Rebounds in football: A systematic investigation of characteristics of goals scored after rebounded balls in English Premier League seasons 2012/2013 to 2018/2019.

This article examines the characteristics and contributing factors of rebound goals in professional football, specifically analyzing 554 rebound goals from seven English Premier League seasons (2012/2013–2018/2019). A rebound goal is defined as a goal scored immediately after a shot bounces off a player (teammate or opponent) or the goalpost/crossbar. The study finds that rebounds are primarily caused by short-distance shots and defensive errors, with goalkeepers being the most frequent origin of rebounds. Rebound goals occur mostly in close proximity to the goal, especially after corner kicks, and often involve a high density of players in the penalty area; however, they share many situational similarities with non-rebound goals, such as home advantage and team strength effects. These findings support the notion that both systematic factors and random influences contribute to goal scoring in football, highlighting the need for further research to disentangle these effects and inform coaching strategies.