A comparison of different soft-computing techniques for the evaluation of handball goalkeepers

Abstract The efficiency of handball goalkeepers is a good predictor team ranking in tournaments, but despite this, very few studies have been carried out into the performance characteristics elite goalkeepers. This paper provides criteria for evaluating goalkeeper and applies variety soft-computing methodologies estimating their weights. More specifically, fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making method, metaheuristic optimisation algorithm, statistical domain-knowledge-based methods were used to evaluate actions during game. Computer experiments performed all proposed methodologies, using data from 2020 European Men’s Handball Championship, order estimate weights indicators. Then, these identify best rank top five as determined by tournament organisers. results obtained show that metaheuristic-based method extremely helpful quantifying expert assessments, which are often challenging express disaggregated form. other two techniques offer less optimal more easily interpretable result coaches fans.