GUIDES · BETSLIP DOCTOR
Are crosses included in Opta pass-completion percentages?
Opta does not classify crosses as passes, and its definitions say pass-completion calculations usually exclude crosses. Crossing success is commonly shown separately, so check the selected event set before comparing percentages.
For Soccer fans and readers comparing passing-efficiency tables · Updated
A cross is not an Opta pass event
Opta describes a pass as an attempted delivery from one player to a teammate. In its event definitions, crosses, goalkeeper throws and throw-ins do not count as passes. A corner, goal kick or free kick can be categorized as a pass when it is played as a teammate delivery.
That event boundary matters before calculating any percentage: first identify which attempts belong to the selected pass group.
Pass completion uses the selected pass group
Opta describes pass completion as successful passes divided by total attempted passes in the chosen combination. Its guide says crosses are usually excluded from that calculation and are often treated separately; crossing success is successful crosses divided by attempted crosses.
The word ‘usually’ matters. Do not assume a dashboard’s selection without checking which event types its table includes. A completion rate without its denominator can be misleading when two displays group deliveries differently.
Keep each numerator beside its own denominator
A completed pass is one that reaches a teammate directly without an opponent touching it, under Opta’s public definition. For a clean comparison, keep ordinary pass attempts and cross attempts in separate rows, then calculate each percentage from its own selected set.
A fictional delivery log
Suppose a hypothetical event table contains eight ordinary pass attempts, six completed, plus two crosses, one completed. In a pass-completion view that uses the ordinary passes, the rate is 6 divided by 8, or 75%. The separate crossing-success rate is 1 divided by 2, or 50%. These toy counts explain the denominators only; the Opta guide says crosses are usually excluded, so a real table’s selected combination still needs to be checked.
Related questions
What is the Opta crossing-success denominator?
The guide describes it as successful crosses divided by attempted crosses. It treats crossing success separately from pass completion.
Can a restart delivery be counted as a pass?
Opta says goal kicks, corners and free kicks played as teammate deliveries can be categorized as passes; goalkeeper throws and throw-ins do not count as passes.