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Explaining the difference between men's and women's football
Luca Pappalardo1, Alessio Rossi2, Michela Natilli2
1Institute of Information Science and Technologies (ISTI), National Research Council (CNR), Pisa, Italy.
Plos One
|August 4, 2021
Summary
Artificial intelligence distinguishes technical differences between men's and women's football by analyzing match data. Key distinctions lie in play accuracy, ball possession recovery, and player performance quality.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Data Science
- Football Analytics
Background:
- Women's football is rapidly growing in popularity globally.
- Comparisons between men's and women's football often focus on physical attributes.
- There is a need to understand the technical distinctions in gameplay.
Purpose of the Study:
- To technically compare male and female football teams using match data.
- To identify key performance indicators that differentiate men's and women's football.
- To leverage artificial intelligence for objective analysis of gameplay differences.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of spatio-temporal events from recent World Cup matches.
- Training an artificial intelligence (AI) model to classify teams as male or female.
- Using AI model explanations to identify differentiating technical variables.
Main Results:
- The AI model accurately distinguished between men's and women's football teams.
- Significant technical differences were identified in play accuracy.
- Variations were also found in ball possession recovery time and player performance quality.
Conclusions:
- Technical performance in men's and women's football exhibits distinct characteristics.
- Play accuracy, possession recovery, and performance quality are key differentiators.
- This AI-driven methodology offers insights for media and coaching tailored to women's football.
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