Science and the World Cup: how big data is transforming football

The scowl on Cristiano Ronaldo's face made international headlines last month when the Portuguese superstar was pulled from a match between Manchester United and Newcastle with 18 minutes left to play. Few footballers agree with a manager's decision to substitute them in favour of a fresh replacement. During the upcoming football World Cup tournament in Qatar, players will have a more evidence-based way to argue for time on the pitch. Within minutes of the final whistle, tournament organizers will send each player a detailed breakdown of their performance. Strikers will be able to show how often they made a run and were ignored.