Football Analytics Glossary: Every Metric You Need to Know in 2026
Football analytics has its own language. If you've ever felt lost when someone mentions "progressive carries" or "xT," this guide is for you. Here's every important football analytics metric, explained simply.
Shooting Metrics
xG (Expected Goals): The probability that a shot will result in a goal, based on historical data. Ranges from 0 to 1. A penalty is about 0.76 xG.
xGOT (Expected Goals on Target): Like xG, but only for shots that hit the target. Accounts for shot placement — a shot in the top corner has higher xGOT than one straight at the keeper.
npxG (Non-Penalty Expected Goals): xG with penalties removed. More useful for evaluating a player's open-play and set-piece shooting quality.
Shot quality: Average xG per shot. High shot quality means a player is getting into good positions. Low shot quality means they're shooting from bad positions.
Passing Metrics
Progressive passes: Passes that move the ball significantly closer to the opponent's goal. Defined as passes that move the ball at least 10 yards toward the goal (with some variations).
Key passes: Passes that directly lead to a shot. A useful measure of creativity.
xA (Expected Assists): The xG value of shots created by a player's passes. If you pass to someone who takes a 0.4 xG shot, you get 0.4 xA — regardless of whether they score.
Pass completion rate: Percentage of passes that reach a teammate. Context matters — a 95% pass rate from a center-back playing short passes is less impressive than an 80% rate from an attacking midfielder playing through balls.
Defensive Metrics
Tackles + interceptions per 90: Basic measure of defensive activity. Higher isn't always better — it could mean the team is defending more because they don't have the ball.
Pressures per 90: How often a player applies pressure to an opponent on the ball. Different from tackles — pressure is about closing down space, not winning the ball.
PPDA (Passes Per Defensive Action): Team-level metric measuring pressing intensity. Lower = more aggressive.
Possession and Progression Metrics
Progressive carries: Dribbles that move the ball significantly toward the opponent's goal. Measures a player's ability to beat opponents and advance the ball.
xT (Expected Threat): Assigns a value to every zone on the pitch based on how likely a possession in that zone leads to a goal. Moving the ball from a low-xT zone to a high-xT zone creates threat. Useful for evaluating midfielders and fullbacks who don't directly assist or score.
Ball recoveries: Times a player gains possession of a loose ball. Different from tackles and interceptions — recoveries are about reading the game and being in the right position.
Goalkeeping Metrics
PSxG (Post-Shot Expected Goals): Expected goals based on where the shot actually ended up. If a keeper faces shots worth 10 PSxG and concedes 8 goals, they've saved 2 goals above average.
Save percentage: Simple ratio of saves to shots on target. Useful but doesn't account for shot quality.
Distribution accuracy: How accurate a goalkeeper's passes and goal kicks are. Increasingly important as modern keepers are expected to play as "sweeper-keepers."
The Takeaway
You don't need to memorize all of these. But understanding the basics — xG, progressive passes, PPDA — will give you a much deeper appreciation of what's happening on the pitch. Football analytics isn't about replacing the eye test. It's about supplementing it with evidence.