For high school players themselves, the anticipation of it as it approaches is exhilarating. Indeed, these days in a lot of high schools the soccer team now forms a focal point around a lot of the schools activities and for the students that play it (much as is the case around the world) soccer is everything! Indeed so seriously is it taken at this level in America that soccer players will begin to prepare well for it, long before the season starts.

Additionally, it provides great entertainment for other students and staff alike, whilst even allowing others to start to fulfill such dreams of becoming ‘Cheerleaders’ as they pull out their pom-poms and begin coordinating their dance routines.

Make no mistake high school soccer is a big deal in the United States, to the extent that the crowds would dwarf some of lower league professional games around the world  So knowing when the season starts is vital.

So when exactly does the high school soccer season start and finish in the United States?

In the majority of States in the United States the high school soccer season takes place in the ‘Fall’. For our international readers who may not be familiar with this term, this is the equivalent of ‘autumn’ and whilst neither dates are exactly the same each year they take place in the months from September through December. A very good article which explains ‘Fall’ and the dates for it in the United States for 2022 can be viewed here.

The high school soccer season in the United States however can actually start prior to fall in August. For it begins for most states simultaneously with the start of the school year. Which over 50 states in America can vary widely. Indeed whilst the majority of the high school soccer season begins in August/September and usually ends in November, some states have exceptions to this and start their high school soccer season in winter or spring.

The high school soccer season in the United States and its popularity.

Though soccer’s origins lie in Europe the game is becoming more and more popular in the United States and particularly so amongst the younger generation. Certainly at youth level the United States currently has over 4 million players (and growing) which is more than any other country in the world. So let’s take a more in depth look the role of the high school soccer season in the United States.

The high school soccer season and how it is organized.

The organization of high school sporting events in the United States is taken very seriously. The scheduling comes under the high school athletics associations remit and each association is responsible for determining the schedule for the season. 

What factors determine the scheduling of the high school soccer season?

The main factors that are taken into account by the high school athletic association when scheduling the high school soccer season are:

• Historical tradition.
• Weather conditions (with southern states more lenient in this respect).
• The popularity of the different sports in each state.
• And a balanced use of sporting facilities.

What times of the year do the high school soccer season occur?

High schools, across the 50 states, divide their school year and the soccer season into three different periods:

1. The Autumn high school soccer season – occurring at the beginning of the school year. Late August/early September and ending in November.
2. The Winter high school soccer season – lasting from November to February.
3. And the Spring high school soccer season – lasting from early March to the end of the school year – late May or early June.

In doing so a better distribution of the sporting calendar can be achieved based on the weather conditions of respective states. Moreover, it also enables schools to better organize a more balance usage of their sporting facilities.

Nevertheless, the high school soccer season is more often than not a fall or autumn sport. Thereby ending prior to the colder conditions of the winter season. However there are exceptions.

States whose schedules differ from the usual high school soccer season:

Some southern states mainly due to their climate have a different schedule and put high school soccer on the winter season schedule. The following states are the ones which do this:

• Florida – According to the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA), the regular high school soccer season starts in Novemberand is part of the winter season. This season then ends during the penultimate week of January. *This date is valid for both boys and girls.
• Texas – As with Florida, soccer in Texas is considered a winter sport though the dates in which it is played are different. According to the University Interscholastic League (UIL), Texas high school soccer season is scheduled to start in early January, with the state finals to be held in April.
• California – The California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) also schedules its soccer games for the winter season. The high school soccer season in California commencing in November, with the playoffs finishing in March. This is true for both North and South California.

*Nb in some states variations can also occur between boys’ and girls’ high school soccer seasons, with them played during different seasons of the year. Boys usually play high school soccer during the traditional ‘Fall’ schedule. Whilst the girl’s season may be moved to the spring season, which runs from early March to the end of the school year in late May or early June.

What does not change however, regardless of when the high school soccer season begins is that the length of a high school game remains the same:

High school soccer games are 80 minutes long, split into two equal periods of 40 minutes with a half-time break lasting 10 minutes.

How Long is the High School Soccer Season?

The duration of a high school season is generally fixed at four months of the specific season of the year it takes place in; most commonly Fall.

Spring High school soccer seasons are sometimes a bit shorter due to the summer holidays. These soccer seasons somewhat of rare phenomenon in boys’ soccer though they are more common in girls’ soccer.

The fact that American high school seasons have a fixed length is related to the duration of the school year and the three separate periods they are divided into: Autumn, Winter and Spring.

High school soccer season – how does it compare to the professional Major League Soccer season?

When we compare the high school soccer season to the professional Major League Soccer season in the US we can see some notable difference, particularly with regard to scheduling Indeed Major League Soccer (MLS) which is America’s primary league competition for male soccer players, has an entirely different schedule altogether:

Major League Soccer’s season starts either in late February or early March, (depending on the calendar), and wraps up in October. October sees the commencement of post seasons games which essentially finishes with the Major League Soccer finals in December.

The same goes for the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). The difference here is that the NWSL season starts in April, not in February/March.

A major reason for this is that some Major League Soccer teams and National Women Soccer League teams do not have their own stadiums. So they therefore have to share stadiums with National Football League (NFL) teams. Indeed Major League Soccer’s newest addition, the newly minted Charlotte FC for example (due to their common ownership by billionaire owner David Tepper) will play their home games at the Bank of America Stadium, which they share with the reinvented United States Football League’s (USFL) side the Carolina Panthers and Major League Soccer is happy with this arrangement. Mind you if you take a look at their stadium in the following article and its 75,000 capacity it is understandable why! 

Nevertheless, this resultantly means that teams that do this are highly dependent on the National Football League (NFL) season and have to schedule their matches so as not collide with America’s most popular sport. Television revenues are also an in important factor here as Pay Per View (PPV) television revenues in American generate enormous monies, so there is an absolute imperative that highly watched sports do not clash. 

With high school and college soccer matches attracting enormously bigger crowds than they would outside of America. The synergizing of sports seasons in America so that everyone can enjoy as many games as possible is not only good for the entertainment side of things but also good for business! 

*Do note however that whilst many high schools don’t have a dedicated soccer field, they do own all their facilities so they can organize their competitions more liberty than some professional sides.

Soccer field vs Football field – the differences.

Essentially a soccer field is larger by dimension than an American football field. Indeed though similar in length the width of a soccer field vs a football field is considerably different. Soccer fields are between 75 and 100 yards in width whilst American football fields are 53 and a third yards. So this gives a professional soccer field quite a considerable greater surface area than a regulation American football field.

In this article we will take a look at the Soccer Field vs Football Field debate. 

Soccer field vs Football field – the exact dimensions.

First let us clearly define how a soccer field vs a football field compares.

Shape:

Both a Soccer Field and an American Football field are rectangular in shape. 

Length: 

A soccer field must be a minimum of 100 yards and a maximum of 130 yards

An American football field must be a maximum of 100 yards between goal lines but a minimum of 120 yards between end zones.

Width: 

A soccer field must be a minimum of 50 yards and a maximum of 100 yards

An American football field should be 53¹⁄₃ yards

Surface: 

A soccer field can have: Natural grass, artificial turf or a hybrid of both.

An American football field can have: Natural grass or artificial turf.

Field Markings: 

A soccer field has:

• Two penalty areas
• Two goal areas
• A halfway line
• A center circle
• Four corner arcs
• A penalty spot
• And a center spot

An American football field has:

• Ten-yard intervals
• Two end zones
• One-yard hash marks
• Five-yard, yard lines
• One-yard long scrimmage line
• Numerals in multiples of ten

Goalposts: 

In both soccer and American football the goalpost are located in the center of the goal line. But the actually size of the goal posts varies greatly:

Sizes of goalposts soccer: 

Crossbar: 8 ft (2.44 meters) above the ground.
Vertical posts: 8 yards (7.32 meters) between the posts.

Sizes of goalposts American football: 

Crossbar: 10 feet (3meters) above ground.

Vertical uprights:
– 18 feet 6 inches (5.6meters) apart
– 35 feet (10.7meters) long

Soccer field vs Football field – can they be used interchangeably?

The simple answer to this is at a professional level is no (though some United States, high schools and colleges have specifically designed their sports fields to be able to do this albeit under a non-professional qualifying criteria) – for if you take a look at the markings required it can be seen that:

• Firstly an American football field is not large enough to cater to the dimensions required by the rules of the game in soccer. 
• Secondly were the American field large enough to cater to soccer’s dimension the amount of adjustments that would need to be made to the field of plays markings, between games, would just not make this practical or realistically possible.
• Thirdly as it is far more common for artificial turf to be used in American football and natural grass to be used in Soccer this would also be similarly problematic. 

