Now, the target for them would be to climb to a significantly higher spot after consecutive 17^th-place finishes.

While the FIFA World Cup grabs all the attention this summer, Spurs have already started their rebuild, getting two new midfield recruits in Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United and Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United.

Both of them featured significantly in the Premier League last season with 31 and 35 starts, respectively.

Being of slightly different profiles, both can be expected to play together.

In this Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes scout report, we will examine the problems that these signings address, while also highlighting their respective playing styles.

Tottenham Hotspur Key Issues

Progression From The Defensive Third

Although Spurs had a group of technical midfielders, they lacked control and struggled with clean progression.

A defensive midfielder like João Palhinha is a specialist in breaking up opposition play, but not the best when it comes to dictating possession.

Sandro Tonali’s profile suits this case, especially for a coach like De Zerbi.

Firstly, the Italian frequently drops between the centre-backs to control possession for his side, while the advanced midfielders stay behind the first line of pressure.

His positioning in these areas also addresses safe possession after regaining the ball.

On top of this, the Italian is fantastic at orienting his body well to find progressive passes.

However, expectations were not met when Seleção das Quinas were eliminated by Spain in the Round of 16.

The disappointing World Cup campaign brought Martínez's tenure to an end.

Portugal's early exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup was not the result of a single tactical mistake but of a series of structural issues that became increasingly evident throughout the tournament.

This World Cup tactical analysis deconstructs the key operational breakdowns in Martínez's tactics, from squad utilisation and player management to the build-up phase, attacking patterns in the final third, and defensive transitions.

Portugal Squad Management & Player Utilisation

One of the main areas of analysis during Portugal's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign was Martínez's squad utilisation.

With arguably one of the most talented squads in the tournament, Portugal possessed elite options across all positions.

However, questions emerged regarding whether the selection choices, player roles and distribution of minutes allowed the team to maximise its potential.

The players who carried the heaviest workload throughout the tournament were Diogo Costa and Renato Veiga, who played every minute of Portugal’s World Cup campaign.

The goalkeeper and the centre-back accumulated the maximum possible playing time, completing 518 minutes.

Cristiano Ronaldo was also one of the most heavily utilised players, accumulating 490 minutes and remaining a central figure in Portugal’s attacking structure.

In contrast, several players didn't receive any playing time despite being part of the squad.

Goalkeepers José Sá and Rui Silva, centre-back Gonçalo Inácio, and forward Gonçalo Guedes remained unused throughout the tournament, raising questions about squad rotation.

One of the most debated decisions of Portugal’s World Cup campaign was the limited utilisation of Gonçalo Ramos.

Despite being a 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League winner with Paris Saint-Germain and one of the most in-form attacking options in the squad, the forward played only 58 minutes and still scored an important goal against Croatia off the bench.

Many questioned whether Portugal could have benefited from giving him more opportunities, especially considering his movement, intensity and ability to attack space.

Ronaldo’s importance to the national team was never in doubt, and he still finished as Portugal’s top scorer with three goals.

However, there was debate over whether his minutes should have been managed more carefully, particularly in matches such as Uzbekistan, where Portugal led 3–0 at half-time and could have reduced his workload while giving more playing time to Ramos, Guedes or Francisco Trincão.

Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva were also part of the discussion.

Fernandes arrived off the back of an excellent 2025/2026 Premier League season with Manchester United, but appeared affected by the physical demands of a long campaign.

Silva, expected by many to be one of Portugal’s key players due to his quality and experience, played only 133 minutes, raising further questions about whether Martínez fully utilised the talent available in the squad.

Ultimately, the criticism was not about the lack of quality in Portugal’s squad, but whether Martínez found the right balance between experience, freshness and tactical flexibility.

Roberto Martínez Tactics

High Build-Up

Portugal consistently built from the back using a positional structure that placed several players in front of the opposition's first pressing line, most frequently with Vitinha, Fernandes or João Neves dropping to receive from the centre-backs.

Vitinha, in particular, became the focal point of the build-up, often dropping so deep that he almost took the ball directly from the centre-backs' feet before initiating the attack.

By positioning him so deep, Portugal relied on one of their most creative midfielders primarily as a build-up facilitator rather than allowing him to influence the final third, where his vision and passing ability could create decisive opportunities.

However, this structure often created an unintended consequence.

By positioning multiple players in front of the first line of pressure, Portugal frequently lacked players occupying the spaces between the opposition's midfield and defensive lines.

At times, the team's positional structure resembled a 'doughnut build-up': players occupied the outside of the structure while the central space remained empty, leaving no player available to receive between the lines and turn towards goal.

As a result, possession circulated around the opposition rather than through it.

This tactical analysis will show some of the most common ways inverted full-backs are being used, not just in the build-up but also to finish off attacks.

Inverted full-backs can become a useful attacking option when deployed correctly and within a suitable system.

This tactical theory includes various ways the full-backs can be used in the final third to attack the box.

Either to deliver or aid the delivery of crosses or to make late, half-space runs to get on the end of balls put into the box.

This analysis shows how full-backs are now dynamic attacking players who can unlock various types of defence.

Creating Space In The Wide Area

Inverting full-backs in the build-up phase effectively narrows the opposition to create space in the wide areas.

This space can then be used to isolate a tricky winger one-on-one with their direct opponent or for the full-back to move into the wide area and combine with their wide teammate.

The above image shows Celtic’s right-back, Alistair Johnston, receiving the ball in the half-space whilst the Scottish Premiership champions launch an attack.

Due to Johnston receiving in this position, the opposition's widest midfielder stops shifting across the pitch to press him while still in a central position.

The opposition's left-back must also stop shifting across to protect the passing lane between himself and his centre-back.

This leaves Johnston’s winger with the entire wide area to himself.

Had Johnston received wider, the opposition would have been able to squeeze the wide area by shifting across as the ball was travelling and crowd Celtic out.

The angle of Johnston’s pass into his winger would have been decreased and much more easily blocked off.

Having played the ball into his winger's feet, Johnston has several options at this point.

The full-back could allow his winger, who has time to receive the ball any way he wants, the space to take on his direct opponent 1v1.

Alternatively, Johnston can support his winger by making an underlapping run between left-back and centre-back or by overlapping his winger.

In this example, Johnston elects to overlap his winger.

The wide attacker's first touch was towards the opposition left-back, pinning him in place and allowing Johnston to overlap him.

Running diagonally towards the box, Johnston was fed the ball at the last moment to give the defender the least amount of time possible to react.

The full-back then completes the move by cutting the ball back for his striker, who fires into the net.

The Underlapping Run

The above image, this time taken from an inverted full-back playing against Celtic, shows Bayern Munich’s right-back, Josip Stanišić, making an underlapping run.

As the ball was switched from Bayern’s left to right, Stanišić's positioning in the half-space again created space in the wide area for his winger.

The wide forward backtracking slightly to receive from his centre-back, Dayot Upamecano, triggered Stanišić's forward run.

Celtic’s left-back, having to press the winger, opened a big enough gap for Stanišić to run through.

This run, made at full speed when opposition midfielders are following the ball, is very hard to track.

It is also difficult for centre-backs to pick up the run.

Should the ball-near centre-back fully commit to getting tight to Stanišić's run, Harry Kane, circled at the top of the box, would be left wide-open.

Stanišić burst into the box, let the ball roll across him and delivered a dangerous cut-back towards the penalty spot.

Playing Long To The Inverted Full-Back

From the same Champions League encounter, the above image shows Bayern building out from their goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer.

By playing high between the centre-backs, Neuer effectively creates a back three.

In these scenarios, Bayern’s double pivot moves closer to the ball into the space their inverted full-back could occupy.

With Celtic’s wingers tucked in, defending the half-spaces, this leaves left back, #22 Raphaël Guerreiro (circled on the half-way line) with two options.

Guerreiro can either pull out wide to create an angle for a pass or make a forward run for a long ball to be played over the top.

As Guerreiro sees his winger dropping towards the ball, bringing Celtic’s right-back with him, Guerreiro elects to run in behind.

As his centre-back is about to play the ball, Bayern’s striker makes a movement towards the ball to bring his marker with him.

The winger's movement drags forward Celtics' right-back, and their centre-back is preoccupied with competing with the striker for the ball, creating a gap between the defenders.

From an almost unmarkable position, Guerreiro makes a diagonal run through this gap.

The centre-back long-ball is aimed at the striker, who meets the ball in the air.

Just as Guerreiro is about to break through Celtic’s backline, the ball is flicked on for him to meet and run through on goal.

Late Runs From The Half-Space

Another benefit of taking up an inverted starting position on the ball-far side of the pitch when attacking the box, in addition to keeping a secure rest defence, is the late, attacking runs it facilitates.

The above image shows the starting position of Arsenal’s left-back, #18 Takehiro Tomiyasu, in the half-space in the middle of the opposition’s half.

This positioning does not alert the opposition to any danger, allowing the left-back to unassumingly attack the box, as the next image will show.

Occupying these spaces in a positional attack provides the benefits of attacking and ball retention, as well as added security should the ball be lost.

