Key Player Interception Stats Table
These player interception stats are off the charts and are a key defensive metric to look for when betting on player interceptions!
Firstly, here’s the type of information you can find on the above table:
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Player details, including name, position and club
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The number of player starts, and the amount of times they've been subbed on, in brackets
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The number of times a player manages to take the ball off an opponent (i.e. interceptions)
How To Use The Stats Table
Select a league or a cup by using the toggle switch on the top-left.
Use the adjacent drop-down menu to choose the league or cup you would like to get statistics on – there are 47 in total.
Pick whether you want stats on the current season or the previous season.
Toggles and buttons
If you want to narrow down your search, you can use the position buttons to filter by position, employ the ‘MINIMUM 40% APPEARANCES' feature to exclude players with limited pitch time from statistical analyses, or switch to a ‘PER 90' view. Finally, you can search by club or player for even more specific insights.
Match Stats
Most Interceptions by Players
| Interceptions | Player | Position | Team | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 156 | N'Golo Kanté | MID | Leicester City | 2015/16 |
| 147 | Denilson | MID | Arsenal | 2008/09 |
| 141 | Idrissa Gueye | MID | Everton | 2015/16 |
From the available statistics, we can clearly see a pattern that defensive midfielders make the most interceptions, followed by defenders.
Tips for Betting on ‘Player Interceptions'
Looking for some help to bet on player interceptions? Then you need to know what officially counts as an interception with online bookmakers:
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Blocking a pass – This occurs when an opponent receives a pass before reaching the intended player.
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Tackling the receiver – This involves taken the ball off a player as they receive a pass.
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Intercepting a ball mid-air – This is any block which happens in the air. A defender heading the ball out from a corner is a classic example here.
Teams on the Defensive Make More Interceptions
Judging by football statistics, a high number of interceptions by a player often correlates with the team having lower possession percentages. This pattern suggests that the team spends more time in defensive actions, focusing on regaining the ball rather than maintaining possession.
Such insights are crucial in understanding a team's tactical approach and analysing successful interception stats available at the end of the game.
INFO
Declan Rice made the most interceptions in the Premier League last season, 62 with West Ham. Among the teams in the big six, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg made 49, finishing 12th in the interceptions ranking.
League champions Manchester City, who dominate most games and lead the way in numerous Premier League stats, have only one player in the top 100 interceptors: Rodri Hernández, who finished 50th with 34 interceptions.
More Interceptions Relate To a Lower League Position
This may sound counterintuitive, as teams who gain possession from opponents should be doing well. But, in reality, interceptions mean that teams have less possession and have to rely more on their defensive skills to get the ball back.
Take a look at last season’s top five interceptors and where their teams finished in their respective leagues:
| Player | Interceptions | Club | League finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castello Lukeba | 75 | Olympique Lyonnais | 7th |
| Andrei Girotto | 73 | Nantes | 16th |
| Morten Hjulmand | 72 | Lecce | 16th |
| Unai Núñez | 71 | Celta De Vigo | 13th |
| Birama Toure | 67 | Auxerre | 17th (Relegated) |
As you can see, the teams in the list have finished low in their respective leagues – other than Lyon, who have been going through a relatively rough patch these past few years. Furthermore, Leece and Nantes only finished one place above relegation / relegation playoffs, while Auxerre were relegated.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
Player interception stats can yield a lot of value if you know where to look. Our in-depth guide above should give you all the tools you need to get started and find that value with ease, right at your fingertips!
interception stats FAQs
The three types of interceptions are blocking a pass, tackling a player, or intercepting the ball in mid-air.
Florian Jungwirth is the player with the most interceptions in a single game, playing for Darmstadt 98 in the 2016/17 season.
When measuring the capabilities of defenders, interception stats are important, but clean sheets, blocked shots, tackles and duels won are also effective.