As part of my Senior Seminar Research in Economics I conducted research and an analysis on the factors that impact international team performance at the World Cup.

This paper examines the complex relationship between different levels of social-economic factors and international football performance. Armed with the latest FIFA World Rankings and building on past research, it attempts to discover what factors are used to assess a nation's soccer standing. This study is grounded in an economic outlook, looking at factors such as national income, population and cultural considerations that affect the world of football. In today's world where football is much more than just a game, this exploration is necessary.

The full paper is available here