Arsenal combined in the right wide area to create a cut-back opportunity.

The ball being played behind the opposition's backline to Martin Ødegaard is the trigger for Tomiyasu to support the play and attack centrally on the edge of the box.

As the image shows, the opposition backline has been pushed back towards its own goal with runners into the box, leaving a big area for Tomiyasu to target.

With all eyes on the ball, Tomiyasu runs undetected into a dangerous area.

Tomiyasu ran onto the end of Ødegaard’s cut-back at a perfect angle to finish first time with his right foot.

Although he was the target of the cross on this occasion, this positioning would also provide the maximum opportunity to win second balls coming out of the box.

It also allows for counter-pressing high in the opposition's half if they have won and attempted to come out with the ball.

Arriving In The Half-Space

The half-space areas on the edge of the opposition’s 18-yard box are two of the most dangerous spaces to attack on the pitch.

The above image shows Manchester City attacking an opposition that has deployed a low block deep inside their defensive third.

City’s former defender, Kyle Walker, has just received the ball, which had been switched via the midfield, in the dangerous half-space box.

Walker could receive here, alone, by making a similarly late run as Tomiyasu.

To create the space for Walker's late run, City used high and (relatively) wide wingers to pin back the opposition’s wing-backs.

By switching the ball via their ‘6’, who is positioned well inside the opposition's final third, City have narrowed their opponents' central midfielders.

The ‘6’ receiving was Walker's trigger to make a forward run, on the blind side of the opposition's midfield, who were fixated on the ball.

By timing his movement to receive in this area, rather than standing in it, Walker makes it very hard for the opposition to either pick him up or block passing lanes into him.

What makes these areas so dangerous and difficult to defend against is the number of options they provide the player on the ball.

As shown in the image, receiving in this position gave full-back Walker a plethora of options, making him very difficult to defend against.

On this occasion, as the opposition midfield shifted across to close down Walker, it opened up just enough space for Walker to combine with Kevin De Bruyne, who then fed the ball into Erling Haaland for City’s first goal.

Clearing The Space

Making late runs into, and then out off, this same half-space area can be an effective way for full-backs to create space for their wingers to cut inside to.

In a similar phase of play to Walker's receiving at the edge of the box, the above image shows the moments Liverpool has just switched the ball via their midfield, but this time misses their former inverted right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Instead, it is winger Mohamed Salah who receives in the wide area.

Salah’s first touch, towards the left-back, showed he intended to take on the opposition's left-back.

Alexander-Arnold's trigger to vacate the space at the edge of the box and overlapped his forward.

Alexander-Arnold's run cleared the space and distracted the opposition left-back, who overcompensated to prevent the right-back from receiving the ball.

Instead, one of the tournament’s defining characteristics has been the growing emphasis on defensive security during attacking phases, with several of the competition’s leading nations prioritising structural stability over committing excessive numbers forward.

Coaches have increasingly favoured controlled possession, measured progression and carefully protected defensive structures to minimise the threat of counterattacks.

England under Thomas Tuchel tactics, and Spain under Luis de la Fuente style of play have both demonstrated these principles at different stages of the tournament, even in matches where their performances appeared more conservative than expected.

While their approaches occasionally attracted criticism, the underlying data suggest these tactical decisions were deliberate rather than reactive.

In this World Cup data analysis, we examine data from across the tournament to explore how rest defence, risk management and transition control have emerged as defining tactical trends of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

England Chose Control Over Chaos Vs Mexico In The Round Of 16

England’s victory over Mexico illustrated a growing tactical trend that has become increasingly associated with Mikel Arteta’s influence on elite football, prioritising structural security over attacking risk. 

Rather than committing excessive numbers forward in possession, England consistently maintained a balanced attacking shape that protected them against defensive transitions.

The match data reinforces this approach.

Despite completing 91% of their passes, both Ezri Konsa and Marc Guéhi rarely forced ambitious vertical balls, while Declan Rice also finished with a 90% completion rate, highlighting controlled circulation instead of unnecessary risk-taking.

England’s progression reflected the same cautious philosophy; they attempted just 10 passes to break the defensive line throughout the match.

England Line-Breaking Passes Attempted Vs Completed Against Mexico - FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 16

Jude Bellingham contributed four of those attempts, while Declan Rice added one.

Instead of forcing vertical progression at every opportunity, Thomas Tuchel’s side appeared content to circulate possession until the appropriate conditions emerged, prioritising structural stability over unnecessary risk.

Out of possession, England combined aggressive pressing with positional discipline rather than chaotic counterpressing.

Bellingham (32 direct pressures), Anthony Gordon (33) and Rice (23) all contributed heavily to regaining possession.

The physical data shows relatively restrained sprint numbers compared to their overall running volumes, indicating intelligent positioning instead of constant recovery running.

England Direct & Indirect Pressures Stats Vs Mexico - FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 16

This balance between pressure and protection reflects one of the defining characteristics of modern positional football, controlling transitions before chasing additional attacking opportunities.

England repeatedly favoured maintaining defensive stability behind the ball, limiting Mexico’s opportunities to attack open spaces and demonstrating how rest defence has evolved from a club principle into an increasingly visible feature of international football.

England's Off-The-Ball Structure Prioritises Stable Possession

If we delve deeper into England's off-ball data against DR Congo, an equally revealing pattern begins to emerge.

The movement profiles of England's players illustrate how their attacking structure was carefully constructed before the ball even arrived.

England’s Off-The-Ball Movement Vs DR Congo Was Centred On Creating Stable Passing Connections

Nine of the 10 African nations progressed into the knockout rounds, with the likes of Ismaïla Sarr producing moments of match-winning quality, Christ Inao Oulaï dominating games, and Yan Diomande catching the eye with fearless dribbling.

Yet among the newer names, one has emerged with a profile that scouts across Europe find particularly appealing.

Caleb Yirenkyi, the 20-year-old Ghanaian midfielder and the youngest member of the Black Stars squad, was central to almost everything good his side produced.

His influence came in two standout moments.

There was the raw output, with the winning goal in the 90th minute of a 1-0 win over Panama.

And there was the less glamorous but more revealing work, the sight of him covering seemingly every blade of grass against England.

This Caleb Yirenkyi scout report and player analysis breaks down his profile in and out of possession, the value he brings to this Ghana side, and where his career could go next.

Caleb Yirenkyi Style Of Play

Yirenkyi's primary position is central midfield, though the label undersells the range of what he does.

He operates as a hybrid of a number eight and a number six, capable of screening the backline one minute and arriving late into the box the next.

His technical grounding traces back to the Right to Dream Academy, the same development ecosystem that has fed a generation of Ghanaian talent through to Nordsjaelland in Denmark.

His first touch is good, his out-of-possession recognition is advanced for his age, and his understanding of body positioning suggests coaching that prioritises decision-making.

What makes him interesting from a recruitment perspective is his versatility.

After establishing himself as a regular in central midfield in the 2024/2025 Danish Superliga season, he expanded his repertoire in 2025/2026 to include appearances at centre-back and at full-back.

As shown in a World Cup qualifier against Mali, Yirenkyi was used at right-back, which helps the team press the opposition winger with aggressive timing and strong body positioning.

This also gives the build-up an extra ball-secure option, who can receive under pressure and step into midfield.

That kind of positional flexibility is only possible when a player possesses a solid platform of technical and athletic fundamentals, which Yirenkyi does.

The best way to describe him is as a modern engine midfielder.

He can cover ground, carry the ball through pressure, and operate in multiple midfield lanes.

He is not purely a sitting destroyer, and he is not purely a final third creator.

His ground coverage is exceptional, and he has the physical strength to ride challenges and win duels.

Furthermore, he has an imposing presence that belies his age, and an abrasive, combative desire to win the ball back that separates him from more passive technicians.

As shown against South Korea, Yirenkyi uses his physicality and assertiveness to win the ball back and impose control on the situation.

In fact, only one player comes to mind.

His name is Paolo Maldini.

Though he played in a different era, Il Capitano's brilliance on the pitch leaves us with timeless lessons in defending.

This tactical analysis is part retro scouting report, part tactical theory.

We'll explore the core principles that made Maldini the defender he was, highlighting those characteristics for a contemporary audience.

By the end, we will have concrete ideas to take with us to the training ground, whether as coaches or players.

Before progressing to the article, know that Maldini is the only highlighted player in this analysis.

When you see a player with a circle underneath him, that's our guy.

Furthermore, since these are classic matches, the picture clarity is not as high as that of current matches.

That said, I've chosen games that generally feature higher picture resolution and a wide tactical view.

Unfortunately, there is no Maldini vs Maradona in the tactical analysis.

Watching that one on video is much better than seeing the battle through still images.

Paolo Maldini Tackling & Physicality

This seems like an outdated starting point for a man who, according to The Sun's analysis, averaged only 0.56 challenges per game during his storied 25-year career.

However, starting with his tackling and physicality will give us a sense of the player and the warrior he was.

Maldini famously said, "If I have to make a tackle, then I've already made a mistake."

Let's start with his mistakes.

Watch any Maldini highlight reel; you'll find a ferocious defender who flew into sliding tackles.

