Team Pass Network

Overview

A pass network maps how a team's players connect with each other during a match. Each player is a node positioned at their average location on the pitch, and each edge between nodes represents the volume of passes exchanged between two players. The result is a structural picture of how a team's possession game is organised.

Built for the AFCON Final, this project uses Statsbomb event data to compute all successful pass connections and render them as a weighted network overlay on a football pitch.

What the Network Reveals

• Key Connectors: Players with the highest number of strong connections (thick edges) are the team's central passing hubs — often the deepest midfielder or the most active fullbacks in possession build-up.
• Isolated Players: Players with few or thin connections may be operating in isolation, asked to receive the ball in advanced positions rather than participate in build-up — often wide forwards or target strikers.
• Team Shape in Possession: The spatial layout of the network reveals how wide or narrow a team plays in possession, and whether their shape is flat or staggered vertically through the thirds.

Technical Implementation