Abstract

The objective of this study was to analyse the influence of having first possession of the ball on the part and final scoreboard in men’s and women’s water polo. The participants were 416 men from 32 men’s teams and as many women from the same number of teams, who took part in the World Championships in 2005 and 2007. The sample was formed by the opening actions of each of the four periods of the 192 matches recorded, making a total of 768. Observational methodology was used, with a design of a nomothetic, follow-up and multidimensional type. 45.7% of the men’s teams and 51.8% of the women’s which won first possession of the ball enjoyed a partial result favourable to them throughout the periods. The women’s teams which won more than 50% of the matches got the ball first in more than two periods. Getting the ball first in a greater number of periods is related with a favourable partial scoreboard in both categories and with a final favourable scoreboard in the women’s category.