A buddy of mine used to start every game in Maldini mode, which meant he laid out an opponent with a strong tackle.

For anyone who hasn't watched much football from the 1990s and early 2000s, getting stuck in and sliding into bone-crushing tackles was the norm.

Though the officiating has tightened up to eliminate some of the more career-threatening challenges, we can still learn fundamental principles from Maldini's tackles.

To really get a glimpse of the Italian at his best, my research consisted of matches against Europe's top clubs in pivotal games.

First, we have Maldini vs Luis Figo and the Galacticos of Real Madrid.

Transitioning from a second defender to a first defender role, Maldini identified the limited space available to Figo.

Quickly applying pressure to the Portuguese winger, Maldini influenced the timing of Figo’s action.

This is the first key to defending, making the 'where' and the 'when' predictable.

Knowing where Figo was going and influencing the ‘when’, Maldini showed excellent quickness in his response and did well to use his right hand and arm to make contact with his opponent.

Leading with the arm is pivotal.

Firstly, it helps the defender maintain his balance.

Secondly, well-directed contact will put the attacking player off his balance.

Thirdly, it allows the defender to outpace the attacker during those first two or three steps.

Finally, the defender can use that space to slide his interior shoulder inside the attacker, sealing him from the ball and establishing body position.

Understanding when to go into a tackle was one of Maldini's key strengths.

He was always looking for visual cues to signal his actions.

If a player took a bad touch, put their head down, or turned their back to him, Maldini went in strong for the recovery.

That last point is precisely what you see in our second image.

Figo turned his back to Maldini, so the Italian committed to the tackle and was able to poke the ball away with a lunge between Figo's legs.

As you watch Maldini play, his tackling technique and approach impress.

He was certainly known for his flying, sliding tackles, but he was always in complete control.

Two key factors in his tackling ability were the starting position and approach.

We'll focus more on the approach in this section.

Looking at our next four-in-one image, we see that Maldini initially starts the play in the left half-space.

Note that he's playing as a left-back in this match against Ajax.

His objective was to remain tightly connected to Franco Baresi and deny central penetration.

Once Ajax passed the ball to the wings, Maldini quickly closed the space between himself and his opponent.

As Maldini approaches, he decelerates and prepares for the 1v1 duel well.

However, his opponent pops the ball up with his first touch, cueing Maldini to go in for the tackle.

In the third part of that sequence, Maldini lunges in with a sliding challenge.

He doesn't get the ball, but his opponent gets a poor touch, which knocks the ball away from the Italian, ending up in AC Milan's hands anyway.

Though he doesn't win the tackle, his action forced a turnover.

One of the keys to Maldini's success was his ability to anticipate future actions.

His anticipatory skills were phenomenal.

Key observations include his ability to identify runners as they started their move, understand the vulnerabilities he needed to defend against and read the body mechanics and eyes of players on the ball.

Those qualities were incredibly helpful in tackles and his approach, but they were equally effective in allowing him to cover space behind the backline.

The man was rarely beaten with balls played behind.

What's more incredible is that he was rarely beaten despite his very average speed.

Awareness and early preventative actions generally put him two or three steps ahead of the opponent.

Taking our final sequence in the section, we have a pass that was played behind Maldini.

Initially, he had a two-step advantage over his opponent, but that advantage disappeared as they neared the ball.

Even though the remaining meters were hotly contested, the limited ground to cover and close proximity to the attacker allowed Maldini to turn the sprint into a physical duel.

Again, we see the use of the arms and upper body throughout the sequence.

The interior arm and hand are used to delay his opponent's progress, and then he's able to slide his right shoulder between the opponent and the ball.

Having established body position, his opponent, Ajax Amsterdam's George Finidi, could only clip his opponent and commit the foul.

A master class in neutralising pace through physicality.

In each of these instances, the opponents were unprepared for action.

Most of the time, they were in a state of physical imbalance.

When you break down 1v1 duels, Maldini maintains his balance while negatively impacting his opponent, who typically has the advantage.

In that sense, 1v1s are a battle of balance.

By limiting movement solutions, Maldini routinely reduced his duels to physical battles, allowing him to knock his opponent off balance and then establish positioning to win the duel.

Maldini wasn't the fastest player, nor was he the quickest, but his ability to influence the timing of actions and respond at the earliest possible moment was a clear differentiator.

Add his excellent use of high contact to slow the opposition and establish a body position, and you will understand why he's considered an all-time great.

Paolo Maldini Positioning

When researching this article, one idea that stood out repeatedly was that Maldini habitually defended from a position of strength.

What do I mean there?

When defending, teams are best prepared when they have made the play predictable and can funnel opponents into pressing traps.

Within those pressing traps, there are a few, if any, outlets.

The idea is to force the opponent to play into preferred areas of the pitch and then engage with some form of superiority, such as numerical, positional, or qualitative, as seen in Maldini’s case.

When Maldini was called into action, he typically engaged in a way that limited his opponents' options.

Often, the Italian did well to bait them into a 1v1 duel, which typically favoured Maldini, or to play non-threatening passes backwards.

Predictability is contingent upon the limited options available to the attacker.

Positional awareness and angles of approach, primarily when held in relation to teammates in support, are limiters that work against attacking players.

Let's see it in action.

The three-in-one image represents our first sequence in the section.

After a switch of play, Maldini takes a more conservative approach, remaining in a deeper position.

At the same time, he allows his nearby midfielder to recover ground and move into a first-defender role.

With pressure on the ball, Maldini took up the responsibility of the second defender.

When he saw Figo prepared to make his move, Maldini stepped into action.

Here's the beauty of the sequence.

Dribbling into the wing was Figo's best option.

That's where the space was, and he was fighting off an opponent on his interior shoulder.

The presence of Maldini further complicated the movement to the inside.

Notice that Maldini’s positioning is directly in front of Figo.

Rather than allowing Figo to use his pace to the outside, possibly running the Milan defenders into each other, Maldini is essentially forcing him inside.

Based on Maldini's body orientation, you get the impression he is showing Figo wide, but this excellent use of defensive deception is clear as Figo makes his move.

Contact on the Portuguese’s left and Maldini’s swift turn to block Figo's path results in an easy win for the Italian.

Barreise slid over from his third defender position for an unopposed recovery.

Despite his average pace, El Capitano’s mind was always much faster than his opponents.

In addition to seeing play develop moments before his opponents did, Maldini also showed his excellent understanding of his physical abilities through his positional orientation.

He knew that if opponents received either in front of or wide of him, then he could turn the duel into a physical encounter, which favoured him.

The space he protected most fervently was the one behind the backline.

Whether protecting against his own lack of pace or covering for his teammates along the backline, Maldini was always prepared to recover into that space.

Our four-in-one image gives two scenarios of him protecting that space.

The top two images show him covering for his centre-back against Juventus.

As they prepare to play the ball over the top, you can see Maldini already running back to cover that space.

With a 5-meter head start, he beat his opponent to the ball despite the pace disadvantage.

The two images at the bottom capture a sequence following a Milan corner kick.

As Maldini returns to his positional responsibilities, he identifies his opponent's early run.

He's off to the races rather than waiting for confirmation that the ball is going long.

It was another scenario where his opponent had a significant pace advantage, but Maldini’s awareness of the run and early response to cover the worst-case scenario led to a recovery.

I suppose the underlying theme in this section is awareness.

To defend from a position of strength, you must understand which options are on the table and how you can influence your opponent's decision-making.

Once the opponent commits, that cues the defender into action.

In more open spaces, body orientation and frequent scanning are the means of tracking an opponent.

As space becomes more condensed, especially in or near the box, maintaining awareness of your opponent's positioning is crucial, and contact is the most effective way to do so.

Our final single-frame image of the section shows Maldini using that principle in action.

As Inter Milan prepared to cross the ball into the box, Maldini took up a goalside position and made interior arm contact with his opponent.

Though his opponent was ball near, giving him some access to the cross, Maldini's contact and goal-side positioning gave him the advantage on any balls delivered to the near post.

Let's see the progression of awareness actions.

In the final four-in-one image of the section, the first graphic shows Maldini with excellent body orientation, allowing him to scan for threatening movements from his opponents while also monitoring the activity near the ball.

Inter Milan's attacking progression highlights #2.

They are now looking to cross the ball as Maldini quickly scans his back shoulder and identifies his opponent.

In #3, he tracks his runner deep into the box and adjusts his body orientation to improve his vision.

He finishes the sequence in #4 with full contact and goal-side positioning on his opponent.

Defending from a position of strength is ideal, but it requires considerable effort to establish.

The guiding principles are eliminating vulnerabilities, funnelling play, and understanding all available options.

It wasn't enough for Maldini to engage and use his superior tackling to end plays.

He wanted to engage his opponent while eliminating as many variables as possible.

One of Maldini's top traits was the level of hyper-awareness required to defend from a position of strength consistently.

Limiting the opponent's options simplified his decision-making and allowed him to focus on cues for action.

Fewer options for the opponent are more streamlined decisions for the defender.

Paolo Maldini Anticipation

This third section is somewhat different from the others.

