{"id":1457314,"date":"2026-06-12T20:44:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T19:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?post_type=news&#038;p=1457314"},"modified":"2026-06-19T17:30:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T16:30:20","slug":"stat-leaders-world-cup-2026-clearances","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/world-cup\/stat-leaders-world-cup-2026-clearances\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Clearances at World Cup 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Want to see who has the most clearances at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/world-cup-2026-betting-tips-predictions\/\">2026 World Cup<\/a> so far? Check the latest World Cup clearances stats below.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"vcsw-sports-widgets shortcode vcsw-stats-cards\" id=\"stats_cards-1\"><script type=\"application\/json\">{\"sports_type\":\"football\",\"widget_type\":\"stats\",\"display_mode\":\"table\",\"competition\":\"667aabbb773e0180d8f74d65\",\"cards\":[{\"stats\":[{\"value\":\"Clearances\",\"label\":\"Clearances\"}],\"entity\":\"members\",\"participant\":\"\"}],\"top_count\":10,\"full_list\":\"true\",\"participant\":\"\"}<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nobody puts clearances on a poster or chants a defender&#8217;s name because he headed a cross off the line in the 67th minute. But clearances keep teams in tournaments &#8211; and at a World Cup, staying in the game is everything.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clearances is one of the most underappreciated defensive metrics in football. It measures the unglamorous but essential work that stops shots, breaks up attacks and protects leads. With 48 teams competing across the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer, the defenders putting their bodies on the line deserve their moment in the data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-counts-as-a-clearance\">What Counts as a Clearance?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opta records a clearance whenever a defending player deliberately moves the ball away from their own goal to relieve pressure. The key word is <em>deliberately<\/em> &#8211; the action must be intentional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opta splits clearances into two types. An open-play clearance covers any clearance made during normal play. A headed clearance is recorded separately whenever a player clears the ball with their head rather than their foot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Opta does not credit a clearance if a defending player simply passes the ball or plays it to a teammate under no real pressure. The action must reflect a genuine attempt to remove a threat. Own goals that result from attempted clearances do not count as clearances &#8211; they count against the defender in a far more painful column.<\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"sq-toplist\">\n        <div class=\"sq-toplist__items\">\n\t\t\t    <div\n            class=\"sq-toplist__item\"\n            data-entity-id=\"1381273\"\n            data-offer-id=\"1381470\"\n    >\n\t\t        <div class=\"sq-toplist__item-container\">\n            <div class=\"sq-toplist__offer\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/en\/go\/bet365?q=gb-all-top-wof-s-spo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-brand=\"bet365\"data-placement=\"bookmaker-offers-content-toplist\" data-rating=\"9.5\" data-position=\"1\" data-placement-details=\"logo\" class=\"sq-toplist__logo\" style=\"background:#01644a\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2025\/04\/29162841\/bet365.svg\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"Bet365 Logo\" \/><\/a>\t\t\t\t                <div class=\"sq-toplist__offer-box\">\n                    <span class=\"sq-toplist__bookmaker\">\n                        <a href=\"\/en\/go\/bet365?q=gb-all-top-wof-s-spo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-brand=\"bet365\"data-placement=\"bookmaker-offers-content-toplist\" data-rating=\"9.5\" data-position=\"1\" data-placement-details=\"brand_name\">bet365<\/a>                    <\/span>\n                    <span class=\"sq-toplist__offer-title is-tablet-visible\">\n                        <a href=\"\/en\/go\/bet365?q=gb-all-top-wof-s-spo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-brand=\"bet365\"data-placement=\"bookmaker-offers-content-toplist\" data-rating=\"9.5\" data-position=\"1\" data-placement-details=\"offer\">Use code SQUAWKA365 and bet \u00a310 to get \u00a330 in free bets<\/a>                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                <span class=\"sq-toplist__offer-title is-mobile-visible\">\n                    <a href=\"\/en\/go\/bet365?q=gb-all-top-wof-s-spo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-brand=\"bet365\"data-placement=\"bookmaker-offers-content-toplist\" data-rating=\"9.5\" data-position=\"1\" data-placement-details=\"offer\">Use code SQUAWKA365 and bet \u00a310 to get \u00a330 in free bets<\/a>                <\/span>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"sq-toplist__buttons\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"\/en\/go\/bet365?q=gb-all-top-wof-s-spo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" data-brand=\"bet365\"data-placement=\"bookmaker-offers-content-toplist\" data-rating=\"9.5\" data-position=\"1\" data-placement-details=\"cta\" class=\"sq-btn sq-btn--secondary sq-btn--full\">Claim Offer<\/a>                <div