Football's future? From Klopp's rock and roll to Scaloni's emotive music

Jurgen Klopp, in his new role as Germany's coach, has declared that "football is heading towards the wings." He explained his tactical vision, emphasizing the importance of a four-defender system, influenced by the success of teams like Spain, Argentina, France, and England in the recent World Cup. Klopp believes that in modern football, where teams often defend deeply, the wings offer the best opportunities for creating advantages.

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Football is heading towards the wings.

"For me, a great revelation at the World Cup was that the defense of four won," Klopp stated. "Teams that wanted to actively dominate the game, teams that could really win the tournament, all played with four defenders. That's what we'll do too. We'll play with wingers because I'm convinced that today, any team, any opponent, can close down the field a lot. The only advantage you have is, from time to time, for a brief moment, on the wing. That is to say, today's playmakers are on the wing. And that's how it's going to be."

Klopp's philosophy, often described as "rock and roll" for its vertical and deep attacking style, contrasts with a more classical, possession-oriented approach. The article questions whether he can successfully translate his intense club management style to a national team. His approach is seen as a challenge, especially after Germany's World Cup elimination, where they struggled to break down a defensive Paraguay despite dominating possession.

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For me, a great revelation at the World Cup was that the defense of four won.

Germany's World Cup exit against Paraguay, following a 1-1 draw and penalty shootout loss, highlighted their offensive struggles. In that match, Germany's attack featured wingers like Leroy Sané and Florian Wirtz, with forwards Kai Havertz and Deniz Undav playing centrally. Despite 75% possession and 21 shots, they could not overcome Paraguay's defense, raising questions about the effectiveness of their attacking strategy against well-organized teams.

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Teams that wanted to actively dominate the game, teams that could really win the tournament, all played with four defenders. That's what we'll do too. We'll play with wingers because I'm convinced that today, any team, any opponent, can close down the field a lot. The only advantage you have is, from time to time, for a brief moment, on the wing. That is to say, today's playmakers are on the wing. And that's how it's going to be.