*Indeed on this topic a review conducted in 2019 found that 12 NFL teams play on artificial turf, whilst 19 play on natural grass. Whereas in the MLS, a similar review found only 6 teams play on artificial turf rather than natural grass. The prevailing current opinion; that the NFL will continue to move more towards artificial pitches whereas Major League Soccer will move more towards natural grass. The wear tear and taken on the pitch due to the differing physical nature of both sports one major reason. 

So for a variety of reasons, including – most soccer leagues and major championships around the world play soccer on natural grass. Interchanging games between fields is just not practically possible.

Soccer field vs Football field – some examples!

In order to better exemplify the difference between a soccer field and football field let’s take a look at some illustrations.

Firstly here are the sizes of five Major League Soccer stadiums by length

Secondly hare are five Major League Soccer stadium sizes by width

All of whom comply with the international rules for the game of soccer. But if you compare this to the rules required for an American football field whilst each stadium would be fit for purpose by length they would not be so by width unless the markings were significantly reduced.

Conclusions!

Having now gone through the principle differences and similarities, between a soccer filed vs football field, you can now observe that there are 3 major differences between the two.

1. The width of the field
2. The markings on the field
3. The goalposts

These three factors are what make each sport’s field unique and cater to the very different games that playout upon to an extent similar pitches. 

• American Football run by the (NFL), 
• Basketball run by the (NBA) 
• Baseball run by the (MLB) 

Therefore it is only natural that it can be a bit confusing for newcomers to understand it. The reason: Soccer is fundamentally a different sport to the three sports previously mentioned and indeed any other sport in the United States.

So in order to help people understand a game that might appear very alien to them at first, in this article I intend to break down the rudimentary basics of soccer as simply as possible. Thereby in doing so, I can hopefully help those who wish to follow the game and give them the greatest chance of enjoying it though first allowing them to understand how it works. 

The basics:

Well in this article we are going to concentrate on the traditional eleven aside game played in the amateur and professional leagues around the world.

(*Nb there are five aside, six aside and even seven aside versions of the game but these formats are not what is being referred to when someone asks you – ‘do you follow soccer?’) 

Not surprisingly given the format we are focusing on you will not be surprised to hear that eleven players comprise a full soccer team, plus the substitutes or ‘bench’. The full official rules of the game regarding this can be viewed here and particularly at rule 3 here 

Which as you can see might appear altogether a bit overwhelming for a newcomer. So for this reason I am going to try and simplify it as much as possible. 

So in answer to the first question: quite simply, ten outfield players plus a goalkeeper, (so eleven in total) comprise one soccer team and it takes two soccer teams to play a match. 

This leads us on to the next facet of soccer which can get slightly more complex though only occasionally.

How many players are on a soccer field?

Well considering there are eleven players on each team it stands to reason that there should be 22 players on a soccer field when a match starts and indeed no more than that are allowed according to the laws of the game. 

If you look more closely at Law 3 however you will see that it states that a minimum of seven players must be present to not only start the game but for the game to continue to a finish. Now you may be wondering why and how a team might start or even end up with less than seven players. Well here are some reasons that have caused this to happen.

• Illness. Somewhat topically CoVid19 has seen quite a few games recently called off because a team could not field seven healthy players.
• Injuries & red cards. Though it doesn’t occur often how many players are on a soccer field and indeed how many players are on a soccer team can be affected by this. For example if one side for some reason decides to use all its three (*see later) substitutes early in the game then receives two red cards and has three players who are injured to the extent they can’t take the pitch. It would mean they would have less than the seven required players and the game must be abandoned.
• Mass brawls. Occasionally a mass brawl or fights have occurred in soccer leading to not enough players left on the pitch to continue the game. In this Brazilian derby for example between Vitoria and Bahia, ten players were sent off and 8 players were yellow carded forcing the games abandonment,

Other reasons outside of the above have also resulted in not enough players being present on the soccer field for the game to continue and/or the referee calling the game off. These have included: 

• Some teams actually walking off the field of play and refusing to carry on for such things as racist abuse. See this recent game Champions League game between PSG and Istanbul Basaksehir in 2020.

• The referee (under his discretion) declaring the pitch or other factors too dangerous to carry on.

Indeed two infamous tragedies Heysel and Hillsborough illustrate examples of when how many players are on a soccer team made absolutely no difference to whether the game even started let alone finished. Such was the seriousness of the circumstances that surrounded the events in question. The games did not even start let alone finish and you can view why at the previous hyperlinks. 

How many players are on a soccer team – on the substitute’s bench?

The answer to this differs from country to country and competition to competition but generally between 7 and 9 players are allowed to be named to sit on the substitute’s bench.

* Note however, in any ‘friendly’ matches’ played including international matches any amount of substitutes are permitted. With coaches often using this to its full potential by playing an entirely different side in each half in order to experiment and work out their best eleven.

How many players are allowed on the bench?

Traditionally only three players were allowed under the laws of the game to be substituted with three players on the pitch. With the advent of CoVid19 though, FIFA temporarily allowed this to be changed to five players and most countries and leagues around the world voted to adopt the change. The English Premier League however was the exception for not enough sides voted for its implementation. The poorer sides arguing it gave an advantage to the richer sides with bigger and better squads. To this date this has not changed and only three players are allowed to be substituted in the English Premier League. 

However, the outlook globally is that five players will continue to be allowed (due to increasing strains on a player’s health) and that the English Premier League will eventually gain enough votes also to effect this.

How many players are on a soccer team – and how do they set up ?

The above question is often asked but can never be definitively answered due to the varying nature of the game of soccer itself. Different managers employ different tactics and formations according to the players they have. The only constant is that they will all field eleven players if they can.

For a better understanding of how managers then set up the eleven players please check out my previous article about soccer formations and tactics.

In the meantime hopefully this has provided you with a rudimentary grasp of the game of soccer and will help you to further understand and enjoy it.

Origin

The term clean sheet originates from an era when ‘scorers’ would track the result of soccer matches on a sheet of paper. At the time if the score-keeper did not have to write anything on his sheet of paper then the paper would stay clean and hence the term developed. Reporters, fans, and pundits alike simply did not have access to the myriad of modern-day technology we have today. So they would just keep track of how many goals had been scored in a game by writing them down on paper. Simple but effective!

During the course of this article I will explain how the term clean sheet has continued to evolve from its origins and highlight some classic examples of games which ended with clean sheets as well as clean sheet records and their importance.

Clean sheet vs a no score draw.  

Ok before going on to look at some examples it is important firstly to explain the difference between the two above terms for they are commonly confused, miss-understood and miss-used. This is important for they can yield vastly different results!

Clean Sheet:

• A clean sheet can be said to occur when any team and their goalkeeper do not concede a goal during the course of a full match. For example a clean sheet is classified as such when any team does not concede a goal within 90 minutes or added time of a normal match. Whilst in cup matches to be awarded a clean sheet the goalkeeper and team must not concede a goal for the whole 120 minutes plus any stoppage time.

*Note however, goals conceded in a penalty shoot-outs do not apply. So providing a team does not concede a goal before this, a clean sheet is awarded.

No score draw:

• A no score draw is different from a clean sheet in that both competing teams do not concede a goal in the respective 90/120 minutes and stoppage time play. So basically the game ends 0-0. Or as it is frequently referred to ‘nil – nil’   

A soccer game however that finishes 0-0 is statistically considered a clean sheet for both teams. 

What is the imporatance of a clean sheet in soccer?

Well quite simple a clean sheet in soccer is always of utmost importance for it means you can never lose a league game – a no score draw would be the worst result you would achieve if you kept a clean sheet . Thereby your team is guaranteed at least 1 point if it keeps a clean sheet. Similarly in cup matches if you achieve a clean sheet the worst that can happen is that you go out on penalties, which a lot of purists consider somewhat of a ‘lottery’ anyway.

To explain in more emphatic yet basic terms, in soccer you are always seeking to score more goals than the opposition, because if you do then you win the game which is your ultimate goal. So keeping a clean sheet in a match is a rather good way to do that!

Games involving clean sheets in soccer are boring?

There is a wide miss conception that games involving a clean sheet in soccer, likely must have been a boring game. This is a total fallacy some of the most entertaining matches in soccer history have seen one side keep a clean sheet whilst the other side has not been so fortunate shall we say – yet still contributed to the game.

Take a look at the following video and you will see what I mean. Crystal Palace are thumped 9-0 by the great Liverpool side of 1989 yet the match could never be described as boring with Crystal Palace even having their moments.

