Goal Scoring in Soccer: A Polar Coordinate Analysis of Motor Skills Used by Lionel Messi - PubMed (original) (raw)

Goal Scoring in Soccer: A Polar Coordinate Analysis of Motor Skills Used by Lionel Messi

Marta Castañer et al. Front Psychol. 2016.

Abstract

Soccer research has traditionally focused on technical and tactical aspects of team play, but few studies have analyzed motor skills in individual actions, such as goal scoring. The objective of this study was to investigate how Lionel Messi, one of the world's top soccer players, uses his motor skills and laterality in individual attacking actions resulting in a goal. We analyzed 103 goals scored by Messi between over a decade in three competitions: La Liga (n = 74), Copa del Rey (n = 8), and the UEFA Champions League (n = 21). We used an ad-hoc observation instrument (OSMOS-soccer player) comprising 10 criteria and 50 categories; polar coordinate analysis, a powerful data reduction technique, revealed significant associations for body part and orientation, foot contact zone, turn direction, and locomotion. No significant associations were observed for pitch area or interaction with opponents. Our analysis confirms significant associations between different aspects of motor skill use by Messi immediately before scoring, namely use of lower limbs, foot contact zones, turn direction, use of wings, and orientation of body to move toward the goal. Studies of motor skills in soccer could shed light on the qualities that make certain players unique.

Keywords: goal scoring; laterality; motor skills; polar coordinate analysis; soccer.

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Figures

Figure 1

Figure 1

(A) Body orientation angles, with the center circle representing the player's body. FG indicates facing goal; BT, back to goal; OL, facing left side line; OR, facing right side line. (B) Division of pitch into zones. LW, indicates left wing; CL, left midfield; CR, right midfield; RW, right wing: UOO, ultraoffensive zone 1; UOT, ultraoffensive zone 2; OFF, offensive zone; CEN, central zone.

Figure 2

Figure 2

Graphic depiction of relationships between conditional and given behaviors in polar coordinate maps according to quadrant in which vector is located.

Figure 3

Figure 3

Polar coordinate maps 1–6 (read from left to right and top to bottom).

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