FIFA World Cup · Poisson power ratings

World Cup Power Ratings

As of
0 · pure xG0.3 · CV optimum1 · pure scoreline
how this works

Rating target is α·goals + (1−α)·xG. Cross-validation picks α≈0.25–0.4 in every tournament (2018, 2022, 2026), with a flat basin — but both endpoints always lose, and the optimizer always shrinks scorelines harder than xG. The τ shown is the CV-tuned prior width at the current α.

Columns: xGF/90 = μ·eatt, expected goals scored vs an average team; xGA/90 = μ·e−def, expected goals conceded vs an average team. Their gap vs μ is the attack/defense breakdown in goal units. Extra-time games are normalized to 90′; shootout goals are excluded (decided games use the 120′ scoreline). Click any team for its match log with model retrodictions.

above tournament averagebelow averagehot scoreline rating >1σ above the goals-vs-xG trendlinecold >1σ below it (see scatter)

Finishing luck: scoreline rating vs xG rating

Each dot is a team: x = xG-only rating, y = goals-only rating. The dotted line is the OLS fit of goals-only on xG-only (goals-only ratings are more shrunken, so the slope is <1 — comparing to y=x would tag every strong team as cold). Hot/cold = residual beyond ±1σ from that line; same rule drives the chips in the table.