The 5 most popular tactics in modern football

1. High Press Strategy (High Press)

High pressing is an important tactic in modern football, especially under coach Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool and Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. High pressing requires players to constantly press the opponent right on the opponent’s court to quickly regain control of the ball. The team will not give the opponent time to deploy the ball and force them into situations where they lose the ball.

For example, Liverpool under Klopp are famous for their “Gegenpressing” style, where players immediately apply pressure after losing the ball to win it back quickly. This not only helps Liverpool create dangerous opportunities but also control the game effectively.

2. Tiki-Taka

Tiki-taka is a famous tactic developed by Barcelona and the Spanish team, especially under coach Pep Guardiola. This strategy relies on ball control and short, precise passing to keep control of the game and disrupt the opposition’s defence.

Tiki-taka requires sophistication and outstanding technical ability from the players, with the goal of holding the ball as long as possible and finding gaps in the opponent’s defensive system. Barcelona in its prime with players like Xavi, Iniesta and Messi is a typical example of this tactic.

3. Counter-Attacking Football

Counter-attacking defense is one of the most effective strategies for teams that do not have the advantage of controlling the ball. This strategy is based on building a strong defense system and taking advantage of the speed of the attacking players to counterattack quickly when the opponent advances.

Coach José Mourinho is one of the people famous for this tactic, especially during his time leading Chelsea and Inter Milan. With Inter Milan, Mourinho applied an effective counter-attack strategy to win the Champions League in 2010, when his team defended solidly and counter-attacked sharply.

4. Control of the Midline Area

The strategy of controlling the midfield is an important part of dominating the match. Teams like Bayern Munich and Manchester City now use this tactic to control most of the playing time and force the opponent to play their way. The team will concentrate a large number of players in the midfield area to control the ball and thereby organize an attack.

The ability to control the midfield depends heavily on midfielders who can hold the ball well, such as Kevin De Bruyne, Joshua Kimmich or Thiago Alcântara, who can control the match and organize attacks from midfield.

5. Flexible 3-4-3 Diagram

The 3-4-3 formation is one of the most popular and flexible tactical formations in modern football, with Antonio Conte’s success at Chelsea and Inter Milan. This scheme uses 3 defenders, 4 midfielders and 3 attackers, helping the team balance between defense and attack. The full-backs in this formation have a very important role, not only supporting defense but also attacking as wingers.

Conte used this scheme to help Chelsea win the Premier League in the 2016-2017 season. Players such as Victor Moses and Marcos Alonso have thrived in the full-back role, while giving the team both solid defense and flexibility in attack.

Football tactics

Modern football tactics have evolved and become more flexible, in line with the advancement of football. High pressing, tiki-taka, counter-attacking defense, controlling the midfield, and the 3-4-3 formation are the most popular and used tactics in modern football. Diversity in tactics not only increases the appeal of football but also helps teams create many creative and effective approaches to the match.