Comprehensive Analysis of Euro 2024: Average Goals Per Game, Own Goals, and No Direct Free-Kick Scores

With Spain defeating England 2-1 in the final to win their fourth Euro championship title, Euro 2024 officially comes to a close. In this edition of the tournament, the 24 participating teams scored a total of 117 goals, with Spain setting a new record for most goals scored by a single team in a Euro competition at 15. Notably, the official Euro 2024 website conducted an in-depth analysis of these 117 goals.

Of the 117 goals scored, 60 were from right-footed shots, 28 from left-footed shots, 18 from headers, 10 were own goals, and only one goal was scored through other means. The average number of goals per game in this Euro tournament was 2.29. The record for the highest average goals per game in a single Euro event stands at 2.78, set during Euro 2020. Additionally, the average time of the first goal in matches during Euro 2024 was 30 minutes, a significant decrease of approximately 11 minutes compared to Euro 2016.

According to statistics, there was an increased trend among teams in Euro 2024 to direct their shots into the penalty area more consistently. Of all 117 goals, 98 were scored from shots taken within the penalty area, accounting for 83.8%; while only 19 goals were scored from shots outside the box, making up 16.2%. During Euro 2024, a total of 12 penalties were awarded, with nine of them being successfully converted into goals.

Most notably, as reported by the official Euro 2024 website, no direct free-kick goals were scored in the tournament. Analysis suggests that this is due to modern goalkeepers’ enhanced agility, defensive players being more cautious in the vicinity of their own penalty area, and the solid defensive structures employed by teams.