Comparative of the goals scored by set pieces during the Eurocup and Copa America 2021

This study aimed to establish a comparison between the goals scored from set pieces (corners, direct and indirect free kicks) in the European and South American (EURO 2021 - COPA 2021) competitions, coinciding within the same time frame. For this purpose, all goals (22 and 17, respectively) were analysed and variables related to the following different action phases were collected: beginning (kicker's foot, minute, starting area), development (marking, ball trajectory, number of attackers or defenders) and the end (height of the previous pass, number of passes or contacts before the goal). A Cohen’s kappa and the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient were per-formed between two observers, and an analysis using Chi-square and Mann Whitney U was carried out. The results showed no significant differences, except for the height of the pass (with a higher-than-expected number in the medium pass and COPA) and the confederation of the club to which the scoring player belonged (a higher percentage of players scored from UEFA in EURO, and CONCACAF in COPA). These findings could suggest a European influence in set-pieces due to recent success in international competitions and could be useful for coaches and analysts to expand the information about rivals.