This article explores the Technical Study Group’s (TSG) findings from the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Seychelles 2025™, highlighting standout performances and the implications for the evolving game.
In a detailed analysis published on the FIFA Training Centre website on 4 September 2025, the TSG identified creativity and diversity in goalscoring as defining features of the tournament. Staged from 1–11 May in Victoria, Seychelles, the event culminated with Brazil retaining their crown after a thrilling 4-3 final victory over Belarus – their seventh FIFA title and sixteenth overall.
A Goal-Filled Spectacle: Numbers Tell the Story
Seychelles 2025 will be remembered as an “attacking World Cup”. A remarkable 288 goals were scored across 32 matches, averaging nine per game, two more than at UAE 2024.
The surge in attacking play was reflected in 3,047 goal attempts, 486 more than the previous edition. Open-play goals led the way with 192 (66 more than 2024), while counter-attacks produced 60 (up 37%). Combination and individual efforts each delivered 36 goals (an increase of 17 each).
As TSG expert Angelo Schirinzi observed: “If a team has only one or two key attacking strategies, it’s easier to know how to defend against them. But if teams have different solutions to different scenarios, it makes it harder to adjust defensively.”
Belarus embodied this diversity. Their captain Bryshtsel finished top scorer with seven goals from set plays, underlining how the best sides, including finalists Brazil relied on multiple approaches to break down organised defences.
Goalkeepers as the Fifth Attacker
Schirinzi linked much of the attacking explosion to the evolving role of the goalkeeper: “Goalkeepers have improved so much technically and can score. Defending teams cannot leave them unopposed.”
This tactical shift enabled teams to create consistent 5v4 advantages. Beyond shot-stopping, keepers showcased precise distribution, triggering both direct strikes and patient build-ups. According to Schirinzi, faster and more accurate ball movement on the sand has been decisive, giving attackers more opportunities to exploit spaces.
Balancing Direct and Patient Attacks
A central theme in the TSG’s report is the balance between direct and patient attacking play.
- Direct goals came from rehearsed long passes against static defences.
- Patient goals developed through three or more passes, intricate movements, and combinations.
Teams capable of both were the hardest to stop. Schirinzi emphasised: “Goals being scored through sequences of passes are increasing a lot and, again, the goalkeepers are a key factor in this.”
Video clips in the TSG analysis showcase examples from rapid counters to elaborate combinations, with Brazil and Belarus adapting seamlessly in the later stages of the competition.
Set Plays: Innovation and Increased Threat
Set plays delivered 96 goals – including 14 from corners, up from eight in 2024, and 40 from free kicks. Bryshtsel’s seven set-play strikes, including three direct free kicks, epitomised Belarus’s threat.
TSG member Matteo Marrucci highlighted tactical innovation: “It was interesting to see many teams playing back to their own goalkeeper from a corner kick. We saw a new situation in the 1–2–2 from corner kicks, using the goalkeeper between zone 2 and zone 3.”
This adjustment helped teams counter tight man-to-man marking and initiate possession-based attacks. Free kicks, meanwhile, proved decisive:
“Every free kick, regardless of where it was on the pitch, gave them a genuine opportunity to score,” Marrucci explained, noting that this forced defenders to be more disciplined.
Looking Ahead: What This Means for the Game
The TSG concluded that the standout element of Seychelles 2025 was not merely the volume of goals, but the creativity and diversity in how they were scored. The goalkeeper’s attacking role, coupled with tactical adaptability, created dilemmas for defenders and raised the game’s unpredictability.
As beach soccer continues to professionalise, expect the sport to evolve with even more innovative attacking strategies in future tournaments.
For the full TSG analysis and more, visit the FIFA Training Centre website.
Media Credits: FIFA Training Centre
