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Every coach/team manager has unique tactics when it comes to the team formations during a game, in modern football three different formations in the field are defending, Middlefield and attacking. The formation can be defined as the positioning of the eleven players on the field of play it is 10 players since the goalkeeper is usually positioned at the goal post most of the 90+ minutes of the game. The main reason for a formation is to play smart against the opponents and somehow to outnumber the opponent in the field with professional tactics, it also helps not to wear out the players completely. The 4-3-2-1 formation is the most used and FIFA also considered it as the best formation, here are the top 10 best formations used.

• 4-3-2-1 (The Christmas tree formation)
• 4-3-3 (The W-M formation)
• 4-2-3-1 (The Double Pivot)
• 3-5-2 (The wing-back system)
• 4-2-2-2 (The Dual Pivot)
• 4-4-2 (The Classic formation)
• 5-4-1 (Door bolt)
• 4-1-2-1-2 (Diamond)
• 5-3-2 (The three at the back)
• 4-4-1-1 (The two Banks of Four)

4-3-2-1 (The Christmas tree formation)

The manager can also decide to use the formation of 4-3-1-2 where he uses four defenders, three midfielders, two attacking midfielders or one is left behind the two forwards. Spain used this formation in the 2010 World Cup and it hugely came to their advantage by winning the tournament, Zinedine Zidane also used the formation while in Real Madrid and they won three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles.

4-3-3 (The W-M formation)

Having four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards provides balance in the field of play and defensive stability. In the 2018/19 season, Jurgen Klopp lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy with the Liverpool team by implementing the 4-3-3 formation.

4-2-3-1 (The Double Pivot)

It consists of four defenders, two defensive midfielders, three attacking midfielders and one forward. The two defensive midfielders provide support to both attack and defence, one of the cons of this type of formation is that midfielders are required to fall back immediately in case of a counter-attack which might cost their teams. Coach Joachim Low won the 2014 World Cup with the double pivot formation while heading the German national team.

3-5-2 (The wing-back system)

Characterized by three defenders, five midfielders and two forwards which includes an expansive midfield. The formation was first used in the 1980s when Argentina emerged victorious by beating England in 1986 to lift the World Cup trophy. The formation also made the then Leicester City Manager Claudio Ranieri known by lifting the Premier League in the 2015/16 season.

4-2-2-2 (The Dual Pivot)

With four defenders, two defensive midfielders, two attacking midfielders and two forward line-ups is a creative formation which sees often right and left-wing players pushing forward. The dual pivot formation helped Brazil win the 2002 FIFA World Cup under Coach Luiz Felipe.

4-4-2 (The Classic formation)

A striking duo with the help of four midfielders and four defenders is a type of formation with a flat midfield, it works effectively if executed perfectly for both attacking and defending. If a team have good fullbacks they can overlap to create goal-scoring chances, Atletico Madrid won the La Liga title in the 2013/14 season with this kind of formation under Coach Diego Simeone.

5-4-1 (Door bolt)

This is a defensive-oriented formation with five defenders, four midfielders and one forward and it was first used by Karl Rappan, the Austrian coach of the Swiss national team. The Door bolt formation is normally used to win games by defending if the team is actually leading, there is a sweeper in this type of formation who sweeps any loose balls behind the defence line.

4-1-2-1-2 (Diamond)

It is a modern football formation where players form a diamond shape on the pitch with four defenders, one defensive midfielder, two midfielders, one attacking midfielder (creative playmaker) and two forwards. The diamond formation requires a deep squad full of experienced and proficient players, especially the midfielders.

5-3-2 (The three at the back)

A strong defensive power of five defenders, three midfielders and two forwards is the tactic of this formation, it provides the strong defensive structure of three centre-backs and two fullbacks who assist also in attacks. Italian coach Roberto Mancini won the 2020 UEFA Euro tournament with this kind of formation.

4-4-1-1 (The two Banks of Four)

A lone striker with the help of an attacking midfielder, four midfielders and four defenders is a tactic that makes the line-up dynamic on the pitch. Arsenal was referred to as the ‘invisible’ team during the 2003/04 season when they went unbeaten in the Premier League.

False nine is a formation tactic strategy used by the coach to confuse the opponent’s defence, the striker drops back into deeper positions in the field becoming a goal creator and a goal-getter, Lionel Messi is an example of a false nine playmaker.

Team managers can change the team formation in between the games if they discover that the current formation is not working for the team.