PlayBeautiful

The Perception of Playing Styles in Football

Football is an art form. I don’t only see 22 players on the pitch. I see a master diligently creating his painting. Each step is a brushstroke. Every touch on the ball is a production. The beauty lies in the fact we have our own unique interpretations. A perfect mold doesn’t exist neither in life nor in football.

People see it as black or white. It’s either attractive or anti- football. A pretty or an ugly win. We may have our preferences on what we consider to be aesthetically pleasing, but that does not mean we cannot appreciate or respect different playing styles. When you take away the labels and stereotypes, we are fully able to understand the role of football. It’s not about right or wrong, but our own perception of the game is beautiful no matter what.

Based on popular opinion, people respond positively to teams who are not afraid to attack. Let’s consider teams at the World Cup in the Group Stage. For example, France play a creative, free-flowing style which heavily relies on the technical abilities of the players. Les Bleus rank high on shots attempted and boast one goal every 34 minutes.

In addition, the Netherlands implement a fast counter-attacking style by applying pressure and getting every player involved to break down the rival. This is how they scored an impressive 10 goals from open play, which translates into one goal every 27 minutes from 4.1 attempts. Both are considerably higher than the average of 62 minutes from 9 attempts.

Germany incorporate a direct style of football, while maintaining possession. Like a well-built machine, they utilize efficiency to get the result. They calculated the most short passes per game with a total pass completion rate of 85%. They are quick on transitions and players are able to adapt within the system.

On the other end of the spectrum, both Iran and Greece exhibited a more conservative approach. Iran placed emphasis on keeping the defense tight and using their opportunities on breakaways as their means to score. This defensive style of play was not appreciated by many because it did not add the “entertainment factor” or most saw it as a way of not playing football but merely playing for a draw. With a group consisting of Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Nigeria, it was always going to be a difficult task to advance to the next round. They stifled Nigeria who have one of the most dangerous and unpredictable attacking force in the competition. They almost got a result against Argentina, but a last-minute strike by Messi changed the outcome. To battle against waves of oncoming attacks and remain steadfast against pressure requires immense concentration.

Similarly, Greece have a footballing style they stay committed to. It is admirable because they always seem to find a way. To get as far as they did by relying on their strategy is a huge achievement. The most notable facet of this Greek side is their sheer strength in numbers to challenge the opposition. Greece don’t have the most refined players, but they collectively work together to make the defense impenetrable. The focus on organization is a key part of their game plan.

I see nothing wrong with a defensive style of play. In every high stakes game at the World Cup, it’s about taking the best result and running with it. Certain teams have limitations, so they have to maximize the chances they do have. Tactically, they have to be on their game because there’s less room for error. It requires just as much attention to detail executing a defensive plan as it does an offensive one.

When I see a certain team play a distinct style of football, I don’t feel the need to write it off. There is a reason behind it and it enables me learn to learn more about their philosophy.
As a student of the game, I believe it’s important to be open-minded. We are the ones who created barriers and we are the ones who can break them down.