class=\"sq-rating\">\n                    <span class=\"sq-rating__text\">Our Score<\/span>\n                    <span class=\"sq-rating__value\">9.5<\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/betting-sites\/bet365-review\/\" class=\"sq-review-link\">\n                    <span>Read our review<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/div>\n\t\t\t        <ul class=\"sq-toplist__features\">\n                            <li class=\"sq-toplist__features-item\">Bet \u00a310 get \u00a330<\/li>\n                            <li class=\"sq-toplist__features-item\">Excellent Football Betting Options<\/li>\n                            <li class=\"sq-toplist__features-item\">Extensive Bet-Builder<\/li>\n                            <li class=\"sq-toplist__features-item\">Multi-Award Winning Bookmaker<\/li>\n                    <\/ul>\n                <\/div>\n\t\t            <div class=\"sq-toplist__item-tc\"><p>New customers can sign up using bonus code SQUAWKA365, bet \u00a310 and get \u00a330 in Free Bets. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and T&amp;Cs apply. Registration Required. This code is for marketing and tracking purposes only. #Ad.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t    <\/div>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Do Clearances Matter?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clearances tell you which defenders face the most pressure &#8211; and which ones handle it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A centre-back racking up high clearance numbers is operating in a team that faces significant defensive pressure. That context matters. A player making 12 clearances per game is probably not playing in a side that dominates possession. But they may well be the reason their team is still in the tournament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At a World Cup, knockout football places enormous pressure on defensive units. One lapse in concentration, one failure to deal with a cross or a set-piece delivery, can end a nation&#8217;s tournament. Clearances do not prevent every threat &#8211; but the defenders who consistently make them give their team the best chance of surviving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Clearances also highlight the value of players who operate in less fashionable roles. A no-nonsense centre-back or a defensive midfielder who drops to clear danger rarely appears in the assist or chances created charts. The clearances column is where their contribution shows up most clearly.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"vcsw-sports-widgets shortcode vcsw-stats-cards\" id=\"stats_cards-2\"><script type=\"application\/json\">{\"sports_type\":\"football\",\"widget_type\":\"stats\",\"display_mode\":\"table\",\"competition\":\"667aabbb773e0180d8f74d65\",\"cards\":[{\"stats\":[{\"value\":\"Clearances\",\"label\":\"Clearances\"}],\"entity\":\"participants\",\"participant\":\"\"}],\"top_count\":10,\"full_list\":\"true\",\"participant\":\"\"}<\/script><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who Made the Most Clearances at the 2022 World Cup?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Defenders from sides that faced sustained pressure and navigated deep into the tournament dominated the clearances chart in Qatar. Centre-backs and holding midfielders from compact, defensively organised sides tend to accumulate the highest totals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Morocco&#8217;s extraordinary defensive run to the semi-finals placed enormous demands on their backline. Their defenders were among the busiest in the tournament, making clearances in big numbers as they repelled attacks from Belgium, Spain, Portugal and France. Their clearance numbers told the story of one of the great World Cup defensive performances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who Has Made the Most Clearances in World Cup History?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Comprehensive clearance data only exists for tournaments where Opta holds full event tracking, which limits direct historical comparisons across all editions of the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What the available data consistently shows is that defenders from physically demanding, low-block sides accumulate the highest career totals. Players who appear at multiple World Cups and routinely reach the knockout rounds build significant numbers over time. The defenders who top those all-time charts are rarely the ones collecting Ballon d&#8217;Or nominations &#8211; but they are the ones their teammates trust most when it matters.<\/p>\n\n\n<h3><strong>Read more:<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none\">\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/bet\/football-tips\/world-cup-2026-betting-tips-predictions\/\"><strong>World Cup predictions &amp; tips<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/outright-markets\/world-cup-outright-odds\/\"><strong>World Cup outright odds <\/strong><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/world-cup-2026-fixtures-results\/\"><b>World Cup fixtures &amp; results<\/b><\/a><\/li>\r\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/world-cup-2026-betting-offers\/\"><b>World Cup free bets<\/b><\/a><\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n    <div class=\"sq-articles-list\">\n                    <h2 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src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/07\/20111854\/SYMHM_Spain_Argentina-150x150.