Portugal: The least impressive winners of a major football tournament (statistically)

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jul/27/the-least-impressive-winners-of-a-major-football-tournament-statistically

Not just statistically

Statistically speaking, they weren't impressive at all. However, the fact that they won it fair and square against all odds, against the host and biggest favorite of the tournament makes their victory one of the most impressive on NT level in recent years.

I didn't even expect them to go past the round of 16. And while everybody kept on saying they were drawing easy opponents, completely and deliberately not counting Croatia as one, the second they met a heavyweight, they didn't get thrashed. Quite the opposite, they were defensively compact and tactically sharp.

So you can say they weren't impressive statistically, but in the end of the day, they went home with the same trophy their predecessors won. And that's what counts.

And if I were to choose between being statistically impressive in a major tournament all while ending up trophyless or winning the trophy all while being not so impressive statistically, I sure as hell would choose the trophy every damn time.

Their first 4 games were really awful stuff especially against Croatia. How Croatia manage to only start playing football coming down to the end of 2nd half extra time is truly a "beyond me" moment.

That being said, nice read. Always good to get into technicalities every so often.

They won only 1 game in regulation time and played shitty football

I'd say that's about right.

On the topic of least impressive (statistically):

In case you’re wondering, the lowest at a Copa América is 1.67, by Argentina in 1993, and the lowest at a World Cup is Argentina’s 2.00 in 1978.

It was a strange bracket dynamic where the strongest teams exhausted each other (Spain, Italy and Germany) but Portugal won. Congratulations, they deserved the win.

On field > On paper.

Never the less great read.