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Mind the Gap

What's the gap to the top?
And how do we close it?
KNOW·COMPARE·IMPROVE
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PART 01

The Top Level
— and where Cyprus stands

How close are we to the best?

UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League UEFA Conference League Greek Super League Romanian SuperLiga Cyprus First Division
1.1 · Pressing (PPDA)

We press the hardest

CyprusOpponentslower = presses harder
1.2 · Passing Quantity

We pass fewer times

CyprusOpponents
1.3 · Passing Accuracy

We pass accurately enough

Cyprus 1stCyprus 2ndOpponents
1.4 · Final Third Entries

We get into the box least of anyone

CyprusOpponents
1.5 · Speed of Pass

We play the slowest

CyprusOpponentsmatch tempo = passes per minute of possession (higher = faster)
Part 1 · Summary

We press hard — but play it slow and safe

Strength
Pressing Intensity
We press harder than anyone — even the Champions League
Gap 1
Speed of Pass
We play the slowest, so we end up passing fewer times
Gap 2
Final Third
We get into the box least of anyone in Europe
PART 02

Our Youth
— U14 to seniors

What we build, and what we miss.

2.1 · Passing volume

Passing volume climbs with every level

Cyprus youthCyprus seniorEuropepasses per game
2.2 · Passing accuracy

Accuracy climbs from youth to elite

Cyprus youthCyprus seniorEurope% of passes completed
2.3 · Ball Possession

We keep ~60% of the ball in our own half

Attacking halfOwn halfshare of on-ball actions, split at the halfway line
2.4 · Deep completions

As defences get tougher, the danger drops

YouthSenior averageOmonoia (champions)
Part 2 · Summary

Good on the ball — but we play it safe

Strength
Ball Retention
Volume & accuracy climb all the way to elite level
Gap 1
Own-Half Play
~60% of the ball stays in our own half, at every age
Gap 2
Danger Near Goal
Deep completions drop — only champions keep it
PART 03

National Teams
— Cyprus vs the world

Cyprus youth vs 24 nations — the fairest test.

3.1 · Shooting

Every age shoots less — it's not one team

CyprusOpponentsshots per game, by age group
3.2 · Cyprus vs Opponents

We build up a lot — and struggle in attack

Better than opponentsWorse than opponents% difference vs the average opponent
Part 3 · Summary

We build up well — but struggle in attack

Strength
Build-Up
We build from the back more than our opponents (+18%)
Gap 1
Pressing
Opponents press far harder (−62%) and win more duels
Gap 2
Shooting & Crossing
We shoot −31% and cross −31% less than opponents
The take-home

Keep the ball — make it count.

Forward
Build Up Higher
Bring the ball forward and keep it there — that's where the goals come from
Create
Final Third Mastery
More passes behind the defence, more 1v1s, crosses and shots on goal
Press
Pressing Intensity
Build it in our club teams first, and it carries through to the national team
What to coach next

3 things to coach differently

1Breaking Line Passes
On the pitch: praise the pass that breaks a line and reaches the attacking half.
2Passes & runs behind defence
On the pitch: encourage passes in behind the defence and the runs to meet them.
3High-intensity (RSA) training
On the pitch: reward intensity in repeated-sprint drills that fit your game plan.

Thank you.

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