Moreover, just listen to the atmosphere and look at the performance and I think you’ll agree a clean sheet by one side does not necessarily mean the game will not be entertaining. Indeed, Crystal Palace may have lost by a huge amount but nevertheless gave a decent account of themselves. They even hit the post from a free kick and missed a penalty! So a clean sweep and a zero in the score line doesn’t always tell the whole story.

Games involving score draws are boring?

Again just because both sides keep a clean sheet in the game does not mean that the game has not been a great game. Take a look at a very good article from the respected British publication ‘The Guardian’ complete with descriptions of some for the finest score draws in history.

So again a game cannot be judged solely on whether one or both teams do not score a goal.

Games involving a deliberate clean sheet are a disgrace!

Well here this is actually a truism. For one of the most infamous and despicable games in soccer history actually had this occur. The ‘disgrace of Gijon’ was a World Cup match in which this sadly occurred due to collusion by both sides. The tragic event is worth an article on its own and cannot be done justice by just a few words so I will just provide you with a video link which humorously yet tragically shows what happened

As you will have heard if you watched the video this led to FIFA changing the World Cup rules. In future all final group games would be played on the same day and at the same time, so no side could seek an advantage by knowing another teams result in advance.

You will note in modern day soccer leagues around the world, the same also now occurs. All teams kick off their final league matches on the same day and as much as possible at exactly the same time. This again prevents a team being able to gain an advantage by knowing the result of a rivals score. 

Nb it can be quite amusing on the final day of the season however to watch fans on their mobile phones checking the scores of rival matches and then relaying it to the players on the pitch, particularly in the last few minutes. One famous example of this actually occurred in the 1994/5 season where Manchester United needed a victory at West Ham and Liverpool to beat Blackburn at Anfield in order to win the title.

The latter actually did occur with a last minute Jaime Redknapp free-kick, but United were unable to beat West Ham despite laying siege to the West Ham goal. Nevertheless ‘real time’ information was constantly being relayed between the two grounds and you can often tell when something has happened due to a huge cheer erupting around the ground though nothing has actually happened on the pitch. It means something favorable has happened somewhere else!

Clean Sheets the tactics

Ok so we know that clean sheets are pretty essential if you want to be successful in soccer. Subsequently you will find that teams as a whole will work very hard to ensure they achieve one. Traditionally it was the job of the defense and the goalkeeper to ensure a clean sheet. But this is now a very outdated concept. Though the defenders and goalkeeper still work hard as a unit and pride themselves on keeping clean sheets. Midfielders and forwards are now expected to exert constant pressure on the ball to help ensure a clean sweep can be achieved.

Previously employed, semi advanced tactics have developed; the best soccer sides throughout history were always taught and said to have ‘defended from the front’, which basically means the forwards harried the opposition defense and gave them no time to settle on the ball. These days however the ‘high press’ and indeed constant pressure on any player with the ball is the favored tactic. 

• Why?

Well if the playmakers or star strikers in a side have time to work their magic then the chances of them scoring or creating goals is greatly increased. If they don’t then it’s greatly reduced. If you watch the English Premier League players and sides in action for example, you can see how this is best exemplified. New players to the league from abroad even commenting on how they have so much less time on the ball than they do on the continent such is the speed and intensity of the game.

Some recent examples of a clean sheet and their importance! 

Two examples of a clean sheet of major importance were

• Germany 1 Argentina 0 in the FIFA World Cup Final of 2014

and 

• Liverpool 2 Tottenham Hotspur 0 in the 2019 Champions League Final.

For not allowing a team to score on the biggest of all stages obviously gives you a great chance of winning. Moreover, if your side is dominating the game and has a defense renowned for keeping clean sheets, then this also places great pressure on the opponent. Thereby in turn leading to mistakes and the opportunity for the defensively solid and dominating team to score. 

The two above examples are cup competitions but would it surprise you to know that in Chelsea’s 2004/5 Premier League Championship winning season Petr Cech recorded a record 24 clean sheets out of only 38 games? 

Allowing the opposition the opportunity to score in only 14 games not surprisingly gives you a rather good chance of winning the league as even if they opposition scores in those 14 games it does not necessarily mean they have won the game. Clean sheets therefore are a vital component of both successful league and cup winning sides.  

Just to clarify though a clean sheet doesn’t mean that no goals were scored during a game, but it does mean that at least one team has prevented the opposition from scoring a goal during the game.

Some clean sheet records! 

Goalkeepers are obviously absolutely integral to the keeping of a clean sheet and a successful side. Check out the following article for it perfectly illustrates how some of the best sides in world football ever, have also had the best goalkeepers in the world at the time. Their record of cleans sheets absolutely astounding.

Moreover, here is a more modern article which highlights the goalkeepers who have kept the most clean sheets since the year 2000.

Finally here are the keepers who are currently regarded as the best keepers in the world by clean sheet statistics at the moment. 

You will note that most are well-known keepers who play for hugely successful clubs Ederson ( Manchester City), Alisson (Liverpool), Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid). Looking at the other lesser known entries and what their clean sheet records have helped their clubs achieve however is perhaps more important. For whilst the previously mentioned keepers all have great teams that help them achieve clean sheets. The other keepers clean sheet records are to a football purist arguably are more impressive as they are not part of all conquering teams with rock solid defenses and eleven of the best players in the world to protect them.

Conclusion – clean sheet. 

From this article you can see that obtaining a clean sheet in soccer is a vital part of the game. The team as a whole needs to contribute to it but the keeper is the ‘main man’ who is pivotal to effecting it. A good goal keeper who keeps clean sheets is essential to a successful side: What is often missed however is that a good goal keeper who keeps clean sheets for an unsuccessful side is arguably more important – for he can help them avoid relegation and the terrible pitfalls associated with it. Something which is discussed in my article about relegation in soccer here.

What then defines relegation in soccer?

Relegation in soccer basically means a team drops from their current league to a lower league or division. How relegation in soccer works is different in countries around the world. In Europe for example, where the top tier in England is ‘The English Premier League’, in France ‘Ligue 1’, in Italy ‘Serie A’ and Spain ‘La Liga’ three teams can be promoted and relegated between the professional leagues. Whilst in Germany’s ‘Bundesliga’ only two teams are relegated or promoted between the professional divisions.

How then does relegation in soccer work?

Well if we look at how the following professional leagues are structured in their respective countries it will give you a better idea: 

• England, has 4 professional leagues: 

• The English Premier League, 
• The Championship, 
• Division 1  
• Division 2. 

These are governed by the ‘The Football Association’ or FA.

• France, has 2 exclusively professional leagues:

• Ligue 1 
• Ligue 2 

These are governed by the Ligue de Football Professionnel

• Italy, has 3 exclusively professional leagues: 

• Serie A
• Serie B 
• Serie C

These are governed by the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio; (FIGC), known colloquially as Federcalcio,

• Spain, has 2 exclusively professional leagues:

• La Liga  
• Segunda Division

These are governed by the LIGA NACIONAL DE FÚTBOL PROFESIONAL

• Germany has 3 exclusively professional leagues: 

• Bundelsliga Level 1  
• Bundelsliga Level 2 Liga 
• Liga

These are governed by The German Football Association

In each respective league a team that finishes in the bottom three places by number of points scored (and if need be ‘goal difference’) at the end of the seasons drops to the next division. Conversely teams that finish in the top 3 of the corresponding lower divisions are promoted to replace the teams that have been relegated. *Nb in Germany’s case two teams are promoted or relegated respectively.  

How does relegation in soccer differ in America?

The significant difference between European and North American relegation in soccer is that North American Soccer simply does not have it. South American soccer however does have relegation in soccer along the same generic lines as Europe. 

Essentially the lack of relegation in soccer in America is largely part of a whole. Most sporting leagues in general across North America are closed franchise affairs whereby the same teams play each other every season. The only changes to leagues occur when a different team is invited or when a team leaves.

Major League Soccer (MLS) does not incorporate relegation in soccer into its structure, but then again is also not a feature of the National Football League (NFL), the National Basketball Association (NBA) or Major League Baseball (MLB). So if you come bottom or top in any of these sports there is no change to the status or the level of play you play at for the following season.

Relegation in soccer around the world. 

The majority of countries around the world however do employ relegation in soccer, though as you have seen it varies per country. Nevertheless regardless of the country which employs it, relegation in soccer is one of the most important things to avoid in the game for it can affect a whole host of things.

