Data visualization shows World Cup final events

Data artist Alexandre Bogachev has created a 3D animation visualizing the events of the World Cup final. The animation depicts Spain's overwhelming dominance in the match against Argentina, offering a novel way to understand the game's progression through events rather than raw numbers.

Part of Bogachev's "Football Data Portraits" series, the work transforms each World Cup match into a visual representation akin to generative art. The 3D topography depicts the game's dynamics in real-time, utilizing data from over 1,500 logged actions per match, including passes, fouls, and shots. The aim is to capture the emotion of a match rather than just statistics.

The visualization employs technologies like the Three.js library and custom shaders to create two team-specific "fabrics" representing pitch control. Shot attempts and their probabilities of scoring, known as "expected goals," are depicted as terrain height. "Goal floods" that result in goals color the entire field in the scoring team's hue.

A seismograph-style timeline runs beneath the animation, tracking the game's overall momentum based on real-time data. The sky's color also shifts to reflect which team currently holds a psychological advantage. The World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is rendered in the animation as Spain's continuous ball possession and numerous shooting attempts in Argentina's defensive half.

Bogachev's work, with its precision and artistic execution, offers a deeper insight into the game's flow than the final score alone. The visualization highlights Spain's dominance in a match where Argentina registered no shots on goal during regulation time.