Efficiency of one against one game situations in Polish Soccer National Team and their opponents during UEFA European Championship matches

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficiency in one against one (1v1) game situations of Polish national team soccer players and their opponents in 12 matches of the group stage in 4 consecutive cup finals at the European Championship in the years 2008–2021. Material and methods: Audio-visual records of matches were analysed and data about the game were recorded on a self-developed observation sheet. Activity, effectiveness and reliability of individual offensive and defensive actions were assessed in the context of implementation of the game objectives. Results: It was found that the Polish players were involved in 245 duels per match, with average reliability of 53%, higher than among players of the opposing teams (47%). They engaged more often in defensive actions and executed them more efficiently than offensive actions (53% and 46%, respectively), and the efficiency of those activities was higher in each next final tournament – 50%, 53% and 57% respectively, except Euro 2020 (52%). Conclusions: Results of this study suggest that success in competition is determined by high reliability in one against one game, exceeding 50%.