"Total Football" is the label for an influential theory of tactical soccer pioneered by the Dutch. “Soccer” redirects here. ...

In Total Football, a player who moves out of his position is replaced by another from his team, thus retaining the team's intended organizational structure. In this fluid system, no player is fixed in his nominal role; anyone can be successively an attacker, a midfielder and a defender. In some sports, an attacker is a specific type of player, usually one whose role involves aggressive play. ... For the Australian Rules position, see Midfielder (Australian Rules). ... The Bolton players in white are defending - the nearest player is trying to prevent the Fulham forward in cyan from crossing the ball. ...

Total Football's tactical success depends largely on the adaptability of each footballer within the team, in particular their ability to quickly change positions depending on the situation. The theory requires players to be comfortable in multiple positions, hence it puts high technical and physical demands on them.

History

The foundations for Total Football were laid by Jack Reynolds, who was the manager of Ajax Amsterdam from 1915-1925, 1928-1940 and 1945-1947. John Jack Reynolds (b. ... Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (Euronext: AJAX) also referred to as Ajax Amsterdam, AFC Ajax, or simply Ajax (pronounced /ˈʌɪjaks/), is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Rinus Michels, who played under Reynolds, later went on to become manager of Ajax himself and refined the concept into what is known today as "Total Football" (Totaalvoetbal in Dutch), using it in his training for the Ajax squad and the Netherlands national team in the 1970s. It was further refined by Stefan Kovacs after Michels left for FC Barcelona. Dutch forward Johan Cruyff was the system's most famous exponent.^[1] Marinus (Rinus) Jacobus Hendricus Michels (February 9, 1928 – March 3, 2005) was a Dutch football player and coach. ... First international Belgium 1 - 4 Netherlands (Antwerp, Belgium; 30 April 1905) Biggest win Netherlands 9 - 0 Finland (Solna, Sweden; 4 July 1912) Netherlands 9 - 0 Norway (Rotterdam, Netherlands; 1 November 1972) Biggest defeat England Amateur 12 - 2 Netherlands (Darlington, England; 21 December 1907) World Cup Appearances 8 (First in 1934... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... Stefan Kovacs (Hungarian: Kovács István, also known in Romanian as Stefan Covaci), (October 2, 1920 in TimiÅŸoara, Romania - May 12, 1995), is with 15 major titles one of the must successful association football coaches in the history of the game. ... Futbol Club Barcelona (Spanish IPA: , Catalan IPA: ), known familiarly as Barça (Spanish IPA: , Catalan IPA: ), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. ... This article is about football players. ... Johan Cruijff Johan Cruijff (born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football trainer/coach and former star player. ...

Although Cruyff was fielded as centre forward, he wandered all over the pitch, popping up wherever he could do most damage to the opposing team. This resulted in a need for a dynamic system like Total Football. Cruyff's teammates adapted themselves flexibly around his movements, regularly switching positions so that the tactical roles in the team were always filled.

Space and the creation of it were central to the concept of Total Football. Ajax defender Barry Hulshoff explained how the team that won the European Cup in 1971, 1972 and 1973 worked it to their advantage: "We discussed space the whole time. Johan Cruyff always talked about where people should run and where they should stand, and when they should not move."^[2] Barry Hulshoff (born 30 September 1946) is a former Dutch footballer who played for Ajax Amsterdam and was part of their European Cup victories in 1971, 1972 and 1973. ... UEFA Champions League, which replaced the European Champions Cup, is a seasonal club football competition organised by UEFA since 1992 for the most successful football clubs in Europe. ...

