| Formation | 1982 4-4-2 System |
|
In the 1980s, France and
Brazil suffered from the same problem: they both had splendid midfielders, but lacked
scorers. Out of their resources, they devised a four-man midfield. In the time when 4-3-3 was the mainstream formation, a 4-4-2 system was first thought of as defensive, but this somewhat desperate measure soon changed that fixed idea. Brazil's Zico, Socrates, Falcao and Cerezo, and France's Platini, Giresse, Tigana, and Genghini, delivered magnificent passes and hit opposing sides at their weakest spots. Although neither of the teams won the World Cup, their strategy to form the midfield with four creative players suggested that the 4-4-2 lineup was by no means only a defensive formation. After the 1982 World Cup, many teams adopted this system. |