The art of defending with compact lines.

We have seen a great diversity of tactical approaches in Russia, but the withdrawal has been one of the most common … And effective. 

Portugal won a European Championship in 2016 with the team withdrawn.

Selections below the average, in the case of Iceland, Iran, Tunisia, and company, bet to join their lines in defense and, from there, develop their game.

Fast and with spaces; a counterattack.

When talking about effectiveness, Iceland is right. A tie against Argentina is never seen with bad eyes.

Iran, on the other hand, won against Morocco and complicated Spain in an intense game.

Carlos Queiroz knows the possibilities of his team and executes them perfectly. Not for nothing takes 7 years on the job.

Because it’s not giving up the game, it’s reading it. Simple.

Solid defense and serious possibilities

The underrated defense … Just see your signings in FIFA to confirm it.

To fold and defend is not cowardly; on the contrary, it is strategists, intelligent people with good reading of the game.

Not Jorge Sampaoli, but hey.

To win it is necessary to score more goals than the opponent, it’s that easy. The better you defend, the more chances you will have to win the victory.

Is it so hard to understand?

Luckily, Heimir Hallgrímsson knows it perfectly. 

Iceland will not play a dominant and offensive football during a whole match. Their advantage, by conditions, tools, experience, and others, goes through the tactical order and the way to defend.

And it served them to transcend a few years ago.

It’s not soccer that the average fan enjoys watching, but … Who the fuck cares?

Spain plays the most elaborate football of the classified and even so it does not just convince his followers. It is difficult for a selection with just over 300,000 inhabitants to do it with the whole world.

The Iranian selection of Queiroz is another clear example of this approach. Against Morocco, a rival with the typical style of North Africa, he chooses to hold on in zone 1 and finished – in a very lucky way – adding three points at the end of the match.

The icing on the cake is to complicate Spain with a wonderful fold.

And there are still those who downplay the importance of defending…