Sportradar examines 98,000 goals and uncovers the most exciting soccer league in Europe

After analyzing over 98,000 goals from Europe’s top five soccer leagues over the past 20 years, Sportradar has revealed which competition delivers the most excitement for fans—and surprisingly, it’s not the Premier League.

Using the number of goals scored per game as a measure of thrill factor, Sportradar leveraged its cutting-edge AI technology to process data from more than 36,000 matches across England, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain from the 2005/06 season to 2024/25.


 

Bundesliga Leads the Charge in High-Scoring Matches

Despite the Premier League recording its highest-ever scoring season in 2023/24 with an average of 3.28 goals per game, the analysis crowned Germany’s Bundesliga as the league that consistently delivers top-tier entertainment.


 

This season alone, Bundesliga matches have averaged 3.14 goals per game—outperforming Ligue 1 (2.96), the Premier League (2.93), La Liga (2.62), and Serie A (2.56).


 

Why Bundesliga Holds the Crown Over 20 Years

Since the 2005/06 season, more than 18,000 goals have been scored in Bundesliga matches, even though the league features only 18 teams—resulting in fewer games compared to its European counterparts.

Yet, Bundesliga fans have enjoyed an average of 2.96 goals per game over this period, significantly surpassing the Premier League (2.74), Serie A (2.68), La Liga (2.66), and Ligue 1 (2.53).


 

Trends Across Europe’s Top Five Leagues

The extensive study of two decades of European soccer highlights notable trends, including the rise of Ligue 1 and the decline in goal-scoring in La Liga.


 

• Ligue 1’s Growth: In 2005/06, the French league saw an average of 2.13 goals per game. Fast forward to 2024/25, and this figure has jumped to 2.96, proving that Ligue 1 is becoming one of Europe’s most thrilling leagues.
• La Liga’s Decline: Once on par with the Premier League, La Liga averaged 2.46 goals per game in 2005/06. By 2016/17, this had peaked at 2.94—coinciding with the dominance of stars like Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Cristiano Ronaldo. However, goal rates have since declined, reaching 2.62 in 2024/25.