Two days to go.
Things in the United States, Canada and Mexico get under way on Thursday, and we’re starting to feel a bit like a kid waiting for Christmas, except that it’s summer, it’s warm (well, it’s supposed to be) and we’re waiting impatiently for Mexico vs South Africa rather than a new games console and a pair of novelty Rudolph socks.
Anyway, we’re continuing our countdown to the World Cup with our daily SVQs, and today we’ll be looking at the front runners to win the Golden Boot, as well as introducing Opta’s new pass difficulty metric.
We also have an Ask Opta question about shots, and a missing players game involving the 1966 World Cup final.
🏆 STAT - Who Will Win the Golden Boot?
It’s one of the most asked questions ahead of any World Cup. Who will be the top goalscorer?
Previous editions have seen expected names light up the tournament, while others have seen relative unknowns burst through and shine against the odds. It’s a bit like a work’s karaoke evening when you think about it.
Who will reach the high notes this time, though?
Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland will be fancied by many. They were the three top scorers in all competitions of players from Europe’s top five leagues last season, and by some distance.