Evolution of spatial structure, passing network patterns, and gameplay intensity in elite women’s and men’s football (2020–2025) (opens in new tab)

Rebecca Carstens, Raj Deshpande, Pau Esteve, Nicoló Fidelibus, Sara Linde Neven, Ramona Ottow, Lokamruth K.R., Paula Rodríguez-Sánchez, Luca Santagata, Javier M. Buldú, Brennan Klein & Maddalena Torricelli Scientific Reports (2026) Elite football is believed to have evolved in recent years, yet systematic evidence for the pace and form of that change remains sparse. Drawing on event-level records for 13,018 matches across ten top-tier men’s and women’s leagues in England, Spain, Germany, Ital...