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" \/>                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"sq-card__content\">\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__meta\">\n                            <span class=\"sq-card__label\">Features<\/span>\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/world-cup-final-stats-you-might-have-missed-spain-argentina\/\" class=\"sq-card__title\">\n                                <h2 class=\"sq-card__title-text\">\n                                    World Cup Final stats you might have missed from Spain vs Argentina                                <\/h2>\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__excerpt\">\n                                                            <a 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href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-spain-vs-argentina-key-players\/\" class=\"sq-thumbnail\">\n                                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/media.squawka.com\/images\/2026\/07\/18211019\/feature_image-x-2-purple-150x150.png\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Spain vs Argentina: The key players to decide the 2026 World Cup Final\" \/>                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                                        <div class=\"sq-card__content\">\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__meta\">\n                            <span class=\"sq-card__label\">Features<\/span>\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/tactical-analysis-spain-vs-argentina-key-players\/\" class=\"sq-card__title\">\n                                <h2 class=\"sq-card__title-text\">\n                                    Spain vs Argentina: The key players to decide the 2026 World Cup Final                                <\/h2>\n                            <\/a>\n                        <\/div>\n                        <div class=\"sq-card__excerpt\">\n                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/author\/chris-smith\/\" class=\"sq-card__link\">\n                                    Chris Jones                                <\/a>\n                                                        <time class=\"sq-card__label\">1 month ago<\/time>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/article>\n                                            <article class=\"sq-card\">\n                                            <div class=\"sq-card__thumbnail\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/post-match-analysis-france-vs-england-18-07-26\/\" class=\"sq-thumbnail\">\n                           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      <div class=\"sq-card__excerpt\">\n                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/author\/harry-edwards\/\" class=\"sq-card__link\">\n                                    Harry Edwards                                <\/a>\n                                                        <time class=\"sq-card__label\">1 month ago<\/time>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/article>\n                                            <article class=\"sq-card\">\n                                            <div class=\"sq-card__thumbnail\">\n                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/features\/spain-vs-argentina-penalty-analysis-world-cup-2026\/\" class=\"sq-thumbnail\">\n                                <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" 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             <div class=\"sq-card__excerpt\">\n                                                            <a href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/author\/harry-edwards\/\" class=\"sq-card__link\">\n                                    Harry Edwards                                <\/a>\n                                                        <time class=\"sq-card__label\">1 month ago<\/time>\n                        <\/div>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/article>\n                    <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Want to see who has the most clearances at the 2026 World Cup so far? Check the latest World Cup clearances stats below. Nobody puts clearances on a poster or chants a defender&#8217;s name because he headed a cross off the line in the 67th minute. But clearances keep teams in tournaments &#8211; and at&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":427,"featured_media":1457319,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_focuskw":"world cup most clearances","_yoast_wpseo_title":"","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"news-category":[27626],"class_list":["post-1457314","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","news-category-world-cup"],"acf":{"external_featured_image_url":"","hide_featured_image_pattern":true},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.0 (Yoast SEO v28.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Most Clearances at World Cup 2026 | Squawka | EN<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/world-cup\/stat-leaders-world-cup-2026-clearances\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Most Clearances at World Cup 2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Want to see who has the most clearances at the 2026 World Cup so far? Check the latest World Cup clearances stats below. Nobody puts clearances on a poster or chants a defender&#8217;s name because he headed a cross off the line in the 67th minute. 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