World Cup xG Lab
TeamsPlayersModelCoverage
StatsBomb powers the past chance-quality model and shot-location views. FBref adds recent league-form context. Understat adds club xG context. DataMB adds 25/26 percentile scouting profiles. This dashboard is not a guaranteed 2026 World Cup prediction model.
LM

Argentina

Lionel Messi

ForwardStrong evidence

Inter Miami - MLS

66 past sample shotsLeague formClub xGExperimental xG check

Data read

Some evidence

When the historical sample is weak, use recent club and league context to understand role, volume, and form.

Player summary

Lionel Messi has a usable historical shot sample.

In the available historical sample, Lionel Messi took 66 shots. xG estimates how many goals those chances were usually worth. The model estimated those shots were worth about 12.93 goals, and Lionel Messi scored 11.

He scored roughly in line with what the model expected from the chances in this sample. The average shot was worth about 0.196 xG, or roughly a 20% chance of becoming a goal. Recent club and scouting context is also available from recent league form (FBref), club xG context (Understat), experimental xG check.

Takeaway: use this as a combined historical plus club-context profile, not as a guaranteed 2026 World Cup projection.

Past sample shots

66

StatsBomb open-data matches

StatsBomb

xG in available past matches

12.93

Not a 2026 forecast

StatsBomb

Goals

11

Goals in covered matches

StatsBomb

Scoring vs expected

-1.93

Goals minus expected goals estimate

StatsBomb

Shots

274

Recent club/league rows pulled

Goals

51

Recent league form

Minutes

4,708

Where available

Club shots

572

Understat rows

Club xG

75.07

Context only

Club goals

77

Covered seasons

Modeled shots

1,462

Understat shot rows

Experimental xG

205.79

Research layer only

High-xG shots

246

Modeled Understat chances

  • - Player data describes past available samples and club context, not a 2026 World Cup forecast.
  • - StatsBomb powers the past chance-quality model; recent league form, club xG, and percentile profiles are context layers.
  • - Small shot samples can make xG and finishing numbers noisy.
  • - Missing source matches can come from league coverage or player-name differences.
StatsBomb

Past Chance Quality

66 shots

The model estimated 12.93 goals from these shots; actual goals: 11. 2018-06-16 to 2024-07-15.

FBref

Recent League Form

274 shots

Aggregate club/league form where pulled.

Understat

Club xG Context

75.07 xG

Club xG context from covered leagues.

Understat

Experimental xG Check

205.79 xG

1,462 modeled Understat shots. Research layer only.

Overview

This profile separates historical shot-quality evidence from recent club context. It avoids treating a small StatsBomb sample as a complete player forecast.

Scoring vs expected

-1.93

Goals minus expected goals estimate

Average shot quality

0.196

Roughly how dangerous each shot was on average.

Open-data sample range

2018-06-16 to 2024-07-15

How to read this dashboard

StatsBomb

Past shot samples used by the expected-goals model. Not a 2026 prediction.

DataMB

25/26 percentile scouting profiles. Percentiles are not raw stats and are not model inputs.

FBref

Recent club and league form context. Not used by the trained expected-goals model.

Understat

Club expected-goals context from covered leagues, plus a separate experimental xG check where clearly labeled.