The Resurgence of Traditional Wing Play in Football

The Rise of Traditional Wing Play

Football is cyclical, and trends come and go. After the rise of inverted wingers, who tend to cut in and shoot, it seems that traditional wingers – those wide players who hug the touchline and send in crosses on their stronger foot – are making a comeback.

Crossing Goals on the Increase

In the first two rounds of games at the 2026 World Cup, 29 of the 48 teams scored at least one goal within five seconds of a cross into the box. This is a significant increase from previous tournaments, with 29 teams achieving this feat, five more than at any World Cup on record since 1966.

The Data Analysis

• 36 goals were scored from completed crosses in the first two rounds, averaging 0.75 per game.
• This rate is the second-highest on record since 1966, behind only the 2002 World Cup (0.84).
• 47 goals were scored within five seconds of crosses, averaging 0.98 per game, on course to be a record.

The Impact Analysis

Teams such as the Netherlands, Portugal, and Norway have had significant success with this approach. The Netherlands scored from crosses in both their first two games, while Portugal have scored four goals within five seconds of a cross, including Cristiano Ronaldo's goal against Uzbekistan.

The Prediction

If teams continue to find success with traditional wing play and crossing into the box, we can expect this trend to continue throughout the tournament. The question remains whether teams will adapt to counter this strategy or if the traditional winger will become a staple of modern football once again.