The Science of Soccer.pdf

The Science of Soccer by John Wesson
Football is by far the world’s most popular game. Millions
play the game and hundreds of millions are entertained by
it, either at football grounds or through television. Despite
this the scientific aspects of the game have hardly been recognised,
let alone discussed and analysed. This is in contrast to
some other games which have received much more attention,
particularly so in the case of golf.
What is meant by ‘science’ in the context of football? This
book deals basically with two types of subject. The first is the
‘hard science’, which mainly involves using physics to uncover
basic facts about the game. This ranges from understanding the
comparatively simple mechanics of the kick to the remarkably
complex fluid dynamics associated with the flight of the ball.
The second group of subjects is diverse. There is the role of
chance in deciding results and, more significantly, in influencing
which team wins the Championship or the Cup. Is the
winning team the best team? We look at the players and ask
how their success varies with age. We also ask, what is the
best height for footballers and, with almost incredible results,
what is the best time of year for them to be born? Further
subjects include analysis of the laws, various theoretical aspects
of the play, and the economics of the professional game.
In the first nine chapters of the book these subjects are
described without the use of mathematics. The mathematical analysis which underlies this description is saved for the tenth
and final chapter. Most of the material in the book is original
and in many areas the author has made progress only with the
assistance of others. I must thank David Goodall for the help
he gave in experiments on the bounce and flight of the ball,
and both him and Chris Lowry for the experiments which
produced the drag curve for a football. The on-field experiments
were carried out with the help of Mickey Lewis and
the Oxford United Youth team. My understanding of the
development of the ball was much improved in discussions
with Duncan Anderson of Mitre, and I have taken the information
on club finances from the Annual Review of Football
Finance produced by Deloitte and Touche.
I am grateful to John Navas, the Commissioning Editor
at Institute of Physics Publishing. Without his interest and
encouragement this book would not have seen the light of
day. Thanks are also due to Jack Connor and John Hardwick
who read the manuscript and made many helpful suggestions.
The book uses, and depends upon, a large number of figures.
These were all produced by Stuart Morris. I am very grateful
to him for his skill and unfailing helpfulness. Finally, I must
thank Lynda Lee for her care and dedication in typing the
manuscript and dealing with the many corrections and rewrites
this involved
John Wesson