A very popular technique in football – the false nine, The strategy that Vicente del Bosque’s Spain won the World Cup, and Pep Guardiola established a monopoly in Barcelona. Spain started a historic footballing style by combining passing football with the false nine technique, which also fell apart a few years later.
In the 2010 World Cup for Spain, David Villa and Fernando Torres played a great role in this false nine. Then used the same strategy to win the Euros. Playing football without a striker was a curse for Spain. As we understand traditional strikers as players – there seems to be a great lack of strikers in Spanish football.
Aspas, Costa, Morata, Rodrigo, Moreno, Alcacer – these names have never been reliable for Spain. Luis Enrique has therefore walked that old path again. Qatar took only one traditional striker to the World Cup – Alvaro Morata. Yet another new World Cup and Spain is set to write World Cup history without a striker.
Enrique is Spanish and played for Barca and Spain. He also coached Barça. Spanish passing football is in his blood. Enrique’s football is about love with the ball on the field. Spanish football is all about keeping the ball at your feet and making perfect passes. Enrique dominates this diverse football in Spain. And Spain means a lot of midfielders who can play with the ball at their feet.
Enrique’s football is about possession. Keep the ball at your feet and make a passing storm to frustrate the opponent. That’s why his game started from the goalkeeper. So passing football is not only played by midfielders. The team’s strikers and defenders have to be perfect on the ball.
Enrique’s midfield has been playing such lively football since the beginning. Lots of attacks and scoring chances were created. Spain has no traditional striker. If everything goes well, Spain can also play in the semi-finals. But Spain must improve its scoring ability to win the quarter-finals or semi-finals and go to the final.