FIFA World Cup 2026 sees a huge increase in goals from outside the box | World Cup 2026 news

The practice of defending deep has attracted forwards to shoot outside the penalty area, Jurgen Klinsmann has said.

The proportion of goals scored outside the box has doubled World Cup in North America from the previous tournament in Qatar, FIFA says.

Sixteen percent of the goals scored in this World Cup came from outside penalties, compared to 8% in 2022, FIFA’s Technical Study Group (TSG) revealed on Saturday.

Football experts have explained the reason for this increase: the nature of teams that defend the bottom team and push the opposition to try their chances from afar.

Jurgen Klinsmann, who is also a member of FIFA’s TSG, said that the number of players in and around the box also allows goalkeepers to control the ball from afar.

“There is no space – eight, nine players in the box or outside the box, so it’s a way to create shots from outside,” the former manager of the United States team told reporters.

“It’s a fun thing for us coaches to watch… We’ve seen some good goals that way.”

Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s head of football development, also paid tribute to the quality of shots being taken.

“The balls seem fast. The shot – gave rockets from outside the box, in fact. The ball – boom, the quality of the shot was great in this competition,” he told reporters.

Argentina, in particular, relied on long-range shots in pursuit to break down sides that sat deep.

The team scored five goals from outside the box, including a screamer from Enzo Fernandez that brought them back into the game in the 85th minute of the semifinal against England.

Julian Alvarez also hit a spectacular block from 22 yards out 10-people from Switzerland in extra time to help book Argentina’s place in the semifinals.

In the third match on Saturday, England midfielder Declan Rice found the bottom corner from outside the box in the third minute which turned out to be one of the games. a dangerous encounter At the World Cup, France lost 6-4.