Euro 2016’s late, late goals show: how and why the records are tumbling

Almost 30% of the goals at Euro 2016 have been scored after the 85th minute and substitutes are often at the heart of the drama. We look at how previous tournaments compare and what is behind the trend

The goals-per-game average at Euro 2016 is a miserable 1.96. Lower than any World Cup in history; lower than any European Championship since 1980; lower even than Serie A in the 1980s. Yet the tournament has not felt remotely boring, because of the charming underdog stories and particularly the overload of late drama. Thirteen of the 47 goals scored so far have come after the 85th minute, easily the highest percentage in a European Championship and almost three times the equivalent figure at Euro 2012.

Related: Euro 2016 power rankings: Spain set the tone as competitors stutter

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