We've already addressed anticipation in the two previous sections, but only as a secondary idea.

Building on the principle of awareness from the previous section, we will progress to identifying specific visual cues Maldini searched for and how these allowed him to act decisively and lead his teammates.

First, before we proceed, one of Maldini's best traits is that he was a true leader.

Vocal and directive, his read of play and understanding of how he and each of his teammates fit into that dynamic were key to his impact.

He's the kind of player who could pan out and see the bigger picture, then communicate clear and concise ideas to his teammates.

Rather than focusing simply on himself, he made everyone around him better.

Centre-backs must utilise their deep positioning and expansive field view to continually scan for threats and shift teammates into the correct positions.

Through vocalisations and hand gestures, they can improve their teammates' positioning and outcomes of sequences.

As shown in the first image of this section, Maldini was constantly directing his teammates.

It's one thing to direct, but another to know what information to communicate to your teammates.

In the case of Maldini, his reading of the game, particularly his understanding of threats and vulnerabilities, as well as how to counter those dangers, was integral to his impact.

So, what was he looking for, and how did he respond?

Let's consider a few ideas.

Returning to AC Milan's Champions League fixture against the Real Madrid Galacticos, we have an instance of the La Liga side in an attacking transition, and Milan was caught out of position.

Maldini quickly noted the 1v1 behind him, the 1v1 in the wing, and the free player centrally.

The first action was clear; recover into a position of strength to limit the greatest threats.

Maldini made an excellent recovery into the box, giving AC Milan a 2v1 centrally.

As Real Madrid looked to send the cross, Il Capitano was in a position to continue with the runner while also watching the first attacker's eyes and body mechanics.

Once the ball carrier made eye contact with the trailing runner and started to square his hips for the pass, Maldini broke his stride and quickly moved upfield to intercept the pass.

While the other six field players were still running towards the Milan goal, Maldini ran onto the pass for an easy interception.

One key here is that Maldini quickly recovered to a position of strength, positioning himself to contest as he passed into the path of the player closest to the goal.

He eliminated the need for a chaotic recovery and shot block by recovering that basic positioning.

Instead, his deeper positioning allowed him to slow the pace of his backtracking, identify the trailing runner, and anticipate the negative cross.

Milan's highly organised approach limited the number of high-paced recoveries towards the goal.

Instead, the backline kept play in front of them and engaged while moving forward.

The obvious advantage here is that a recovery while moving forward allows for a quick start to the next attack.

Other, more subtle advantages include that technical actions are typically simplified, there's less risk of miscommunication, and you can maintain your field vision intact.

Maldini specialised in moving forward to break up attacking moves.

His understanding of the ‘where’ and ‘when’ of his defensive actions provided the solid foundations for his success.

Let's take another example from that match against Ajax.

The first two images show a promising Ajax attack through the central channel.

They've entered zone 14 and are moments away from a 2v1 against Maldini.

Rather than sitting back and bracing himself to defend in a numbers-down scenario, Maldini's aggression kicked into action.

His body orientation allowed him to quickly step forward and limit the passing angle to the high player.

Knowing his opponent would see the pressure and try to play forward with his first touch, Maldini quickly closed that space and then decelerated just before the pass was sent.

That deceleration allowed him to get into a balanced position and block the pass.

Danger averted.

The stakes were high in that last example.

Had Ajax not stopped the pass, he would have been in an ongoing 1v1 against the keeper.

Our final example from this section highlights a lower-risk scenario but with equally aggressive action.

#1 shows Maldini in tight connection with his backline.

They've closed off the middle of the pitch, effectively defending against Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona's central overload.

As the ball deflects to the right, Maldini quickly steps into that space.

He can do so, knowing he has adequate backline coverage.

Quickly closing down forward, passing lanes and decelerating as he arrived shifted momentum in his favour.

Not only had he cut off those forward passing lanes, but now he was prepared to get a foot to any pass or continue moving forward should his opponent attempt to dribble out of pressure.

The latter happened when his opponent turned to the right and headed in the direction of the wing.

Using his forward momentum, Maldini continued his aggressive pursuit up the pitch, knowing that his opponent had no way out.

He ended the play with an aggressive slide tackle.

Maldini was an aggressive player who excelled when he could move forward to engage opponents.

This is a rarity in the game.

While most defenders prefer to keep playing in front of them, they rarely excel when the momentum carries them towards an opponent who's also moving towards the oncoming pressure defender.

Typically, the balance of play favours the attacker because the defender's momentum moves in the wrong direction.

Not for Maldini.

Knowing that he excelled in the situations, he sought opportunities to move forward and end attacks.

The key here is anticipating the ball reaching that central player.

Maldini's excellent body orientation and field vision allowed him to see the playing field and identify the possibility of the ball skipping to the free man.

His quick movement up the field is primarily due to his body orientation.

He was ready to move forward from the start.

Then, as he approached, he knew that he had effectively cut out any forward passing options and had coverage behind him if his opponent should attempt to dribble.

He was looking for a change of direction away from Maldini.

Anticipating that action all the way, once he saw the visual cue, he sprang into action and ended the Barcelona attack.

Paolo Maldini's Timing

The last topic will address this timing.

Going to the ground as often as he did was one area Maldini, as with all of his contemporaries, had to get right.

One poorly timed sliding tackle could see him sent off and potentially end his opponent's career.

Though we won't focus explicitly on sliding challenges, our first sequence ends there.

But let's set up the scenario.

Notice Maldini running with his opponent as Zinedine Zidane attempts to dribble through the Milan midfield.

He's contested the entire way, so Maldini looks for a heavy touch to trigger his movement forward.

When that moment comes, Maldini springs into action, bursting forward to quickly close the gap and deny Zinedine Zidane a clean touch on the ball.

Although some coverage is behind him, the stakes of this challenge are pretty high.

Should Maldini be beaten, he'll leave his teammates in a problematic scenario.

Fortunately, he arrives just as Zidane does to ensure Zidane can't poke the ball beyond him.

Maldini went into a wide sliding challenge, effectively blocking three to four feet of manicured grass.

He wins the challenge and has room to attack moving forward.

Timing his forward movement was the first key to success.

A step sooner, he gives Zidane the option of passing beyond him.

A step later, he's late to his challenge, giving Zidane the space needed to poke the ball past Maldini and run at the final line of defenders.

Maldini’s forward movement was perfectly timed, but that ultimately comes back to the fact that his starting positioning, width, and body orientation were excellent.

Knowing that he has covered depth and is well-positioned to challenge any pass to his mark, he can now shift his attention to those opportunities for forward movement.

Eliminating the threat of a pass in behind would allow him to shift his attention to finding an opportunity to win a tackle.

When Maldini engaged in individual duels, he typically did so by quickly closing space, decelerating as he arrived, and intensely observing the opponent's actions.

If you look to pass or shoot forward, the Italian quickly set his feet and try to block the attempt.

Quickly closing down space allowed him to narrow the angle forward and increase the likelihood that he could get his foot to the ball, not leaving opponents with space to play over him or beyond his foot's range of motion.

Should the opponent choose to dribble, Maldini was quick on his touch.

That's precisely what we find in our final example.

As Figo received the pass, Maldini was quick to close him down.

Once the Portuguese Superstar cut inside, Maldini was quick to pursue.

Only once the past was released did Maldini back off and recover to his position.

The two examples from this section demonstrate that applying pressure on the opponent is insufficient.

It has to be timed appropriately.

Arriving too early or too late, failing to decelerate or showing a lack of aggression as the attacker took a touch away from the defender often leads to positional superiority for the attacking team.

When Maldini stepped into midfield, he did so to a) win the ball or b) deny progression.

We've seen his timing scattered throughout this analysis.

It gives a sense of his understanding of the game and helps us see why he fits into his side’s tactics either as a left-back or left centre-back.

Alexis Mac Allister gave Argentina an early lead in the tenth minute before Dan Ndoye restored parity with a 65th-minute equaliser.

Switzerland's task became significantly harder just four minutes later when Breel Embolo was shown a second yellow card and sent off.

Despite their numerical advantage, Argentina had to wait until the 112th minute to regain the lead through Julián Álvarez.

As Switzerland pushed forward in search of another equaliser, Lautaro Martínez sealed the victory with a goal in the dying embers of the game.

This World Cup tactical analysis examines how Argentina and Switzerland approached the game both in and out of possession.

It also breaks down the well-worked set-piece that led to Argentina's opening goal before examining how Switzerland found ways to break through Argentina's deep defensive block and create their equaliser.

Argentina Vs Switzerland Lineups & Formations

Argentina Lineup Vs Switzerland

Argentina named an unchanged starting XI from their victory over Egypt.

Emiliano Martínez retained his place in goal behind a back four of Nicolás Tagliafico, Lisandro Martínez, Cristian Romero and Nahuel Molina.

Lionel Scaloni once again opted for a midfield diamond, with Leandro Paredes operating at the base, Mac Allister and Rodrigo De Paul providing support on either side, and Enzo Fernández playing at the tip.

Up front, Lionel Messi partnered with Álvarez as Argentina looked to combine control in possession with attacking fluidity.

