2026 World Cup Attack and Defense Statistics: Rankings & Odds Correlation
Attack and defense statistics are core quantitative indicators of team strength. This article ranks teams based on xG, xGA, and other metrics, then analyzes correlation with winner odds.
1. Attack & Defense Combined Rankings
| Rank | Team | xG/match | xGA/match | xG Diff | Attack Score | Defense Score | Combined Score | Winner Odds | Value | Action | 1 | Brazil | 2.55 | 0.62 | +1.93 | 94 | 96 | 95 | 6.50 | Fair | Hold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Netherlands | 2.05 | 0.68 | +1.37 | 70 | 90 | 80 | 18.00 | Severely undervalued | Strong buy |
| 3 | France | 2.40 | 0.82 | +1.58 | 85 | 78 | 81.5 | 7.50 | Overvalued | Avoid |
2. Key Insights
- Best value: Netherlands (defense #2, combined #3, odds #8)
- Most overvalued: France (inefficient attack, odds #3)
- Most balanced: Brazil (attack #1, defense #1) but odds value limited
3. Summary
Netherlands defense ranks 2nd (90), combined score 3rd (80), but odds rank 8th (18.00) — severely undervalued. France attack inefficient (xG 2.40 vs actual 2.10) — overvalued. Brazil remains most balanced but limited odds value.