For example if a team suffers relegation in soccer in England, it is an extremely costly affair. Relegation or demotion to the Championship was claimed by the Washington Post in 2020 to be worth $250 million dollars when Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Watford were contesting the two final relegation places that year. Moreover, the knock on consequences of relegation for a club can be disastrous:

• Star players will often leave the club as they all wish to perform at the highest level.
• Established and talented players will rarely sign for a team that has just been relegated as there are simply better options for their career.
• Income revenues are affected across the board, with amongst other; loss of income from severely reduced television rights, marketing, ticket sales, shirt sales and sponsorship in general.

Furthermore, with no guarantee a relegated and likely depleted side will return to the top tier in their respective league the next season, relegation in soccer is a serious affair for fans and the owners of all clubs alike. Indeed relegation in soccer (outside of North America) is to be avoided at all costs for on occasion it has literally bankrupted a club. Or equally as bad for the fans of the club; turned them from a great side challenging for top honors into a very average lower league side.

Nottingham Forest a classic example of a side that went from ‘rags to riches to rags again’. Indeed, Forest actually went from  second tier status in the English league, to English First Division Champions and Champions of Europe, and then back to ‘also rans’ in the second tier of English soccer again in ‘the Championship’ where there ascent initially began albeit the league then under a differing name.

Take a look at the following clip (though maybe do so after reading the whole article) for it encompasses all the aspects mentioned in the article which would not be possible were it not for the relegation aspect of soccer: The seismic repercussions it can have, the sheer emotions associated and the pervading aspects it can have on the lives of those that truly follow a soccer club of ‘the beautiful game’.

No relegation in soccer – how do American teams benefit from it?

The absence of promotion and relegation in soccer particularly in Major League Soccer (Nb there are other top tier leagues which also do not have it, see here) provides a great deal of security in particular for the owners of the club. Major League Soccer teams can have a very bad season one year but come back strongly the next season. Here the owners of the teams are at an advantage as there is a drastically reduced chance of risk to their investment compared with a league where relegation is a factor.

Indeed investing heavily in a Major League Soccer side is likely to provide for a greater chance of success from a business perspective than in most other countries. The reasons for which are simple: players and fans alike will not switch allegiance to other clubs because of one bad season (or even two). Similarly shirt sales will continue a pace as the game grows, as will marketing and merchandising opportunities – provided it is not a prolonged blip and even then the financial repercussions will not be as severe due to the static, known entity, which does not change. 

No relegation in soccer – how American teams are disadvantaged by it?

Though there are the aforementioned advantages to not having relegation as part and parcel of Major League Soccer it does have downsides:

• There is no nail biting relegation battles for clubs to experience. Whether it ends with last day elation for the fans at surviving a relegation battle or in heartbreak that their team will be playing in a different division next season – any true fan of the sport will tell you this is an integral aspect of the game which when present enhances the experience immeasurably.
• Fans and players alike can get bored with playing the same sides each year with certain sides always winning and certain sides always losing.
• There is a danger soccer just becomes a business first and foremost. Limited risk for owners, players and fans, often equals a reduced amount of drama and thereby entertainment.
• Stagnation can also occur, with many sides unless in contention to win the league becoming complacent, not giving it their all and resultantly a fan reduced experience and level of quality is provided.
• Finally players will often not push themselves as hard because of the ‘comfort zone’ the lack of relegation in soccer provides. This can be bad not only for their own game at club level and for career enhancing transfers but also from a performance level at country level as well when the major championships such as the World Cup come along. The reason; they as simply not as sharp as players in different leagues who are playing under a constant pressure to perform.

Further miscellaneous factors: 

The soccer system in America allows (providing the owners are rich enough) a side to just ‘start up’ a side in the top tier of a league. Outside of America the multi-league structure makes this literally impossible unless a club in the top tier is bought out for several hundreds of millions of dollars. Lower league or new teams are forced to work hard each year to progress up the leagues by finishing in the top 3. Standards simply cannot slip.

Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers (albeit) with strong financial backing were examples of teams that did this from lower league positions. Both sides though big names of yesteryear had to come from positions of relative obscurity in the lower leagues to build sides that finally challenged and in Blackburn’s case won the English Premier League title. Such is the beauty of promotion and relegation in soccer however – things can and have turned full circle. Blackburn are no longer in the Premier league and this year Newcastle are fighting to avoid the dreaded drop!  

Ultimately thereby it can be seen that under a promotion and relegation system in soccer no team, no matter how much money has been pumped into it is ever safe or can get complacent. For if they do relegation can become a real possibility and that can be disaster!

Conclusions.

Ok so now you know how relegation in soccer works – what do you think? Would it work in America? I offer the following viewpoint:

The game of soccer in America is very knew in comparison to other world leagues and has also been built from a different dynamic. In America the game is very much associated with big business and making a profit. Whereas soccer around the world was initially the game of the working class people. In America it is very unlikely the business owners of Major League Soccer clubs would welcome or allow a promotion and relegation structure even if the growth of the sport warrants it, for there is simply too much monetary risk involved.

Conversely the recent ill feted attempt by arguably the biggest clubs in Europe to create the European Super League, shows an intended closed system where only the best teams played each other and could not be relegated would not work outside of America. Indeed it was an utter disaster; not 48 hours after its announced intention, players, managers, pundits and fans alike had demonstrated so much animosity to such a league that it was clear it was a non-starter from the off.

The United Kingdom government even announced plans to declare it illegal such was the outrage in generated. The utter shock and animosity to the idea similarly palpable across Europe. Resultantly despite the giant American bank JP Morgan stating it had committed over $4Billion dollars to the project, fan pressure prevailed, clubs pulled out of it and the status quo was maintained.

So where does that leave the two systems and the future of the game?

Well we will just have to see – but personally I think America’s Major League Soccer will continue in the same fashion, mainly because all the other major traditional sports in the country work from that closed natured business model.

Outside of America I don’t think a closed system without relegation in soccer will ever come into effect at the highest levels or across many countries as its fundamental foundations and fan base are simply too deeply entrenched. However, this won’t stop the ‘money men’ from trying to effect one!

Sweeper soccer a basic definition.

In its most basic traditional form the sweeper soccer player is the the last defense before the goal besides the goalkeeper. He is the player that ‘sweeps’ around the back of the whole team in front of him and ‘mops up’ any through balls that penetrate the central back line whilst also dealing with or cutting out intricate ‘one-two’s’ that can send a player clear through on goal. Similarly he also cuts out the opposition’s playmakers most incisive defense splitting passes, directly or through the channels.

How did sweeper soccer begin?

In order to appreciate how sweeper soccer came to prominence it is best to first establish exactly where the traditional sweeper usually positions himself: 

From the sweepers position he can see how the whole team will play. Usually he drops five to ten yards behind his fellow defenders and then cuts out anything that penetrates those in front of him. From history it was often the smartest defenders or indeed the best soccer player in the team who simply used his initiative to do this, rather than something that was coached.

Bobby Moore (world cup winning Captain of England in 1966) was a classic example of a player who just did this naturally as part of his game. From the position illustrated it can be seen how a gifted player can read the game, marshal his team and indeed shape and control the match in general.  

Sweeper soccer in effect – defensive and attack minded.

Predominantly used in European continental football, the Italians and the Germans at certain times in history (when they have had the sublimely gifted players to do so) have turned the sweeper soccer system into an art form. 

The Italians refer to a sweeper in soccer as the “libero” and have employed it via some of their finest players of all time like Gaetano Sicrea, Franco Baresi, Alessandro Nesta and Fabio Cannavaro to ensure they are one of the most difficult nations to break down or score against in world soccer or even at club level. The mentioned players are all ‘out and out’ leaders on the pitch who form almost a one man backbone for the entire side. 

The Germans through three especially gifted players Franz Beckenbauer, Lothar Matthaus and Mattias Sammer have at times also made a traditionally defensive system beautifully offensive. The two former soccer players even inspiring their respective national sides to World Cup glory.

Trying to describe how they played and effected this would not do them the justice they deserve, so let us just have a look at some moments of them in motion. For then it is much easier to see how the supposedly most defensive player on the pitch can actually build and link attacks, before becoming one of the most attacking players on the field. Often surprisingly scoring some stunning goals in the process!

Take a look at this goal from Lothar Matthaus for example in the 1990 World Cup (which Germany won) and how deeply he picks up the ball

A long but brilliantly informative you tube video of the best sweeper soccer players ever to play the game throughout soccer history can be viewed as follows and includes several of the names already mentioned in this article.  

Viewing the video, you can see what complete all round players these guys were, for it beautifully illustrates how they could do absolutely everything in the game from anywhere on the pitch. Moreover, take a look at their respective records – not bad eh?

Sweeper soccer is outdated?