Switzerland Lineup Vs Argentina

Switzerland made just one change from the side that defeated Colombia, with Djibril Sow replacing Ardon Jashari.

Murat Yakin also altered his tactical setup, moving away from the 4-3-3 used previously and adopting a 4-2-3-1 system.

Gregor Kobel started in goal behind a defence of Ricardo Rodríguez, Manuel Akanji, Nico Elvedi and Denis Zakaria.

Granit Xhaka and Remo Freuler formed the double pivot, while Ndoye, Fabian Rieder and Sow supported Embolo in attack.

Argentina In Possession Tactics

Argentina's build-up structure was generally based around a 2 plus 2 shape in possession.

The two central defenders split wide to stretch Switzerland's first line of pressure, while the full-backs advanced into wider positions to provide passing options and improve the team's ability to progress through the thirds.

However, Lionel Scaloni's side did not follow this structure rigidly, instead showing the positional flexibility that has become a hallmark of their play.

Whenever Switzerland committed players forward to press high, Paredes regularly dropped deeper to support the first phase of build-up to improve Argentina's numerical superiority against the Swiss press.

Argentina's primary objective in possession was to overload the space between Switzerland's second and third defensive lines.

Messi was given complete positional freedom to drift into whichever pockets of space appeared, making him extremely difficult to track.

Rather than remaining alongside Álvarez, Messi constantly searched for spaces between the midfield and defence where he could receive on the half-turn and immediately threaten the Swiss backline.

An example of this is when Messi received between the second and third lines, he turned quickly and played a pass into the path of Molina, whose well-timed forward runs from deeper positions exploited the spaces left by Switzerland's shifting defensive block, as seen in Figure 1.

Meanwhile, Álvarez complemented Messi's movements by repeatedly dropping into midfield.

His deeper positioning disrupted Switzerland's man-oriented pressing structure, forcing defenders and midfielders into difficult decisions over whether to follow him or maintain their positions.

Another important feature of Argentina's possession play was their ability to tilt attacks towards one side of the pitch, as seen in Figure 2.

By deliberately attracting Switzerland's press into one area, they created space elsewhere.

Argentina Out Of Possession Tactics

Argentina defended in an asymmetric 4-2-3-1 shape whenever they were out of possession.

Rather than engaging in an aggressive high press, Scaloni's side prioritised defensive compactness and organisation.

Their narrow shape ensured the central areas remained well protected, making it extremely difficult for Switzerland to progress through midfield or find passing lanes into the forward, as seen in Figure 3.

By congesting the middle of the pitch, Argentina forced their opponents to move possession towards the flanks, where they believed they could control the situation more effectively.

Once Switzerland shifted the ball into wide areas, Argentina reacted collectively to create numerical superiority around the ball.

Their compact movement allowed them to establish four versus three overloads near the touchline, limiting the ball carrier's options while cutting off nearby passing lanes.

This approach reduced Switzerland's ability to create sustained attacks from wide positions and frequently forced turnovers, providing Argentina with opportunities to launch quick transitions after regaining possession.

Switzerland In Possession Tactics

In possession, Switzerland alternated between a 3-4-2-1 and a 3-2-4-1 structure depending on the phase of play.

Their flexible positioning allowed them to create a stable rest defence while committing numbers forward during sustained attacks.

A key feature of Switzerland's attacking play was the movement of the wide players.

Rather than remaining on the touchline, the wingers regularly drifted into the half-spaces and central areas.

Their inward movement created space for the full-backs to make overlapping runs, stretching Argentina's defensive shape horizontally and providing width in advanced areas.

Switzerland also sought to create ball side overloads, particularly in wide areas.

By committing several players around the ball, they attempted to combine through short passes and rotations before progressing into the final third, as seen in Figure 4.

Ståle Solbakken's highly organised Norway clashed with Thomas Tuchel's possession-heavy England in a match that provided a masterclass in modern knockout-stage warfare.

Both nations entered the encounter with deeply ingrained tactical identities.

England sought to assert absolute dominance through high-volume horizontal circulation and structural positional play.

Norway embraced a compact mid-block engineered to suffocate central penetration before launching explosive vertical transitions through their frontline.

The match developed into a complex, multi-phased tactical chess game that ultimately required extra time to find a definitive resolution.

The opening phase saw England establish complete control of the ball, yet their possession remained largely sterile as they struggled to convert territorial dominance into high-value opportunities.

As the first half progressed, Norway capitalised on structural fatigue within the English midfield, manipulating the space directly in front of the defensive line to seize the lead through Andreas Schjelderup.

However, the true narrative of the match was defined by England's profound tactical resilience and structural adjustments.

This World Cup tactical analysis examines how, led by a generational performance from Jude Bellingham, the Three Lions systematically altered their offensive mechanics, grinding down the Norwegian low block to secure a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory.

Norway Vs England Lineups & Formations

England Lineup Vs Norway

Thomas Tuchel organised England in a highly flexible 4-2-3-1 base alignment designed to morph fluidly into an asymmetric 3-2-5 or 2-3-5 configuration during sustained possession phases.

Jordan Pickford occupied his position between the posts, functioning as the vital sweeping anchor behind the defensive line.

The central defensive partnership featured John Stones and Marc Guéhi, a pairing selected for their elite combination of line-breaking distribution and physical duel capability in open space.

Following recent defensive injuries and suspensions, Ezri Konsa shifted from his natural central role to operate as a conservative right-back, while the young Nico O'Reilly was deployed as a positionally disciplined, inverted left-back.

The midfield engine room was anchored by a double pivot comprising Declan Rice and the energetic Elliot Anderson, tasked with protecting the rest of the defence and facilitating lateral ball circulation.

Out wide, Noni Madueke occupied the right wing, while Anthony Gordon patrolled the left flank, both maintaining natural touchline width to stretch the opponent.

Jude Bellingham operated as the advanced central playmaker, floating between the lines with total spatial freedom behind captain Harry Kane, who spearheaded the attack.

Norway Lineup Vs England

Ståle Solbakken countered by deploying Norway in a highly compact, structurally rigid 4-1-2-3 base system that compressed into a deeply resilient 4-5-1 defensive block out of possession.

Ørjan Nyland guarded the Norwegian goal, protected by a central defensive partnership consisting of Kristoffer Ajer and Torbjørn Heggem.

Julian Ryerson operated as a highly defensive right-back tasked with tracking Anthony Gordon, while David Møller Wolfe occupied the left-back position to handle the threat of Noni Madueke.

In the engine room, Patrick Berg anchored the base as the single defensive pivot, flanked by the tireless physical presence of Sander Berge and the elite technical leadership of captain Martin Ødegaard.

The forward line featured a highly dynamic, narrow attacking trident where Andreas Schjelderup operated from the left wing and Alexander Sørloth occupied the right interior channel.

Erling Haaland spearheaded the lineup as the isolated lone striker, a physical profile selected specifically to pin Englands center-backs and offer an immediate vertical outlet for direct transitions.

Sterile Dominance: England's Possession Control & Final-Third Sterility

The opening 30 minutes of the match established a definitive tactical pattern that perfectly illustrated the contemporary dilemma of possession-based football against a disciplined mid-block.

England completely dominated the structural metrics, recording high volume possession and executing long sequences of horizontal circulation across their backline.

John Stones and Marc Guéhi were permitted absolute freedom to advance to the halfway line, operating with comfortable time and space as Norway's front three consciously refrained from initiating an aggressive press.

Tuchel's offensive blueprint relied heavily on the full-backs creating interior overloads to unbalance the opposition.

By positioning players strategically when out of possession, teams that then quickly turn defence into an attack can be lethal.

Counterattacks at the highest level involve far more planned actions than in previous eras.

This tactical theory looks at the principles of the modern counterattack.

This tactical analysis focuses on goals scored from counterattacks when teams have deliberately positioned players ahead of the ball during the defensive phase.

This analysis will use goals scored by Toronto FC's former coach, John Herdman, in the MLS to describe this analysis.

Suggestions on how coaches can implement counterattacking tactics are also included.

Countering Behind High Full-Backs

The above tactical diagram shows the attacking team (pink) set up in a 4-3-3 mid-block against the blue team's defensive 4-4-2 mid-block.

The defending team has eight players behind the ball, in two lines of four, defending the width of the pitch.

Two players, in this case, the central forwards, stay ahead of the ball, with one forward overloading the ball side of the pitch and occupying the space behind the high full-back.

This forward could also be the ball-side winger in a 4-3-3 formation.

The backline must remain high enough, without dropping off too deep, to be in a position to play the ball into the red area quickly on attacking transitions.

The further the defensive and midfield units are from this zone, the longer the ball will take to travel there, giving the pink team more time to react.

The ball-far centre-forward’s positioning is also essential here.

By remaining relatively central, he prevents the ball-near centre-back (who may also be trying to be an option for a pass) from shifting over to cover the now wide forward.

By not being right up against the centre-backs, the central forward is also an option to receive the first pass.

In this scenario, when the ball is won on a transition, it is important to play forward at the earliest opportunity, using the space behind the high full-backs, and have supporting players run forward quickly.

