analysis
After the preliminary round, the EM 2025 is on the best way to a new goal record. Spain holds numerous best values, the DFB women convince at least in the direct duels.
The last day of the European Championship preliminary round caused a lot of goals again: Seven goals each fell between the Netherlands and France (2: 5) as well as England and Wales (6: 1) on Sunday. The European Championship is now on the best way to become the most.
The teams scored 89 goals in the group phase – that’s 3.7 per game. In the 2022 title fights, the previous record was achieved – with a value of 3.06 per game and a total of 95 goals.
Exceed actual goals Expected-Goals value
Due to the seven remaining games in the KO phase, the record should only be a matter of form. At least if the players maintain their marksmanship: on average they only needed 7.4 shots on the goal for a success (2022: 9.2). The Expected Goals value is currently exceeded by ten hits. In other words, the data quality data gave 79 goals in the preliminary round, but 89.
In addition, no team went goalless from the preliminary round-so the EM debutants from Poland and Wales were allowed to cheer on their premiere goal. A general trend: At the current European Championship, more goals fall after individual mistakes. In 2022 there were only eight, in 2025 it was already 13 after the group games.
Sjoeke Nüsken is the queen of the tackle
Above all, there is a value in Germany: the DFB women have completed most of the successful tackling of all teams (43). Midfielder Sjoeke Nüsken, who went to the tackling 17 times, has the largest part of this – more than all other players in the tournament.
Sjoeke Nüsken, here against Denmark Pernille Harder, is not afraid of a duel at the European Championship.
In addition, Christian Wück’s team has the most “progressive carries” with 117 – runs with the ball with a lot of space gain. This is where Klara Bühl is particularly emphasized (59), who also puts all other players of the tournament in the shade when it comes to dribbling (35).
Germany is also strong in one-on-one duels with a success rate of 48 percent. In addition, only the Swedes hit even more flanks than the DFB team (89 to 75). After all, one of the 75 led to success when Jule Brand used to be exemplary in the first group game against Poland Lea Schüller and was able to head for 2-0.
World champion Spain overrides everyone else
However, one team puts everyone else in the shade: World Champion Spain is currently absolute top with numerous values. They have 75 percent possession of the ball per game – in the game against Belgium it was an incredible 79 percent. And this superiority very often arises: 23 percent of the Spanish possession phases end with a degree – this is also the best value.
Spain plays into the penalty area as often as no other team and also gives up most of the shots within the sixteen meter space (33). Incidentally, you also have the best value on gates according to standards, namely four. Spain’s upcoming opponent Switzerland, on the other hand, gave the most goal shots from outside the penalty area together with Germany (6) – there is a risk of an unequal quarter -final duel.
Even with the individual best values, you can hardly avoid the Spaniards: whether most of the ball contacts (Patri Guijarro, 322), most of the goal shot (Alèxia Putellas, 30) or most successful passes (Patri Guijarro, 249) – Spaniards are at the forefront everywhere. Esther González also leads the list of goal scorers (four goals). Putellas has already launched four times – the previous record at a tournament (five assists from Beth Mead 2022) is within reach.
Alexia Putellas has already launched four goals and scored three himself.
Goalkeepers bring more passes to the Players
Anyone who has previously missed the goalkeepers in the many data described should have been said: According to the statistics, the performance of the keepers has remained almost the same compared to 2022. The parade quota dropped by tiny one percent, but after all, more flanks were intercepted.
What the German fans should surprise in view of the repeatedly shaky plays by goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger: the pass rate of all goalkeepers is 77 percent and has thus increased significantly compared to 2022 (66 percent). A trend that fits Berger’s goalkeeper game: only 40 percent of all goalkeeper passes are beaten for a long time at the current tournament.
With regard to the numbers, the goal women now have an almost hopeless mission: preventing the goal record already mentioned at the European Championship.