The funny thing is that the average soccer fan has no idea how statistics work

So they argue using every single mistake for Sampling Errors 101. Even if stats could properly represent everything, they would still be using it wrong

Atrocious example: Redditors using G + A to evaluate Zidane…

Several of his contemporaries were able to get 2nd or even 1st at the BOD, so I don’t think this is so much about the competition:

Iniesta, Benzema, Modric, Mane, Van Dijk and Lewandowski are 6 guys that got closer than Neymar.

Haaland is about to do the same (assuming he gets at least second this year).