Shape graphs and the instantaneous inference of tactical positions in soccer
Abstract We propose shape graphs as instantaneous representations of spatial arrangements in association football (soccer). Shape graphs are a novel type of subgraph of Delaunay triangulations inspired by related applications in fingerprinting and facial expression detection. They provide a foundati...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-08-01
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| Series: | npj Complexity |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44260-025-00047-x |
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| _version_ | 1849340331541135360 |
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| author | Ulrik Brandes Hadi Sotudeh Doğan Parlak Paolo Laffranchi Mert Erkul |
| author_facet | Ulrik Brandes Hadi Sotudeh Doğan Parlak Paolo Laffranchi Mert Erkul |
| author_sort | Ulrik Brandes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract We propose shape graphs as instantaneous representations of spatial arrangements in association football (soccer). Shape graphs are a novel type of subgraph of Delaunay triangulations inspired by related applications in fingerprinting and facial expression detection. They provide a foundational data structure that supports various downstream tasks in a manner that is flexible, explainable, and efficient. While previous approaches aggregate spatial positions over periods of time to stabilize the underlying signal, we instead interpret each frame individually for increased explainability at the highest possible temporal resolution. As an example use case we introduce position plots, a novel visualization capturing the characteristic fluidity of relative positioning during a game while retaining the possibility to add match context. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4c6ac6a9da2a41ae98e75c635d892411 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2731-8753 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Complexity |
| spelling | doaj-art-4c6ac6a9da2a41ae98e75c635d8924112025-08-20T03:43:57ZengNature Portfolionpj Complexity2731-87532025-08-012111010.1038/s44260-025-00047-xShape graphs and the instantaneous inference of tactical positions in soccerUlrik Brandes0Hadi Sotudeh1Doğan Parlak2Paolo Laffranchi3Mert Erkul4Social Networks Lab, ETH ZurichSocial Networks Lab, ETH ZurichSocial Networks Lab, ETH ZurichSocial Networks Lab, ETH ZurichSocial Networks Lab, ETH ZurichAbstract We propose shape graphs as instantaneous representations of spatial arrangements in association football (soccer). Shape graphs are a novel type of subgraph of Delaunay triangulations inspired by related applications in fingerprinting and facial expression detection. They provide a foundational data structure that supports various downstream tasks in a manner that is flexible, explainable, and efficient. While previous approaches aggregate spatial positions over periods of time to stabilize the underlying signal, we instead interpret each frame individually for increased explainability at the highest possible temporal resolution. As an example use case we introduce position plots, a novel visualization capturing the characteristic fluidity of relative positioning during a game while retaining the possibility to add match context.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44260-025-00047-x |
| spellingShingle | Ulrik Brandes Hadi Sotudeh Doğan Parlak Paolo Laffranchi Mert Erkul Shape graphs and the instantaneous inference of tactical positions in soccer npj Complexity |
| title | Shape graphs and the instantaneous inference of tactical positions in soccer |
| title_full | Shape graphs and the instantaneous inference of tactical positions in soccer |
| title_fullStr | Shape graphs and the instantaneous inference of tactical positions in soccer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Shape graphs and the instantaneous inference of tactical positions in soccer |
| title_short | Shape graphs and the instantaneous inference of tactical positions in soccer |
| title_sort | shape graphs and the instantaneous inference of tactical positions in soccer |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44260-025-00047-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ulrikbrandes shapegraphsandtheinstantaneousinferenceoftacticalpositionsinsoccer AT hadisotudeh shapegraphsandtheinstantaneousinferenceoftacticalpositionsinsoccer AT doganparlak shapegraphsandtheinstantaneousinferenceoftacticalpositionsinsoccer AT paololaffranchi shapegraphsandtheinstantaneousinferenceoftacticalpositionsinsoccer AT merterkul shapegraphsandtheinstantaneousinferenceoftacticalpositionsinsoccer |