Football Deep Dives
Data-driven long reads exploring the history, statistics, and stories of international football.
Latest Feature
The Nations League Effect
In 2018, UEFA launched the Nations League to replace meaningless friendlies with competitive football. Four editions later, 660 games and 1,654 goals paint a story of upsets, rising nations, and some of the most dramatic nights in European football. Spain have won it twice, but the real winners might be the teams no one expected.
More Features
The Curse of the Champions
Defending a World Cup title is the hardest job in football. From Italy's 1938 triumph to France's 2022 cruise, history shows that opening games can be anything from comfortable wins to humiliating upsets. As Argentina prepare to face Algeria in 2026, what does the record really tell us?
The First International Matches Ever Played
Before stadiums held thousands, before the World Cup existed, four British nations invented international football. 125 games, 667 goals, and nearly three decades of history. Visualised for the first time.
When Champions Collide
The fascinating history of matches between World Cup winners from different confederations, where the proven champions of Europe and South America have battled for continental supremacy since 1962.
New articles are published regularly as the WFStats database grows. Each piece uses official match data.