There is an increasing school of thought that argues that traditional sweeper soccer is no longer a practical system to employ in the modern era and is largely a product of a by-gone era. Mainly for the following reasons;

1. The changes to the offside rule have meant that strikers have got cleverer and now would more often than not play off the last man (the sweeper) or in the hole between the soccer sweeper and his other defenders. So they make sweeper soccer players redundant.
2. The advent of ‘sweeper keepers’ such as Alisson Becker at Liverpool and Ederson at Manchester City has had a similar effect.

To be honest this writer has little time for the argument that the brilliant players illustrated in the previous video would have no place in today’s game and sweeper soccer is dead. Today’s game simply just does not have the caliber of player to play sweeper soccer. Such a system needs players who can adapt in the fashion seen and at a high enough level to base your team round. Looking at the players mentioned it is very apparent that such players just do not come around that often. Maybe even just once a decade or so.

Franco Baresi of AC Milan and Italy for example was the absolute master of dropping very deep off the central striker to give that striker confidence he was no threat. Baresi would then read the game and time his ‘step up’ exactly right to catch the center forward literally a mile offside. Prior to doing so he would give himself the time and space to cut out any through balls.

Baresi was also a master (as were all the others mentioned) of adapting his style of play to each and every game. Thereby if the striker changed tactics so would Baresi. Often moving himself into a flat back four or five and letting a tricky center forward know ‘he was there’ shall we say!  

Others like Beckenbauer would more often than not step into midfield and be so imposing that the opposition was more concerned with stopping him/them than mounting their own attacks. Bobby Moore equally could just adapt as needed in each and every game and make it look so simple (see him stopping the great Jarzinho in full flow here) that argument number 1) can be seen to be a total falsehood. If you have such a player, I simply cannot believe a manager would not play him and let him dictate how sweeper soccer can be so effective in influencing the direction of a game.

Regarding argument 2) the natural counter to this argument is that whilst Alisson and Ederson are great sweeper soccer keepers, they developed out of necessity, for truly great ‘out and out’ sweepers appear in soccer so infrequently. Great additions that they are sweeper soccer keepers’ do not preclude playing with a center back/come sweeper as well. Just take a look at Liverpool where Virgil Van Dijk probably the best example of the current modern day version of a sweeper and Alisson have a great understanding and complement each other massively to the overall benefit of the team.

What has changed then regarding sweeper soccer in the modern game?

Well though this writer would still build his side around a sweeper of the caliber mentioned, if available. The advent of both the ‘box to box’ soccer player who could do it all as well as the defensive, holding midfielder has lessened the need for such a talented player. 

Regarding the box to box player, this started with the likes of Roy Keane (Manchester United & Ireland), Patrick Viera (Arsenal and France) and Steven Gerrard (Liverpool and England) literally controlling and winning games largely by themselves. And between those three players, literally every medal in the game has been won. 

Defensive midfielders augmented this further with the likes of Fabinho (LFC), Fernandinho (Man City), Declan Rice (West Ham), and Kalvin Phillips (Leeds) in the English Premier league playing such pivotal stable holding roles, that they provide a platform for the rest of the team to express themselves. In effect they play the role of the sweeper but from in front of the defense rather than from behind it.

So where does that leave us?

The game is constantly evolving and cyclical. The soccer sweeper will continue to evolve in one form or another and from one system to another. Just because it is not currently being utilized by many sides in its traditional form does not mean it is finished or is not actually in effect just under another manifestation.

Nor does it mean it will not return in its traditional form. For now holding midfielders, wing-backs, and the ‘high press’ are all the rage. But what do they all have in common? They seek to control possession for their side, neutralize the opposition and form a platform to attack from. Exactly what a great soccer sweeper does! Just when they are good enough they can instigate all that on their own.

I’ll leave you with the following question applicable for whichever team you support. Out of those 10 players shown in the video would you honestly not have any one of them in your side? Great teams are built around great players be it the sweeper or the striker.

By the way just in case you are in doubt or missed it; amongst other, all of them had won their respective domestic leagues multiple times; 8 out of 10 of them had won at least the European Cup/Champions league at least once; whilst every one of the top 5 had won the World Cup! 

So…..?

Number 10: Top 10 Fastest Soccer players:

Kyle Walker, 35.22 Kph / 21.89 Mph 

Manchester City and England ‘wingback’ or third man center back (right side) Kyle Walker is regarded as one of the fastest players in the English Premier League. At 31 years of age Kyle has clocked some of the fastest speeds in premier league history and provides raw pace to City’s defense helping them snuff out and nullify the attacks and counter attacks of other teams. Having a speedster such as Kyle who seemingly cannot be beaten when it comes to a ‘foot race’ is one of the reasons Manchester City have been dominant in recent years. Kyle simply ‘mops up’ any through balls or can deal with the pace of players like Mo Salah at Liverpool, which is something some teams simply cannot. Moreover, while it is not always vital to have one defender with such pace it is often vital to a championship winning side. The fans similarly appreciate it too with a famous Manchester City fans chant ‘You’ll never beat Kyle Walker’ frequently heard ringing round the emirates.

Trivia: The first statistic he and teammate Raheem Sterling look at after the match is their ‘top speed’. Sadly for Raheem however, he is not quick enough to get into this year’s top 10.

Number 9: Top 10 Fastest Soccer players:

Karim Bellarabi, 35.37 Kph / 21.98 Mph 

As a winger it is useful to have a bit of pace and Bundesliga, Bayer Laverkusen star  Karim Bellarabi has it in spades. At 31 years of age (and in his prime) Karim is one of the fastest soccer players in the world when it comes to the attacking aspect of the game. 

In addition to his pace Karim’s agility, and acceleration, are also world-class. Given Karim can play anywhere across the front line much of Bayer’s recent success has been attributed to this versatile German international.

Trivia: Standing at 1.84 meters tall, it’s not difficult to see where he gets all that speed from.

Number 8: Top 10 Fastest Soccer players:

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 35.37 Kph / 22.09 Mph

Yet another player who honed his trailblazing speed in the German Bundesliga (where speed is key) with Borussia Dortmund, before exhibiting it at Arsenal prior to just recently seeing it catch the eye of (and signing for) Barcelona is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

A lethal attacker particularly in ‘one on one’ situations Aubameyang uses his 1.87 meter frame and long legs to devastating effect, often mounting counter attacks on his own and leaving a trail of defenders in his wake.

Indeed an Aubameyang in full flight is a true spectacle to behold. Possessing electric pace and a clinical eye for goal Aubameyang though a little off form at the moment is considered one of the fastest soccer players in the world. Moreover, Aubaymeyang’s quick and agile movements off the ball make him difficult to mark and this along with his ability to arrive at that the right time and place see him rated as one of the best strikers in the world. Then again – not many get transferred to Barcelona unless they are!

Trivia: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is of Gabonese descent and is the Captain of their national side.

Number 7: Top 10 Fastest Soccer players:

Inaki Williams, 35.61 Kph/ 22.13 Mph 

A Spanish professional of Ghanian origin Inaki Williams has shown himself one of the fastest soccer players in La Liga for Athletic Bilbao with remarkable consistency. He has been ever present for Bilbao for the last 7 seasons including a record 200 consecutive appearances.

Another giant at 1.86 meters tall Williams has been said to have spent considerable time during these seasons in the gym, which has helped improve his physique and thereby his pace and strength on the ball. As such Williams has become an important target man who holds off defenders to bring his teammates into play or alternatively creates problems by turning and driving into the box which often earns his team set plays. The result of his contribution – the 27 year old helped his club to their Supercopa de Espana title last season.

Trivia: Though Williams has represented the Spanish national side in 1 friendly match in 2016 he has not played competitively for them. Therefore, although he is not tied to Spain, he has humbly declined to represent Ghana as he wasn’t born or raised there (his parents were) as he feels he would be taking the place “of someone who really deserves to go and feels Ghana 100%.” A nice article giving background to which can be found here.

Number 6: Top 10 Fastest Soccer players:

Erling Haaland, 36.03 Kph/ 22.39 Mph 

Currently the most sought after transfer target in world soccer Borussia Dortmund wonder kid Erling Haaland is also one of the fastest soccer players in the world.

Only 21 years of age but a towering 1.94 meters tall Haaland has been devastating defenses in the Bundesliga since becoming only the second player in Dortmund history to score three goals on his debut.

With his height, pace and robust build, Haaland is an absolute nightmare for defenders to deal with and your classic ‘number 9’ that can do it all. Nicknamed ‘The Terminator’ by the Dortmund fans it is almost ‘nailed on’ that this goal scoring prodigy will be terrorizing defenses in either La Liga or the English Premier League come this summer. Barca, Madrid, City and Chelsea all already recognized would be suitors.