This goal from Toronto in a former match against Austin was scored in a similar fashion: Toronto exploited the space left by Austin's high full-backs.

The image shows one forward in the wide area, on the ball side, behind the Austin left-back.

The more central forward, former Serie A star Lorenzo Insigne, is in the middle of the pitch, about 10 yards from the nearest opposition player, making him an option to receive the first pass.

On the ball-far side of the pitch, Toronto's wing-back, Richie Laryea, is also high, ready to sprint into the space behind Austin's right-back once Toronto win the ball.

When the forward receives the ball, his first thought is to dribble forward at speed before then running directly at the defender — pinning him in place.

In the initial phase of the counterattack, the three furthest forward players occupy three different vertical zones of the pitch.

By providing (relative) width, the defenders are unable to cover and react to all three players’ movements.

The pace at which the ball carrier dribbles forward and the speed of the supporting runs make it very hard for recovering players to help their centre-backs.

At this point, when the attack is reaching the box, the central forward makes an angled run across the dribbling player.

This run is designed to drag the most central and covering defender, allowing the ball carrier to continue his run inside and open up a passing lane into the left wing-back.

Austin's recovering midfielder does very well to get close to the ball and even challenges the dribbling player.

However, the speed of the attack means the midfielder can only make a desperate challenge just outside the box.

Despite getting a touch on the ball, Toronto, by attacking in numbers, has a player positioned to get on the end of the deflected ball who goes on to volley into the goal.

Four Toronto players are in their opponent’s box when the ball hits the net.

Positioning Players High

In this example, from the same match, Austin's former Ligue 1 star, Mikkel Desler, is in possession of the ball around 15 yards into Toronto’s half.

On this occasion, Toronto left four players high ahead of the ball and trusted their (now) back four and two holding midfielders to defend against the Austin attack.

Not only were Toronto’s front four in high positions, but they were also strategically placed across the width of the pitch.

By being positioned in different vertical lines and being placed in the zone between the opposition's backline and midfield, they made themselves very hard to mark.

If Austin’s backline were to push up and get tight to each player, not only would this make it harder for them to keep the ball, but any loss of possession could result in Toronto playing in behind them straight away.

Desler’s pass into his forward is intercepted.

Upon winning the ball, Toronto immediately play it forward into Insigne, who is completely unopposed.

Insigne then turns and drives, forcing Austin to retreat, before playing a pass between two Austin players for his teammate, who has made an angled run, to sprint onto.

The receiving player then drives at the nearest centre-back to pin him whilst his teammate, DeAndre Kerr, makes another angled run in behind.

This run acts as a decoy to drag the covering defender away and give space for his teammate, Richie Laryea, on the left to run into.

Laryea receives the through ball and drives into the box before providing a cutback for Kerr to score.

Counterattacking Pass Sequence

This unopposed passing exercise is designed to both prepare the players for the physical demands of a counterattacking session as well as to embed the principle of playing and running forward as quickly as possible.

It involves target players, who represent players who are left ahead of the ball for the supporting players to combine with.

It also includes angled runs to mimic the runs made to drag away defenders.

The size can be adjusted depending on the level and age of the players working with, but it can be as long as half a pitch.

The exercise begins with player ‘A’ playing a slow, angled pass for ‘B’ to run onto.

The weight of the pass should allow the next pass into the ‘forward’ to be played firmly.

‘B’ then finds ‘C’, which represents a forward and has moved from behind the mannequin, before ‘C’ sets it back where it came from to ‘A’.

‘A’ plays a firm pass into the second forward, who takes a touch with the inside of their back foot before quickly, with their opposite foot, switching to ‘B’.

Players ‘A’ and ‘B’ then sprint to and join the opposite lines after playing their final passes with the forwards remaining in their positions.

As shown above, the exercise then progresses for ‘A’ and ‘B’ to make two cross-over runs.

For the drill to mimic a realistic counterattack situation, players should be encouraged to complete it a full match speed.

The drill can also be adapted into a shooting drill.

The sequence begins at the goal end, before repeating on the way back, but finishing with a strike at goal.

Mid-block To Counterattack Exercise

This practice is designed to simulate teams targeting the area behind their opposition's high full-backs.

The exercise begins with the opposition, shown as pink, moving the ball across their back four with those players in fixed positions and the blue team forwards only acting as shadow defenders.

The back four aims to find one of their midfielders in the red zone, who will then score one of three mini-goals.

One of the blue team forwards should occupy the space behind the full-back (shown in the image) on whatever side of the pitch the attack is being developed on.

This requires the four blue midfielders to cover the width of the pitch as if in a mid-block and against an offensive overload.

Once possession is turned over, the blue team's aim is to counterattack to the big goal.

The pink teams' recovering full-backs must run forward to the cone (or pole) on the sideline before being able to participate in the defensive phase.

This incentivises the blue team to play quickly before these full-backs can influence the attack.

Initially, the blue team's midfield can attack, but the pink midfielders must remain in their midfield zone.

This can allow coaches to work on and embed pre-planned movements before adding the complication of recovering midfield players.

The immediate aim should be to play forward and find the forward in the space behind the full-back.

Regardless of the movements, coaches should demand that midfielders flood forward in support of the attack and make angled runs to drag defenders and create space for others.

Spain controlled most of the quarter-final through possession, territory and sustained pressure.

They registered 17 shots to Belgium’s five, eight efforts on target to two and generated just over two expected goals, while keeping their opponents below 0.5 xG.

However, this World Cup tactical analysis shows that Spain’s superiority did not always translate into a fluid attacking performance.

Pau Cubarsí and Rodri progressed the ball consistently, while the right-sided relationship between Pedro Porro and Lamine Yamal caused Belgium repeated problems.

Nevertheless, Belgium’s compact defensive structure restricted central access, and Spain sometimes lacked a player occupying the centre-backs inside the penalty area.

Merino’s introduction corrected that weakness and ultimately decided the match.

Spain Vs Belgium Lineups & Formations

Spain Lineup Vs Belgium

Spain started in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation.

Unai Simón was protected by a back four of Pedro Porro, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte and Marc Cucurella.

Rodri and Fabián Ruiz formed the double pivot, although their roles were not identical.

Rodri remained as the main reference in the first phase of possession, while Fabián operated higher and was encouraged to make forward runs beyond Belgium’s midfield line.

Dani Olmo played as the No. 10, with Lamine Yamal on the right, Álex Baena on the left and Mikel Oyarzabal leading the attack.

Fabián’s inclusion ahead of Pedri was significant.

Luis de la Fuente appeared to want an additional runner from midfield, as well as more physical presence around Rodri.

His ability to move beyond the ball was particularly important against a compact Belgian block and eventually led to Spain’s opening goal.

Belgium Lineup Vs Spain

Belgium also started in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

Thibaut Courtois was protected by a back four of Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele and Maxim De Cuyper.

Hans Vanaken and Nicolas Raskin formed the midfield base, while Kevin De Bruyne operated as the No. 10.

Leandro Trossard started on the left, with Jérémy Doku on the right, while Charles De Ketelaere played as the centre-forward.

Out of possession, Belgium’s 4-2-3-1 often became a compact 4-4-1-1.

Vanaken and Raskin protected the central corridor, while De Bruyne remained close to De Ketelaere and looked to screen passes into Rodri.

Belgium did not press Spain aggressively for long periods.

Instead, they prioritised central compactness, tried to force Spain towards the wings and prepared to attack quickly after regaining possession, mainly through Doku’s ball-carrying and De Bruyne’s passing between the lines.

Spain Build-Up Through Pau Cubarsí & Rodri

Belgium did not apply constant high pressure, but they occasionally used selective, man-oriented jumps to disrupt Spain’s short build-up.

De Ketelaere led the first line, while the nearby midfielders moved towards Rodri and Spain’s advanced central players whenever the ball travelled towards one side.

The sequence below shows how Spain responded to that pressure.

As the ball was played towards the left-sided centre-back, Belgium’s centre-forward moved across to close him down, while another opponent stayed close to Rodri.

Rather than remaining in a fixed position, Rodri dropped towards the ball-side half-space and created a short passing triangle with the centre-backs.

Belgium close the short build-up options and prepare to press Spain near their own penalty area.

The Belgian forward jumps towards the ball-side centre-back, while Rodri moves closer to provide a supporting passing lane.

At the centre of that story was Raúl Jiménez.

This Raúl Jiménez scout report and player analysis looks at Raúl Jiménez's role for Mexico during their World Cup run and, just as importantly, what Wolverhampton Wanderers can learn from it ahead of their 2026/2027 EFL Championship campaign.

Jiménez is no longer the same explosive centre-forward who first arrived at Molineux and became one of the Premier League’s most complete No. 9s.

His game has naturally changed with age, experience and physical context.

However, Mexico’s World Cup has shown that he remains a highly valuable striker when used in the right structure.

Across Mexico’s matches against South Africa, South Korea, Czechia and Ecuador, Jiménez played as the central reference in a 4-1-2-3 shape.

