France – 15 goals in 7 games
2002: Brazil – 18 goals in 7 games
2006: Italy – 12 goals in 7 games
2010: Spain – 8 goals in 7 games

2010 World Cup
Total # of goals: 145
Total # of matches: 64 (32 countries)
Goals per game average so far: 2.3

2006 World Cup
Total # of goals: 147
Total # of matches: 64 (32 countries)
Goals per game average: 2.3

2002 World Cup
Total # of goals: 161
Total # of matches: 64 (32 countries)
Goals per game average: 2.5

1998 World Cup
Total # of goals: 171
Total # of matches: 64 (32 countries)
Goals per game average: 2.7

1994 World Cup
Total # of goals: 141
Total # of matches: 52 (only 24 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.7

1990 World Cup
Total # of goals: 115
Total # of matches: 52 (only 24 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.2

1986 World Cup
Total # of goals: 132
Total # of matches: 52 (only 24 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.5

1982 World Cup
Total # of goals: 146
Total # of matches: 52 (only 24 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.8

1978 World Cup
Total # of goals: 102
Total # of matches: 38 (only 16 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.7

1974 World Cup
Total # of goals: 97
Total # of matches: 38 (only 16 nations took part then)
Goals per game average: 2.6

source: fifa.com

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