Is old-fashioned wing play making a comeback in modern football?
Quick summary
The Guardian analyzes whether traditional wing play and crossing, once considered outdated, is experiencing a tactical revival in top-level football heading into the World Cup.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceWhat is behind the glut of goals from crosses at this World Cup? And will teams continue their aerial bombardments?
By Opta Analyst
Football is cyclical. Trends come and go. After the rise of inverted wingers, who tend to cut in and shoot, are we seeing the return of traditional wingers – those wide players who hug the touchline and send in crosses on their stronger foot?
We are seeing a lot of goals scored from deliveries into the box from out wide. In the first two rounds of games, 29 of the 48 teams at the tournament scored at least one goal within five seconds of a cross into the box.
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What happened
A tactical analysis piece examining the resurgence of crossing and wide play in elite football. The article explores how teams and coaches are returning to traditional wide attacking patterns, using data on crossing volume and effectiveness. It contextualizes this shift against the broader tactical landscape where possession-based, narrow play has dominated in recent years. The piece considers whether this represents a genuine tactical evolution or a situational counter-trend ahead of the World Cup.
Chance analysis
Tactical trends in crossing and wide play are worth monitoring as they can shift expected goal patterns and influence match preparation. A revival of wing play affects how teams should be assessed defensively (full-back and wide-center-back coverage) and offensively (wide creators and crossing targets). For prediction systems, tracking crossing volume trends is a secondary signal but can inform model adjustments for teams that rely heavily on wide delivery.
No direct impact on any specific team or player; provides broad tactical context that may inform how analysts evaluate wide-play dependent sides.
Monitor crossing volume and wide-play metrics as secondary tactical signals; teams favoring crosses may show different xG profiles than possession-dominant sides.