Take a look at Haaland’s phenomenal all round abilities here:

Trivia: During the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Haaland scored a record nine goals in a single game

Number 5: Top 10 Fastest Soccer players:

Kylian Mbappe, 36.08 Kph/ 22.42 Mph 

To say Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain is one of the fastest soccer players on the planet is correct. His acceleration is explosive and his top speed ranks as one of the very best in the sport. To say him being one of the fastest soccer players on the planet is the reason why he is one of the best players on the planet however is a falsehood.

Just 22 years old and standing at 1.78 meters tall this precocious talent has caused headaches for every world-class defense in Europe. Noted for his strength and versatility in attack, the Frenchman is simply ‘a world-class soccer player’. Highly skillful and creative on the ball, he also possesses that ‘Je ne sais quoi’ or that moment of magic that can turn a game on its head.

A winner of the World Cup aged just 19 and already the highest goal scorer in La Ligue (French Division 1) for three consecutive seasons, the boy is a man with the world at his feet. Mbappe is the poster boy for the future superstars of soccer.

Take a look to see what I mean.

Trivia: It probably doesn’t hurt that at PSG he has Di Maria, Neymar and Messi helping him. But then again given earlier in the season he put in a transfer request it probably doesn’t matter to him either! He’s that good.

Number 4: Top 10 Fastest Soccer players:

Marcus Rashford (MBE), 36.29 Kph / 22.55 Mph

Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford these days is known for many things both on and off the pitch. On the pitch he is associated with extravagant skills and step-overs yet he does not strike the viewer as being blistering quick or one of the fastest soccer players in the game, as opposed to our previous two entrants. However, they say the statistics don’t lie and when United released their statistics for the last season it was Rashford who topped the charts having clocked up a whopping 36.29 Kph against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. 

Though a player of great ability the 23 year old Rashford’s speed on the field has not however transferred into the potential highlights that it should have done down the right side of the pitch for United.

Some blame the 23-year-old English ace’s noble and headline making charity work off the pitch for this. Indeed the wish from United fans is that; that drive and passion that led to a massively successful campaign against child hunger in the UK (which earned him an MBE) could now be channeled down their right channel in order to make him and United equally successful on the pitch.

A player with all the talents to do just that – it remains to be seen whether he will indeed convert his undoubted abilities as a footballer accordingly. With 20 goals in 37 Premier league games last season it is certainly possible.

Trivia: 

A Manchester United player from the age of seven, Rashford scored two goals on both his first-team debut in the UEFA Europa League and his Premier League debut against Arsenal three days later. Rashford also scored in his first Manchester derby, EFL Cup and UEFA Champions League debuts. Moreover, Rashford even scored on his England debut in May 2016, becoming the youngest English player to score in his first senior international match. Quite some pedigree for one of the games fastest soccer players.

Number 3: Top 10 Fastest Soccer players:

Adama Traore, 36.38 Kph / 22.61 Mph

Wolverhampton Wanderers are not one of the biggest clubs in the world, but until the recent January transfer window they had an absolute rocket of a player who was classed as the fastest soccer player in the Premier League and one of the top 3 in the world.

Adama Traore with his muscular and powerful build; bully, barged and bulleted his way though Premier League defenses with scant regard for reputation. Much shorter than a lot of other speedsters mentioned, Traore possessed a low center of gravity, which made him difficult to knock of the ball. This coupled with a rapid acceleration, excellent close control and supreme confidence in his abilities made him difficult for any side to cope with – particular as it was a trait of his to turn up anywhere in his own half and before you know it, he was in your penalty area causing havoc.

His gift of remaining largely injury free, along with a showcase of talent and skill always marked him out as someone that could truly operate at a world class level.

Outstanding displays against top sides saw to it that this fastest of English Premier League soccer players has been taken on loan by Barcelona untll the end of the season with an option to buy.

Trivia: Adama Traore is a Spanish international who actually started his career with Barcelona in their youth team set up at the age of 8.

Number 2: Top 10 Fastest Soccer players:

Acraf Hakimi, 36.48 Kph / 22.67 Mph

When Paris Saint-Germain snatched this Moroccan speedster from the clutches of Italian giants Inter Milan, it was quite easy to see the reason they did so. Achraf Hakimi had become a quality addition to Inter’s ranks, fitting well into then manager Antonio Conte’s counter-attacking style of play, especially given he was officially the second fastest man in soccer. 

Scoring six goals from right back in the 2020/1 season didn’t do his reputation any further harm and it was no surprise therefore when PSG opened the cheque books and paid 60 million Euros for him in July 2021. Already establishing himself as one of the best right (wing) backs in the world with his dynamism down the right flank in an attacking sense, his 1.81 meters also helps with his defensive duties and contributes to making him a fixture in a team of superstars.

Trivia: Acraf Hakimi has been a consistent player for the Moroccan national soccer side since representing them in the 2018 World Cup.

Number 1: Top 10 Fastest Soccer players:

Alphonso Davies, 36.51 Kph / 22.69 Mph

So we have it, the fastest player in soccer – Mr Alphonso Davies, Canadian professional soccer star of Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. The fastest player in soccer – yes, but by all accounts some player also!

Indeed by the age of 19, Mr Davies had already won the biggest prize in European football – The Champions League after catching the eye of Bayern, whilst first playing his club football for the Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer in the US.

A transfer ensued and Alphonso Davies went about immediately making the left wing back position his own, with the not too easy task of having to push the much respected David Alaba (currently of Real Madrid) from the left side of defense into the center.

Blessed with unparalleled speed, which helps get him up and down the pitch, Alphonso Davies is known as a good crosser of the ball and someone who has the ability to affect the game in the final third of the pitch. Known as the ‘The Roadrunner’ to his teammates at only 20 years of age and 1.83 meters tall, how much faster and better this fastest of soccer players can eventually run is uncertain.

Best Soccer formations – Teams and Players

If you have read my previous article you will understand that the formations soccer teams employ are often the result of the players they have at their disposal. Liverpool and Paris St Germain for example are blessed with very gifted attacking players. In the former case Diego Jota, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mo Salah. In the latter case Angel Di Maria, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi. Resultantly they will play a very attacking style of football, 4-3-3 in Liverpool’s case and 4-2-3-1 in PSG’s case as the emphasis is that the best players are not best sat on the bench! Your best players are best utilized causing the opposition problems. Ultimately the ethos here is quite simple – ‘we are going to score more than you’ and we are letting you know we intend to ‘blow you off the park’.

Different soccer sides however possess different soccer players and as such they must change their soccer formations to get the best out of the players they have. Bayern Munich and Chelsea for example are both very compact sides with few to no weaknesses in any area on the field. Their players all play at a very similar level to each other. For example Robert Lewandowski aside there is no ‘out and out’ superstar player but all are top top professionals who work hard for their team. Thereby the soccer formation they usually set up under are more solid formations 4-4-2, 4-5-1 systems which are designed to control the game, give away nothing and win the game by attrition with the constant pressure exerted eventually providing the win. Sometimes even by large margins so rigorously and intensely structured are the formations they employ.

Ok, so you can see how the soccer players that you have at your disposal affects what is the best soccer formation for your team. Lesser league soccer sides for example with technically less gifted players will often just have to resort to a ‘fighting formation’ whereby they will ‘scrap’ for everything and often resort to ‘route one’ soccer. This basically means when they get the ball they will ‘loft’ a long ball down field into the opponent’s penalty area and hope they can achieve victory from that style of play. 

There are some other factors however that majorly effect on a team’s best soccer formation:

Best Soccer formations – The Manager Impact

Each and every soccer manager has own style of play which he will insist is incorporated into the soccer formation he wishes played. To illustrate this let us take a look at three iconic managers: Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. 

