Modern football has witnessed developments in all aspects of the game, from advanced refereeing methods and modern training methods to advanced tactics. Auxiliary tools such as shoes, balls, and player clothing also played a major role in improving performance on the field.
These transformations were not limited to technical aspects only, but extended to include football thought and its discourse, as new terms emerged that reflect modern concepts about the style of play and the performance of teams inside the green rectangle.
The football player is now obligated to understand these transformations, not only as an implementer of instructions, but also as an essential element in implementing the team’s tactical strategy, so that it is no longer sufficient for the player to be familiar with his usual position, but rather it has become necessary for him to understand the new functional role associated with his position.
In the past, the coach was limited to classifying players into defenders, midfielders, and attackers, which were general classifications based on their positions on the field. With the passage of time, the matter gradually developed into more detail, and more precise terms were introduced, such as free centre-back, surveying centre-back, right and left full-back, defensive and attacking midfielders, playmaker, in addition to wingers and strikers.
This development at the time reflected an attempt to link the player’s position to his traditional role within the collective system, as each position required its own set of physical and technical characteristics.
For example, the selection of centre-backs has traditionally been based on physical strength, height, and the ability to tackle and rise to tackle high balls. While the tasks of the free center back were to lead, organize the offside line, and contribute to building the game, as the last defender.
In midfield, the need to precisely define roles was clear, as the defensive midfielder emerged, tasked with stopping the opposition’s attacks and protecting the defence. This was embodied by prominent stars such as Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, and Michel Platini.
The past twenty years have witnessed a radical transformation in training methods and tactical systems, which prompted theorists and coaches to redefine positions, abandoning some of the traditional terms that were used to define player positions, such as “surveyor,” “classic playmaker,” and “defensive and offensive midfield” in their old sense, to be replaced by new, more flexible and dynamic concepts that suit the rapid development in football.
One of the most prominent examples of this is what happened to the centre-back position, where the duo of “Al-Musah” and “Al-Hurr” disappeared, to be replaced by the term “centres of defence”.
In this context, the name of Italian coach Arrigo Sacchi stands out, who brought about a true revolution in the playing style, by introducing a new concept to the game, adding an unprecedented tactical and intellectual dimension, which contributed to radically changing the features of football.
Before the emergence of Arrigo Sacchi, teams relied mainly on the “libero” system, where the player who was slightly behind or in front of the defense line was the last safety valve.
But Sacchi was able to break this rule, introducing a new concept about the exploitation of spaces and collective movement, which changed the way the team organization was viewed on the field.
Sacchi’s philosophy was based on the fact that the distance between the last defender and the first attacker does not exceed 25 metres. Thus, the team began to operate as an integrated unit, whether in attack or defense, without any separation between its lines. From here, innovation began, as football transformed from a mere game based on fixed positions into a dynamic system centered around collective movement.
In Milan, Sacchi built an advanced defensive four, which included distinguished players such as Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Costacurta, and Mauro Tassotti, forming one of the most prominent methods of applying high pressure and advanced defense in the history of football. Defense is no longer waiting, but has become an offensive tool.
In midfield, the duo Frank Rijkaard and Carlo Ancelotti were an example of integration in roles, which ended the traditional idea that separated a defensive midfielder from an offensive one. In Milan, under Sacchi’s leadership, there is no longer one player limited to defense and another to attack, but rather the entire team moves as a single bloc.
Arrigo Sacchi said in one of his famous phrases: “In order to win, you must use your mind and your feet together, choose your steps wisely, and remember that only the team wins.” He believed that victory was not achieved by individual talent alone, but rather by thought, organization, and teamwork.
Sacchi believed that the mind must precede the foot, and with this philosophy, he not only changed Milan’s playing style, but also redefined the concepts of defense and attack, and paved the way for later football schools such as Barcelona and Germany.
The style of possession and building play from the back has become one of the basic pillars of modern football, and although the main task of the centre-backs still focuses on protecting the goal, covering the defensive depth, and stopping the opponent’s attacks, their job roles have expanded significantly.
Today, coaches prefer to have two defensive pivots who are good at playing with both feet, or at least one with the left and the other with the right, because of its importance in improving the quality of getting the ball out and facilitating the build-up across the sides. It has also become common for one of the defensive pivots to specialize in short construction through precise passing between himself and the goalkeeper, midfielders, and full-backs.
On the other hand, the player on the opposite side, in addition to his usual defensive duties, assumes a diverse role in the offensive construction process, as he relies on passing long balls that target the spaces behind the opposing team’s defense, whether those passes are directed towards the attackers or the wings. The player benefits from the pressure exerted by the opponent or from the team’s movements, which include moving the ball from one side to another.
