What is Packing in football analytics?

Packing is a metric invented by former Bundesliga players Stefan Reinartz and Jens Hegeler (Impect) that counts the exact number of opposing defenders bypassed (outplayed) between the moment a pass or dribble begins and the moment it is received.

What is the difference between Packing and 'Defenders Outplayed'?

General Packing counts any opponent bypassed anywhere on the pitch (forwards, midfielders, defenders). 'Defenders Outplayed' specifically isolates opponents playing in the backline (center-backs and fullbacks), which strongly correlates with high-quality goal-scoring opportunities.

Why did Germany develop the Packing metric?

After observing matches where teams had 70% possession and completed 600 passes but lost 0-1, Reinartz realized conventional stats failed to measure penetration. Packing rewards verticality and taking defenders out of the defensive equation.

Packing Rate & Impect Index in Football: Outplaying Defenders Metric

An authoritative breakdown of Stefan Reinartz's Packing model. Learn how modern scouts measure true line-breaking passes, outplayed defenders, and attack penetration efficiency.

1. The Genesis of the Packing Metric

During UEFA Euro 2016, former Bayer Leverkusen and Germany midfielder Stefan Reinartz together with Jens Hegeler founded Impect to solve a persistent football paradox: why do teams with 70% possession and 650 completed passes frequently lose 0-1 to opponents completing only 200 passes?

The answer lies in where those passes travel. Passing sideways between two center-backs bypasses zero opponents. Passing vertically through the opponent's midfield bypasses 4 players in a single action, instantly taking them out of the defensive equation. Reinartz coined this concept Packing.

2. How Packing Rate is Calculated

At the instant a pass or dribble begins, an imaginary horizontal line is drawn through the ball perpendicular to the goal lines. When the ball is successfully controlled by a teammate, another line is drawn. Every opponent who was behind the ball at the start but is now ahead of the ball has been "outplayed" (packed).

Packing Points per Action = Number of Opponents Positioned Behind the Ball Upon Receipt

If a team averages 350+ Packing Points per match, they are consistently cutting through defensive blocks. During their 7-1 demolition of Brazil at the 2014 World Cup, Germany accumulated an unprecedented 412 Packing Points, outplaying 84 Brazilian defenders.

3. General Packing vs. IMPECT Defenders Bypassed

Not all bypassed players are created equal. Outplaying two retreating center-forwards 70 meters from goal is helpful, but outplaying two central defenders on the edge of the penalty box creates an immediate goal opportunity. Hence, Impect introduced a weighted sub-metric:

IMPECT Points: Measures total opponents outplayed across all 90 minutes.
Defenders Bypassed: Isolates the opponent's defensive back four or back five. The team that bypasses more actual defenders wins football matches over 80% of the time.

4. Comparative Player Profiles: Who Packs the Most Opponents?

Player	Role	Avg Packing Rate / 90	Avg Defenders Outplayed / 90
Toni Kroos	Deep-Lying Playmaker	82.4	8.5
Kevin De Bruyne	Attacking Half-Space Creator	68.1	14.2 (Elite Backline Decimator)
Lionel Messi	Playmaker / False 9	74.5	13.8
Virgil van Dijk	Ball-Playing Center-Back	54.2	4.1

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can a dribble generate Packing points?

Yes! A progressive dribble or take-on that carries the ball past an opponent's midfield line awards Packing points to the dribbler identically to a completed pass.

Does an incomplete pass receive Packing points?

No. If the pass is intercepted or cleared before the receiver secures possession, zero Packing points are awarded, even if the ball physically flew past 5 opponents. Controlled reception is mandatory.