• Jose Mourinho is one of the most decorated and respected Managers in world football, but his soccer formations and style of play was and has never been pretty to watch. For Mourinho quite simply the win is everything. As such his best soccer formation is one that concedes next to nothing and often just pinches a goal and 1-0 win through the odd counter-attack or set play. Mourinho is the man who is credited with effecting the ‘parking the bus’ style of play when needed. Indeed, fellow manager Brendan Rodgers once was so incensed by it he accused Mourinho of ‘parking two buses for 90 minutes’ as Mourinho’s formation that day placed 11 men behind the ball for the full length of the game and ground out a famous 1-0 win. One mistake, a subsequent counter attack, saw Mourinho and Chelsea beat Liverpool 1-0 in that famous game on route to denying them the championship in 2014, illustrating just how effective a best soccer formation just for the day can be.
• Jurgen Klopp employs a pretty rigorous 4-3-3 soccer formation at Liverpool. However it is his ‘heavy metal’, high pressing, high pressure soccer insistence which are the key to his sides formations being successful. At Liverpool, Klopp has an abundance of talent, but at Borussia Dortmund he did not, yet he still managed to make them a very respected and difficult formation to play against because he set up the best soccer formation for that particular side. Underrated as a tactician Klopp is a master of subtly tinkering with a basic formation to ensure he gets the best out of whatever side he has available.  
• Pep Guardiola. Now this man is an absolute genius and soccer purist. A scholar of ‘Total Football’ Pep’s best soccer formation is what he decides it to be on the day and nobody but nobody is beyond being dropped under it. Thierry Henry once recalled a nice anecdote whereby he played for Pep at Barcelona and went into the half time break quite pleased having scored two goals. Only to be summarily deflated when he was told he was being substituted! When he inquired why he was told not quite verbatim but in no uncertain terms ‘I told you to stay in a certain position – and you didn’t’. ‘You will play as I tell you or you do not play’.

Pep however is unique in that he can get the best soccer formation out of any side. See his successes at Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Moreover, whilst he has been given untold wealth at Manchester City, the innovation he has used to create the best soccer formations whatever the circumstances is largely unparalleled in the modern era. Formations including ‘double eights’ in midfield (a nice article which explains this system provided here) ‘false nines’ (basically a formation which uses a number 10 or other capable player as a main but not out and out striker) and this season a side and formation that does not even have a recognized striker! Yet still tops the league by some way! Testify that there are few better managers than Pep Guardiola in setting up the best soccer formation for a side and that the formation frequently has to be able to change and adapt. This leads us nicely on to the following.

Best Soccer formations – Total Football. 

From a purists position and fan lover of the game’s perspective however there is one soccer formation that stands ‘head and shoulders’ above them all. ‘Total Football’ is a tactical formation in which any outfield player can take over the role of any other player in the team. The Dutch club Ajax and the Netherlands national soccer team are generally credited with creating this system/formation during the 1970’s though other soccer teams have been credited with pre dating Johan Cruyff and company! 

For this writer and I believe any true lover of the game, ‘Total Football’ is ultimately the best soccer formation. In this best of the best soccer formation any player who moves out of his position is immediately replaced by another soccer player from his team, thus retaining the team’s intended organizational formation. A fluid system – no outfield player is fixed in a predetermined role; anyone can successively play as an attacker, a midfielder and a defender and the only player who must stay in a specified position is the goalkeeper.

There is only one problem with this soccer formation. Manager’s and players alike all have to be largely way, way, even above the highest of skill levels for it to work. Looking at the teams that have played it throughout history (in addition to the two already mentioned) only arguably Brazil’s National sides of 1970 and 1982, Barcelona’s all conquering team of 2008-2012 (managed by Guardiola) and the equally devastating Spanish National side of the late 2000’s and early 2010 have been good enough to fully exhibit it in all its glory. Though currently Manchester City is making a very good case for saying they are doing likewise.

Why is it so good? In essence ‘this non formation’ puts the beautiful back into the ‘beautiful game’ and if you have the players to play it – it is largely unplayable. Take a look at the following clip and you can see why:

Watching the clip shows you how every player is utterly comfortable on the ball, switches play and position seamlessly and ultimately you cannot largely spot the difference between the skills of players throughout the team from the defence to the forwards. Indeed it is difficult (as it is meant to be) to pick up who is exactly playing where. 

The only problem with the best soccer formation of them all is being good enough to play it! 

History and brief overview of soccer ball sizes

A soccer ball’s size was initially the exact shape and size of the pig’s bladder it was made from! Moreover, until Charles Goodyear patented vulcanized rubber in 1836 this remained the case. The first ‘rubber’ football made in 1855, followed by the first ‘inflatable rubber bladder’ in 1862. These being roughly equivalent to a modern day Size 4 or 5.

However, as history naturally advanced, the ‘beautiful game’ became more popular and more and more people – from children to women wanted to play the game, so the originally inspired Soccer ball changed and different sizes of Soccer ball emerged. In this article, I will take a look at the standard size(s) of football now in existence and the typical demographics that they are used by. 

Soccer Ball Size 1

• Size: 18 – 20 inches (circumference)
• Age recommendation: 3 and under.

The smallest officially recognized Soccer ball size available to buy, this ball is ideal for male or females in their infancy. Either just for kids’ fun, as a great way to start to develop eye and foot coordination, or as a way to check whether you might have the next Lionel Messi or Mia Hamm as part of your family! This size of football is an ideal size for an early introduction into the game of Soccer. 

Other notable uses of this size of ball are that the more experienced player can use it to perfect their ‘touch’, technique and overall ball control as a smaller sized ball is much more difficult to control. (Of course if you’re a budding Diego Maradona, feel free to try using a tennis ball or even a golf ball!) 

Final fact about a Soccer ball size one is it is often sold by Soccer club souvenir shops with their logo and team crest on them so they can also make a great birthday treat.

Soccer Ball Size 2

• Size: 20 – 22 inches (circumference)
• Age recommendation: 3 – 5 years old.

A small step up from the Size one ball, the Size 2 ball is also used for introducing would be young players into the game. It can nevertheless also be used as a practice ‘skills’ ball and indeed is better in this respect as it has a reasonable weight of between 250 to 280 grams. So it is no longer a toy. Though clubs and companies do use this size of ball both for souvenirs and or for promotional marketing.

Soccer Ball Size 3

• Size: 22 – 24 inches (circumference).
• Age recommendation: 5 – 8 years old.
• Weight: 300 – 320 grams.

The Size 3 Soccer ball is the smallest ball used in ‘proper’ league matches. Indeed, it is the size of ball from which many children and youth teams (Under 6 onwards) start to play the game officially.

Slightly bigger and heavier than a Size 2 ball, this size of ball is seen as a ‘bellwether ball’ for testing how well a young player may be able to transition to the larger Size 4 and Size 5 balls which are used at professional levels. 

Moreover, it should be noted that though this ball is not the official size for a ‘futsal’ ball and match, it can be used in such and/or on professional training pitches.

Fun Trivia – ‘cocky’ young players at world renowned clubs have often been ‘brought down to earth’ when their Coach or Managers have had enough of their arrogance and ‘show-boating’, how? The ‘cocky’ player is simply thrown one of these balls (which virtually all clubs have lying around) and told to play with that for the rest of the day!

Soccer Ball Size 4

• Size: 25 – 26 inches (circumference).
• Age recommendation: 8 – 11 years old.
• Weight: 350 – 390 grams.

A Size 4 Soccer ball is designed to ready players for the regulation Size 5 Soccer ball which is used in professional matches. Younger players, who do not quite have the power they will have in their legs when they are older, will find it easier to control and move during practices and matches.

Moreover, due to a lighter weight than the Size 5, this ball will give the older youths the option to really start and develop the techniques required for taking a proper ‘set piece’ such as a ‘corner’ or ‘free kick’. This Size 4 ball gives players a few years to adjust as they get older, stronger, and more skilled.

Note. This is also the officially recognized sized ball for any ‘futsal’ tournaments. Futsal now becoming much more popular in itself and also as a way to help players make the step up to a full ‘elevens’ side for it hones skills and encourages tight ball control.

Soccer Ball Size 5

• Size: 27 – 28 inches (circumference).
• Age recommendation: 12 years and older.
• Weight: 300 – 320 grams.

Finally, we come to the common Soccer ball size which is used universally across the world largely from the age of 12 up. From professional leagues and tournaments such as the MLS, EPL, La Liga, La Ligue, and Serie ‘A’ to a whole host of International tournaments including the World Cup, this is the size of ball mandated for use. 

Weighing in at between 410 – 450 grams, this ball is not recommended for younger age groups (though in England you are given a ball this size for your second or third birthday present – boy or girl!) since it is considerably heavier than the balls mentioned. The reason is primarily dual: 

• It is far harder to control due to its weight and size.
• It can cause injuries, as such younger players’ muscles may not be developed enough for the weight and size of the ball.

When used in any ‘official’ matches, Size 5 balls should have the “FIFA Approved” or “FIFA Inspected” stamp. This means they have been tested and certified as to their official size and weight and are in accordance with the laws of the game.

Summary

The above article gives a rough idea of soccer ball sizes, what type of ball should be used at what age and level of play. However, this is by no means ‘set in stone’ – an old soccer adage applies here; ‘if your good enough, you’re old enough’. Wayne Rooney (previously of DC United) made his English Premier League debut at age 16 and I bet he was kicking a Size 5 around quite a few years before it was recommended!

