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2. Ranking footballers with multilevel modelingGregor Grbec, Nino Bašić, Marko Tkalčič, 2024, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: Despite football’s collaborative nature, the inquiry into the identity of the best player is a frequent topic in the footballing realm. This discussion disproportionately highlights attacking players, creating an apparent bias, as every team role holds significance. Our study aimed to delineate player performance from team performance and ensure the inclusion of players from all positions in the ultimate ranking of the best players. We sourced data from FBref, encompassing every player in every match played by a top 20 European team in the current century’s top 5 European leagues. Employing a multilevel linear mixed-effects model, we utilized team points as the response variable, accounting for both player and opponent team strength. The extraction of level-2 player residuals, averaged by player, facilitated the creation of a comprehensive ranking for the best players of this century. Surprisingly, two players widely regarded as among the best of all time, Messi and Ronaldo, secured relatively low positions on our list (Ronaldo at 12th, and Messi at 14th).
Keywords: multilevel modeling, footballer ranking, sports modeling
Published in RUP: 05.06.2025; Views: 215; Downloads: 10
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