His role was based on fixing centre-backs, attacking the penalty area, competing aerially, connecting short combinations and providing the first point of pressure out of possession.

That profile should matter to Wolves.

After returning to Molineux, Jiménez will not need to be the forward who carries every transition over 40 metres or constantly creates shots for himself.

Instead, Wolves should use him as Mexico have done: as a penalty-box reference surrounded by runners, wide delivery and close support.

Raúl Jiménez Style Of Play

Jiménez’s current style of play is built around efficiency rather than constant involvement.

He is not a striker who needs to dominate possession through a high volume of touches.

Instead, his influence comes from the quality of his actions around the penalty area and his ability to give Mexico a stable attacking reference.

For Mexico, he usually starts as the central striker between the opposition centre-backs.

From there, he performs two main tasks.

The first is to occupy defenders.

By staying high, Jiménez prevents centre-backs from stepping into midfield too easily.

This creates more room for players such as Julián Quiñones, Roberto Alvarado, Luis Romo or Gilberto Mora to receive around him.

The second is to attack the box.

His shot map shows a player still focused on high-value finishing zones.

Most of his efforts come from central areas inside the penalty area or around the penalty spot, with very little evidence of him wasting shots from low-probability zones.

That is important because it shows that Jiménez is not simply increasing his volume.

He is still getting into the areas where a centre-forward should be judged.

Raúl Jiménez Shot Map At Mexico 2026

The shot map tells the story clearly.

Jiménez’s attempts are concentrated inside the box, with a strong presence in central areas close to goal.

His threat is still built on timing, penalty-box occupation and the ability to attack deliveries, rebounds or quick combinations.

The data backs that up.

Wolves are not getting a striker who does a bit of everything.

They are getting elite production in the areas where centre-forwards decide games.

Raúl Jiménez In Mexico's Tactical Structure

Mexico’s 4-1-2-3 gives Jiménez a clear framework.

The wide forwards provide the first layer of support.

Quiñones often gives Mexico a more direct, aggressive runner, while Alvarado can help connect attacks from the opposite side.

Behind them, Mexico’s midfielders provide the second layer, either by arriving around the box or supporting counter-pressing situations.

This matters because Jiménez is at his best when he is not isolated.

Against South Africa, Mexico had 57.1% possession, produced 16 shots and generated 1.78 xG.

They also recorded 117 receptions in the final third and 13 crosses.

That was the game where Mexico most clearly controlled territory, and Jiménez benefited from having the team close to the box.

His goal came in the second half, and it reflected one of his biggest strengths: attacking the box with timing rather than relying on pure speed.

Against South Korea, the match was different.

Mexico had only 40.8% possession and generated 0.34 xG, but Jiménez still started as the central reference.

In that game, his value was less about constant finishing and more about helping Mexico maintain structure when they had to defend for longer spells.

The Czechia match brought another version of his role.

Jiménez did not start, but Mexico’s attacking structure still showed the importance of the centre-forward position.

Mexico produced 2.1 xG, had 109 receptions in the final third and won 3-0, showing how dangerous they can be when their front line receives enough support.

Then, against Ecuador, Jiménez returned to the starting XI and scored after 31 minutes.

Mexico had only 37.1% possession, but they still generated 1.86 xG from 15 shots.

This was arguably the best example of why his role is so useful: Mexico did not need long spells of sterile possession to create danger.

They needed directness, timing and box presence.

Jiménez’s pass network also supports the visual impression.

Raúl Jiménez Pass Network At Mexico 2026

France confirmed once again that they are going to be very tough to beat in this tournament, as they were in the previous World Cup.

After finishing the group stage as the leaders of their group with wins against Senegal, Norway, and Iraq, France continued their winning streak by eliminating Sweden in the Round of 32 and Paraguay in the Round of 16.

Following this win against Morocco, Didier Deschamps’ side faces Spain in another big semi-final match in Dallas, with the winner to play against one of Norway, England, Switzerland, or Argentina in the final.

On the other side, Mohamed Ouahbi’s men failed to continue their World Cup journey after falling to one of the giants.

This loss does not cancel the big achievement of Moroccan football as they have succeeded in reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the second consecutive time, following their success in 2022.

Morocco started the tournament in an impressive way by putting on a convincing performance against Brazil and finishing the match with a draw.

Morocco were then able to beat both Scotland and Haiti in the group stage before eliminating the Netherlands on penalties and beating one of the hosts, Canada, with a very convincing 3-0 performance.

In this World Cup tactical analysis, we explore France’s attacking strengths and intelligent game plan, which allowed them to prevent Morocco from using their key solutions.

France Vs Morocco Lineups & Formations

France Lineup Vs Morocco

Deschamps started the match using the 4-2-3-1 formation with Mike Maignan as a goalkeeper, and a defensive line made up of Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba as centre-backs, Jules Koundé as a right-back, and Lucas Digne as a left-back.

The midfield was made up of Manu Koné and Adrien Rabiot as central midfielders, Michael Olise as an advanced playmaker, Ousmane Dembélé as a right winger, Désiré Doué as a left winger, and Kylian Mbappé as the main striker.

Morocco Lineup Vs France

Ouahbi started the match with the 4-2-3-1 formation as well, with Yassine Bounou as a goalkeeper, Achraf Hakimi as a right-back, Noussair Mazraoui and Issa Diop
as centre-backs, and Anass Salah-Eddine as a left-back.

The midfield was composed of Ayyoub Bouaddi and Neil El Aynaoui as central midfielders, Azzedine Ounahi as the advanced playmaker, and both Brahim Díaz and Chemsidine Talbi playing on the wings.

The main striker was Bilal El Khannouss.

France Quick Attacking Solutions & Quality In Tight Spaces

Morocco tried to start the match with intense high pressing as they did against Brazil, in particular, and although they were successful in doing so in the first minutes, the French players' quality and experience in dealing with such high pressing situations made Morocco’s efforts inside France’s half look useless on many occasions.

France were quickly able to start imposing their game and start playing inside Morocco’s half more often, a situation that allows them to alternate their attacks and use their numerous attacking solutions/players for creating dangerous actions.

In particular, this was done through individual penetrations from Olise, Dembelé, Doué, and Mbappé.

All of them attempted turns and unpredictable accelerations to surprise Morocco’s defensive organisation and oblige them to concede some space.

France’s attacking solutions were obviously too varied for Morocco to stop or prevent, and that’s what led to France reaching Morocco’s goal a lot of times both in the first and the second half.

France were ready and aware of Morocco’s intent to leave no space for France’s attacking players and apply double marking on the ball holder inside their own third in order to limit the threats.

To counter that defensive approach, France looked ready to shoot on goal from any position whenever they found the slightest possible shooting trajectory, even if that required curving the ball to avoid hitting a Moroccan defender.

This was repeated on more than one occasion, and it helped France make Morocco’s marking efforts worthless.

One of these actions saw Doué cut inside while dribbling past his direct marker and provide a pass to Mbappé, who was moving well to escape from marking and ask for the ball.

Mbappé was completely aware of the lack of time and space in that area and immediately controlled the ball and coordinated his body to aim for a curved shot that Diop was not able to block or deflect simply because Mbappé knew how to curve it away from Diop.

Moreover, at the moment of controlling the ball and aiming for the shot, Mbappé got surrounded by three Moroccan players.

So, if he added one single touch or spent one more second thinking about his next action, the ball would have been intercepted from him.

This quality in the execution of shots and in coordinating the body in a quick way during such half-chances made the difference for France in the long run.

In addition to welcoming Mourinho back, another of Los Blancos' priorities this summer was to address the full-back positions, leading to the signings of Marc Cucurella from Chelsea and Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan.

With Dani Carvajal approaching the end of his career and concerns remaining over Álvaro Carreras, Madrid have moved decisively to strengthen both flanks.

The arrivals of Cucurella and Dumfries bring contrasting qualities and profiles.

In this Marc Cucurella and Denzel Dumfries scout report, we examine both their strengths and weaknesses, detailing their respective styles of play and what they bring to Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

How Will Marc Cucurella & Denzel Dumfries Fit In At Real Madrid?

Denzel Dumfries Individual Traits

Physically, Dumfries possesses one of the most imposing profiles among all of Europe's elite full-backs.

Standing at 188cm tall, he combines height, strength and athleticism with a body type that sits between an ectomorph and a mesomorph.

His long stride length allows him to cover large distances quickly, making him particularly dangerous when attacking open spaces.

UEFA Champions League data highlights these qualities, recording a top speed of 33.5 km/hr while averaging 10.3 km covered per match.

His combination of speed, power and endurance enables him to repeatedly make high-intensity runs and dominate physical duels throughout games.

Dumfries is fundamentally a transition weapon whose greatest strength lies in his off-the-ball movement.

This could make Dumfries a key transition outlet for Real Madrid in 2026/2027.

Mourinho has historically relied on direct counterattacking football, notably doing so during his first stint with Real Madrid to great effect.

Dumfries' willingness to attack space immediately after regaining possession fits these tactics well.

He constantly makes aggressive forward runs from deep positions, providing line-breaking passing options and stretching opposition defensive structures.

