# Header Goals Are Declining in the World Cup The iconic moments of headers are becoming less frequent in football. - **Source:** [Popular Science](https://brifing.si/source/cc3d313a-759c-4802-b881-fc8585f35ef9) - **Published:** 2026-07-13 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/b5818359-983e-49de-b4ea-9407f967c8df ## Decline in Headers Headers, an essential part of football, are resulting in fewer goals in the World Cup. In 2018, headers accounted for 23.7% of goals, but by the Round of 16 in 2026, this percentage dropped to 17.9%. ## Still an Effective Tactic Headers remain an effective tactic. This year, 11% of headers resulted in goals, with an overall accuracy of around 33.5%. Header attempts in 2026 are significantly higher than in 2018 and 2022. ## Increase in Assists While there were only two header assists in the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, there have already been 10 this year. Experts suggest this increase may be due to strategic changes in international club football. ## Critical Moments in Matches Header goals are more likely to occur during critical moments of the match. 57% of these goals happen toward the end of each half, as teams seek higher-quality scoring opportunities. ## Team Strategies Teams push players further up the pitch toward the end of matches to increase their chances of scoring. This strategy aims to gain momentum with a goal before halftime or to tie or take the lead in the final minutes. ## What Will Happen at the End of the Tournament? We may see more headers as the World Cup draws to a close. Whether these headers will determine the champion team remains to be seen. These iconic moments of football could still change the fate of the tournament. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.popsci.com/science/world-cup-2026-header-goal-statistics/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._