Analytical scorecard

Ten Attributes Across Six Campaigns

We scored every World Cup squad from 0–10 on ten attributes, pulling together what the FIFA technical observers wrote with what the numbers say. The picture that comes out has a consistent shape: two attributes stay high by international standards and barely move, one genuinely improves, and two sit at a group-stage level right across the two decades.

These scores are an evidence-informed analyst assessment, not an official FIFA metric. We built them from the FIFA technical reports and the match data, and they're meant as a framework for discussion.
Compare any eras
Pick the years you want and their attribute profiles overlay. The default view puts up 2006 (the strongest squad), 2018 (the weakest campaign) and 2022 (the most recent progression).
Attribute trends, 2006 to 2026

Areas of growth and stagnation

Four attributes tell the story of the period: two lasting strengths, one that improved, and the limitation that stuck around.

Chance Creation persistent limitation
It peaked in 2006, dropped to 3.0 in 2018 (no open-play goals), and never climbed back above 5.0 after that.
Ball Proficiency low and unchanged
Sat near the floor the whole way through. The bump in 2018 was possession without penetration, not real control.
Defensive Organisation genuine improvement
The clearest area of real improvement, from the leaky 2014 side to the compact block of 2022.
Energy / Work Rate consistently high
The side's one reliably high-level attribute. It out-worked just about every opponent in every campaign.
The full scorecard
Every attribute across every campaign. Anything 7.0 or above shows in green (a strength) and 4.5 or below in red (a limitation). The trend column compares 2006 with 2026.

The enduring strengths

Energy and determination. In every campaign the FIFA observers reached for the same words, "hard-working", "determination", "team spirit", and the physical data backs them up. It's the side's one quality that stayed high and never dipped.

The genuine improvement

Defensive organisation and game-management. From shipping nine goals in 2014 to fielding the most compact block of the 2022 tournament, this is where two decades of professionalisation really show.

The persistent ceiling

Ball control and chance creation. Both have stayed low and barely moved for twenty years. When the international standard keeps rising, standing still means falling behind, and on these two the men's side has stood still.