Soccer formations 

Four, Four, Two! 

4-4-2 is the ‘granddaddy’ of all Soccer formations. Quite simply it consists of four defenders, four midfielders and two attackers. It is a very solid and balanced formation which if played in a ‘flat’ style has little weaknesses. It is neither particularly attacking nor defensive in nature.

The midfield is perhaps the key to the formation as they dictate the play of the game and each member should know when to help out both the defence and the attack according to how the ‘flow’ of the game is progressing. So, for example, if a team is under pressure then the midfield (and even the strikers) will ‘sit’ deeper on the pitch in order to relieve pressure on the defence. Conversely, if a team is attacking, the defence and midfield should move up the field as a ‘unit’ and help support the strikers in an effort to score goals.

What is absolutely key to this system is its rigid nature – players must stick to their roles and should not and are not given license to move vastly out of position or the formation will be exposed by the holes that occur. If a player, say for example, the left back finds himself venturing into a more advanced role up towards the oppositions penalty area then it is imperative that he ‘calls’ to one of his team-mates (probably the left midfielder) to fill in for him. If he doesn’t and the opposition win the ball then it is likely the opposing winger can expose a big hole that has been left and create a goal scoring chance.

Modern day 

There are many different Soccer formations that have developed and are used throughout World Soccer. Different coaches look at the strengths of their teams and indeed the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent’s team before deciding what system to employ. Some coaches tend to favour sticking to a ‘set’ system and will more often than not play that system ‘week in week’ out as this gives their side a cohesion, understanding and continuity in their play.

Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool FC for example rarely alters from a 4-3-3 set-up, citing this consistency of approach as a major reason for his recent successes. Pep Guardiola at Manchester City on the other hand (who is widely regarded as the greatest coach in modern club football) employs a variety of different soccer formations and systems from week to week according how he feels a formation will best suit each game. Let’s however first start with 4-3-3,

Four, Three, Three

The 4-3-3 system is probably the second most commonly used soccer formation in World Soccer history and indeed today. As I’m sure you’ll have now gathered it consists of four defenders, three midfielders and three attackers. Considered attacking in nature it is utilized by teams that are very good technically going forward both as a unit and at speed on the counter attack. Barcelona for example are notable exponents of this formation.

Weakness: Its weakness if any is that it is a fairly centralized system which leaves space on the sides of the pitch for wingers or teams that play an expansive passing game to exploit. Similarly it can also be put under pressure by teams that play 5 players in midfield, as they simply swamp the area and then control the game.

To counter-act this, Managers who are proponents of this system, have started to use what is known as the ‘high press.’ In essence this is a tactic which sees constant pressure on the opposition, even in their own half. All players are tasked with ‘harrying’ opposition players so they do not have time on the ball to find the spaces 4-3-3 is susceptible to.

Mistakes and errors are then enforced and the ball is won back. Klopp at Liverpool for example is said to insist his players try and win the ball back in under five seconds if they lose it. The reason – if you have the ball only you can score!

Barcelona have a different philosophy, they simply hardly ever lose possession of the ball!

Four, Five, One

The 4-5-1 formation is the first real defensive soccer formation that we’ll take a look at. This system can be extremely difficult to play against for any team for several reasons. Notably, the team employing it, ‘swamps’ midfield in an effort to not just control the game but to place a ‘strangle hold over it’ by dominating possession. 

It is also a system which is very difficult to score against, especially if played rigidly and ‘flat’ for there are effectively ‘two walls’ of defence in front of the goalkeeper that a team has to penetrate in order to score. This formation is not pretty to say the least but can be very effective.

Jose Mourinho the infamous manager of some of the most extremely successful sides, (trophies wise), in history, including; Porto, Chelsea, Real Madrid, and Inter Milan, has made it into his very own ‘art form’. However, you would not see many soccer purists or even people who enjoy the game calling this ‘artful’, nor are you ever likely to see it employed to any extent in or by Brazil! 

Such is the dislike for this system, especially amongst successful sides fans, Mourinho, great manager that he is, has frequently been ‘booed’ and criticized by his own fans for using it (even if they are winning) as it is inherently boring! And whilst a ‘win’ is all that counts for Mourinho, modern day fans are no longer happy with just a result.

A successful team is expected to win, and win in style! Thereby ‘parking the bus’ in front of goal (as this system has come to be associated with) and largely just relying on a single big powerful center forward such as Didier Drogba or Romelu Lukaku to steal you a goal on the counter attack is not what people want or pay their hard earned money to see. 

Indeed, one manager (Brendan Rogers) was so incensed by it, that, when asked about it after a game he stated ‘a bus? he parked two!’ The other reason this system is universally heavily criticized is that it produces and is geared towards a low scoring game. Typically 1-0. However, it can be extremely effective and is also frequently used by sides that do not have the budget, players or skills to play any other way as it does grind out results.

Weakness: this formation does have one significant drawback – if the opposition side scores first, often from a ‘set piece’ such as a corner or free kick then it is very difficult for the team using this formation to get back into the game as it often requires ‘wholesale’ changes to the players’ involved and the formation itself, just to try and get back into the match and earn a draw. ‘Holes’, inevitably then open up when this is done and opportunities to concede further goals occur.

Three, Five, Two

The 3-5-2 soccer formation, was traditionally known as an ‘Italian formation’ as few outside of Italy would use it. However, under the modernization of the game this formation has become very popular, notably because it is easily switchable between a very defensive system and a very attacking system. A side that uses it frequently and very effectively is Manchester City – though they frequently ‘tinker’ with it throughout the match (as it is very adaptable) according to how the game is proceeding and in order to ensure the win.

The basic soccer formation however is set up as follows. The 3 defenders are three traditionally strong center-backs. The midfield 5 is not a flat midfield five as under 4-5-1. But instead consists of three hard-working yet creative center midfielders who run the game by controlling the center of the park and distributing passes as and where necessary.

The center midfielders are augmented by two players on the ‘flanks’ to their left and right. Known as ‘wing backs’ it is their job to get to get up and down the touchline in order to get crosses in for their two strikers to get on the end of and also to get back and prevent opposition wingers doing the same should their side lose possession. 

In modern club soccer and also at International level this has become a very popular formation as it lends itself to being easily changed by the players themselves ‘in-game’, to either attack or defend depending on the ‘run of play’. Indeed, it is also relatively easily changed by the coach or Manager to one of the three other systems previously mentioned should he consider that it is not working particularly well for his side in the specific game being played.

Internationally, Brazil, are largely credited with inventing ‘flying’ wing backs such as Roberto Carlos and Cafu, and frequently employing it in an attacking formation. Whereby, Germany have used it as a more defensive style of play with their wing backs such a Phillip Lahm helping both the defence and midfield out to ensure they remain a solid outfit which does not concede goals.

Weakness: this soccer formation is highly susceptible to ‘cross field’ balls being hit into the ‘channels’ i.e the gap between the wing backs and the back three. Which in turn leads to clever players getting in behind the defence or to the ‘by-line’ to get crosses over or indeed have a direct run goal.

Four, Two, Three, One.

Finally, we move on to a more intricate yet commonly used modern soccer formation. This system is usually used by the more defensively orientated managers as well as by some at high level teams with players of great technical ability. Jose Mourinho has been known to use it with his sides and Gareth Southgate also used it recently on route to taking England to the finals in Euro 2020/1.

4-2-3-1

The key reason why this soccer formation is used is the two players in front of the back 4 ‘the holding or defensive midfielders’ help in effect create two teams. A strong back 6 which is very difficult to break down, whilst also forming the platform for an equally strong and fast attacking front 4 as they relieve those players of any defensive duties and give them license to express their talents and break down defences at will.

A further reason for this formation is that it also helps control the center of the pitch and thereby often the game with 5 or even 6 players there, without even the need for a defender to step into this area.

Coaches, using this soccer formation, expect their 3 attacking midfielders to be very creative opening up spaces for the striker and full back. Paris Saint German are perhaps the best exponents of this formation as a very direct attacking system with the emphasis on Neymar, Di Maria and Mbappe (and now Messi) all running riot behind a central striker – Mario Icardi. Please refer to the above diagram for a better idea of how this system now operates.

Weakness – the extreme technicality of the system means that’s if the players do not operate their roles absolutely correctly, particular the two defensive ‘holding’ midfielder’s then chaos can ensue and teams can and do get torn apart when that happens.

Similarly every player must be very comfortable on the ball and not lose possession, for if they do a fast counter attack from the middle of the pitch can occur and the ball ends up in their own net rather than their opponents!