Introduction:
Research in soccer has shown that regulatory changes, alongside other factors, shape how the game is played and affect one of its key outcomes–goals scored per match. However, limited data exists on how this trend has evolved in Europe’s major domestic leagues.

Aim of the study:
This study examined temporal trends in goals scored per match in seven major European leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Eredivisie, and Liga Portugal) over 30 seasons (from 1994/1995 to 2023/2024).

Material and methods:
A total of 193,442 goals scored in 71,499 matches were sourced from https://zerozero.pt and further analyzed based on variables “season” and “league”. The Spearman correlation was used to assess temporal trends in each league and a pooled average. A one-way ANOVA compared average goals per match among leagues, followed by Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD) post hoc tests. One-sample t-tests evaluated deviations of each league’s mean from the overall average.

Results:
Significant positive correlations with time were found in the Premier League, Ligue 1, Bundesliga, and the pooled average (p < 0.001). Eredivisie (3.07) and Bundesliga (2.93) exceeded the pooled average (2.71) and differed from the other leagues (p < 0.05). Ligue 1 (2.46) and Liga Portugal (2.52) had the lowest averages, falling below the European average (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:
Goal-scoring trends are rising across major European leagues, with significant differences among them. Governing bodies and coaches should consider these findings and regional idiosyncrasies when implementing rule changes or developing strategies to maintain competitive balance and soccer’s evolving dynamics across the Europe’s top leagues.