These movements make him a persistent threat down the right flank and often allow him to arrive in dangerous areas unmarked.

His crossing is another important weapon, with driven deliveries regularly creating danger inside the penalty area.

This could be a key source of chance creation for Real Madrid this coming season.

Mourinho has often encouraged his full-backs to attack quickly on the counter before opponents can recover their defensive shape, which suits Dumfries' profile to a tee.

He uses the inside of his foot to deliver effective crosses.

His assist for Marcus Thuram against Barcelona highlighted the effectiveness of this aspect of his game.

Dumfries also provides a significant aerial threat.

His height, timing and leap make him extremely dangerous from crosses, corners and free-kicks as seen in Figure 1.

Unlike most full-backs, he is also capable of scoring goals himself, as demonstrated by his spectacular acrobatic finish against Barcelona.

His physical profile allows him to impact matches in ways few wide defenders can replicate.

Dumfries combines intelligence with physicality and regularly scans his surroundings before engaging opponents, as seen in Figure 2.

He generally prefers to read situations before committing to challenges and uses his strength effectively in defensive duels.

However, there are occasions when he becomes too focused on the ball and loses awareness of runners around him, as seen in Figure 3.

This defensive weakness is an area Mourinho will seek to improve immediately, as the Portuguese coach's teams tend to place a strong emphasis on defensive concentration and positional discipline.

At Inter, Dumfries was afforded lots of attacking freedom, with midfielders and defenders such as Nicolo Barella and Manuel Akanji often covering the space he vacates when advancing.

Dumfries demonstrates leadership through his attacking intent and communication in possession.

He consistently demands the ball, regularly signalling to teammates when he is available in space and encouraging switches of play towards his flank.

This proactive approach helps facilitate attacking transitions and ensures he remains actively involved in his side's offensive build-up.

Marc Cucurella Individual Traits

Cucurella presents a contrasting physical profile.

Standing at 1.73m tall, he lacks Dumfries' imposing stature but possesses attributes that are equally valuable in the modern game.

His body type sits between a mesomorph and an endomorph, giving him a low centre of gravity, excellent balance and the strength required to compete physically despite his smaller frame.

UEFA Champions League data records a top speed of 32.3km/hr while also averaging 10.3km covered per game.

Dumfries' first touch can occasionally be inconsistent, particularly when receiving under pressure, leading to moments of loose control.

His passing style is highly direct, as he constantly looks to verticalise play and break opposition lines rather than recycle possession.

While this aggressive approach can create attacking opportunities, it can also come at the expense of passing accuracy.

Cucurella possesses an excellent first touch and is comfortable controlling the ball with either foot, allowing him to operate effectively under pressure, as seen in Figure 4.

His close control enables him to retain possession in congested areas and navigate tight spaces with ease.

Another major strength is his ability to cross with both feet, making him less predictable and providing greater variety in attacking situations.

Cucurella influences attacks in a more subtle and controlled manner than Dumfries.

Now, it's true that José Mourinho teams are rarely associated with long spells of possession, but it's still valuable to have defenders who can keep the ball under pressure in your ranks, especially when you're Real Madrid and likely to face a lot of compact low blocks both domestically and in Europe.

Cucurella's composure could prove critical in helping Real Madrid to control matches.

Rather than relying on explosive runs and physical superiority, he contributes through intelligent positioning, possession retention and ball circulation.

He is often responsible for recycling possession and ensuring his side can sustain attacks through controlled passing sequences.

His flexibility allows him to make overlapping runs when width is required, while also making underlapping movements into central areas when the tactical structure demands it, as seen in Figure 5.

Under Gian Piero Gasperini tactics, Atalanta scaled heights previously unimaginable for the club, including their 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in the 2023/2024 UEFA Europa League Final and appearances in the UEFA Champions League.

Through it all, the Brazilian midfielder has been a load-bearing pillar of a team built on relentless man-orientation, vertical aggression, and athletic intensity.

Two performances stand out and show what he is capable of.

The Europa League Final against Leverkusen saw him covering every blade of grass while sticking tight to Florian Wirtz.

Months earlier at Anfield, Éderson delivered an all-action box-to-box display in a shock 3-0 quarter-final win.

Now he looks set to leave all of that behind, with a move to Old Trafford looking likely.

Éderson would arrive at Manchester United with the immediate expectation that he would upgrade a midfield department that has lacked athleticism and bite.

At first glance, this seems to be an improvement on Manuel Ugarte.

Whether it represents more than that depends entirely on how Michael Carrick would use him, and how a very particular profile would translate to the Premier League's specific physical and tactical demands.

This Éderson scout report and player analysis details Éderson’s strengths, weaknesses and what exactly he'd bring to Manchester United.

Éderson Style Of Play

Éderson is a box-to-box midfielder, more of a true No. 8 than the deep-lying '6' United have reportedly been searching for.

He is athletic, robust, and tactically intelligent in ways that suited Gasperini's demanding system, where midfielders are asked to defend man-to-man over enormous distances and contribute aggressively in the final third.

As shown against Lazio, Éderson is responsible for one half of the opposing double pivot and positions himself higher up the pitch thanks to his aggression and ball-winning ability.

He anticipates the goalkeeper’s reluctance to play into the pivot, but when the pass is still played, Éderson steps in to win it, denying the receiver any time to turn or settle on the ball.

His best athletic traits are his explosive first step and his ability to maintain high-intensity output across longer distances.

He covers ground at a level well and has running power.

Furthermore, he has endurance and top speed, which allows him to perform repeated high-intensity defensive actions deep into matches.

He is always willing and almost always able to run.

There is also a steel and robustness to his game.

He uses his body and arms to shield possession in tight zones and can compete in 1v1 defensive situations where he can rely on his long legs and athleticism.

As shown against Napoli, Éderson demonstrates his willingness and desire to get stuck in, stepping in to shut down a potential attack.

The natural caveat is that he is moving across leagues, and the Premier League's specific blend of ball-speed, second-ball chaos, and aggressive midfield pressing is a different test from Serie A.

His physical profile should be able to translate, but no cross-league projection is accurate. 

One reason there can be optimism about his adaptation is that some of his strongest attributes are inherently scalable.

Running power, defensive anticipation, recovery speed, counterpressing intensity and the ability to cover large spaces can translate more reliably between leagues than highly system-dependent technical qualities.

The question is less whether Éderson can physically cope with Premier League football and more whether his technical security in possession can survive under greater pressure.

Areas that remain uncertain are the ones involving time and space on the ball.

Éderson In Possession

Éderson is an uncreative passer and tends to default to the simple, the obvious, and the short-to-mid range option.

He is not in the mould of Adam Wharton, scanning to map both pressure and forward passing lanes.

His pre-reception scanning is thorough, but the information he tends to prioritise is the location of opposition pressure rather than the location of teammates and gaps to exploit.

In build-up, he is comfortable making bounce passes to the nearest free man, keeping the ball moving rather than breaking lines.

As shown against Bologna, Éderson receives the ball with forward options available.

Instead, he shifts it and chooses the safer pass, rather than maintaining the team’s existing forward momentum.

Many believe that rotation means freedom or a change of players, while the reality is quite different. 

Every movement within the team system must clearly demonstrate a tactical objective, whether it's creating a free player, drawing a defender out of position, opening up new space, or encouraging the ball to advance to a more advanced position.

The England national team at the 2026 FIFA World Cup provides numerous examples of this type of movement, in which players haven't changed positions for the sake of it, but rather as a structured way to disrupt the opponent's defensive organisation without disrupting the team's balance. 

In this tactical theory and World Cup tactical analysis, we examine Thomas Tuchel tactics of positional rotation.

Why & ًWhen To Use Positional Rotations

Is the player moving to receive the ball or to create space for a teammate?

One of the most common mistakes coaches make when training attacking movements is associating movement solely with the player in possession. 

In reality, many of the most important movements in football aren't aimed at receiving the ball but rather at influencing defenders' positioning. 

These two images perfectly illustrate one of England's key principles under Tuchel: positional rotation. 

This rotation is crucial for maintaining the quality of their build-up play and creating space between the opposition's lines.

In this instance, Elliot Anderson drops back to receive the ball between or alongside the centre-backs, while Harry Kane moves back towards the left half of the pitch instead of remaining a static striker.

As Kane drops into midfield to receive the ball between the lines, Jude Bellingham moves directly in the opposite direction, making a run behind the defensive line.

The sequence begins with Harry Kane dropping deep to receive the ball, forcing a Croatian defender to leave his defensive line to mark him. 

As Jude Bellingham surged forward to exploit the space left by Kane, the right winger maintained his width near the touchline, forcing the Croatian full-back to stay in position and preventing him from covering for Kane's marker.

Kane's movement draws a centre-back or holding midfielder towards him, widening the opponent's defensive depth.

At the same moment, Bellingham exploits the space left by Kane with a vertical run, becoming the player threatening the goal instead of the traditional striker.

When a player leaves his position, a defender is often forced to make a decision: should he follow him and maintain his marking, or stay in his position and protect the space? 

In either case, the attacking team has created a new situation that can be exploited.