David Sumpter: Soccermatics: how mathematics is changing the beautiful game

Abstract: Football is not only the most beautiful of sports, but it is also the most mathematical. From shot statistics and league tables to the geometry of passing and managerial strategy, the modern game is filled with numbers, patterns and shapes. I decided to find out how we make sense of all these numbers.

Using my skills as an applied mathematician, I dissected the modern game, finding analogies between football and biology. I looked at how the Barcelona midfield linked geometrically in the same way as a slime mould, I looked at the similarity between an ant colony and Total Football, Dutch style, I thought about what Bayern’s defenders could learn from lionesses, I looked at how much luck is involved in Norrköping winning allsvenskan, and I investigated how you can use probability theory to make you money at the bookies.

The result was the book Soccermatics. I will talk about the book, the maths and science behind teamwork, and how writing it resulted in me meeting with Premier League clubs to talk about how they can use mathematics to improve performance.