The constant switching of positions that became known as Total Football only came about because of this spatial awareness. "It was about making space, coming into space, and organizing space-like architecture on the football pitch," said Hulshoff. The system developed organically and collaboratively: it was not down to coach Rinus Michels, his successor Stefan Kovacs or Cruyff alone. Cruyff summed up his (Total Football) philosophy: "Simple football is the most beautiful. But playing simple football is the hardest thing."^[3]

The 1972 European Cup final proved to be Total Football's finest hour. After Ajax's 2:0 victory over Inter Milan, newspapers around Europe reported the "death of Catenaccio and triumph of Total Football". The Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad declared: "The Inter system undermined. Defensive football is destroyed."^[4] UEFA Champions League, which replaced the European Champions Cup, is a seasonal club football competition organised by UEFA since 1992 for the most successful football clubs in Europe. ... Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as simply Internazionale, Inter or Inter Milan[1], is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy, founded in 1908. ... Karl Rappans verrou Catenaccio describes a tactical system in football with an emphasis on defence and tactical fouls. ... Algemeen Dagblad is a Dutch newspaper. ...

Dutch goal against Brazil in 1974 FIFA World Cup.

Michels was appointed for the 1974 FIFA World Cup campaign by the KNVB. Most of the 1974 team were made up of players from Ajax and Feyenoord. However, Rob Rensenbrink was an outsider, having played for clubs in neighboring Belgium, and was unfamiliar with Total Football, although he was selected and adapted well. During the tournament, the Netherlands coasted through their first and second round matches, defeating Argentina (4-0), East Germany (2-0) and Brazil (2-0) to setup a meeting with hosts West Germany.^[5] Qualifying countries The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from June 13 to July 7. ... Qualifying countries The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from June 13 to July 7. ... The Royal Netherlands Football Association (Dutch: or KNVB) is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. ... Feyenoord team practice session in 2002. ... Pieter Robert (Rob) Rensenbrink (born July 3, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a former Dutch football player. ... First international Poland 3 - 0 East Germany (Warsaw, Poland; 21 September 1952) Last International Belgium 0 - 2 East Germany (Brussels, Belgium; 12 September 1990) Biggest win Ceylon 1 - 12 East Germany (Colombo, Ceylon; 12 January 1964) Biggest defeat 0 - 3, 12 times; 1 - 4, three times World Cup Appearances 1...

In the 1974 final, Cruyff kicked off and the ball was passed around the Oranje thirteen times before returning to Cruyff, who then went on a rush that eluded Berti Vogts and ended when he was fouled by Uli Hoeness inside the box. Teammate Johan Neeskens scored from the spot kick to give the Netherlands a 1-0 lead with 80 seconds of play elapsed, and the Germans had not even touched the ball. Cruyff's playmaking influence was stifled in the second half of the match by the effective marking of Berti Vogts, while Franz Beckenbauer, Uli Hoeness and Wolfgang Overath dominated midfield, enabling West Germany to win 2-1.^[6] Hans Hubert (Berti) Vogts (born 30 December 1946 in Büttgen) is a former German international football player and manager. ... Ulrich Uli Hoeness, (German Hoeneß), (b. ... Johannes (Johan) Jacobus Neeskens (born September 15, 1951) is a Dutch football manager and former midfielder. ... Franz Anton Beckenbauer (born September 11, 1945) is a German football coach, manager, and former player, nicknamed der Kaiser (the emperor) because of his elegant style, his leadership qualities, his first name Franz (reminiscent of the Austrian emperors called Francis in English), and his dominance on the football pitch. ... Ulrich Uli Hoeness, (German Hoeneß), (b. ... Wolfgang Overath (born 29 September 1943 in Siegburg, Germany) is a former West German football player. ...

The ill-fated Austrian "Wunderteam" of the 1930s is also credited in some circles as being the first national team to play Total Football. It is no coincidence that Ernst Happel, a talented Austrian player in the 1940s and 1950s, was coach in the Netherlands in the late 1960s and early 1970s. He introduced a tougher style of play at ADO and Feyenoord. Happel managed the Netherlands national team in the 1978 World Cup, where they again finished as runners-up. Wunderteam(Wonder Team) was the name given to the great Austria national football team of the 1930s. ... The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known as the [[. In East Asia, the rise of militarism occurred. ... Ernst Happel (November 29, 1925 – November 14, 1992) was an Austrian football player and coach. ... The 1940s decade ran from 1940 to 1949. ... The 1950s decade refers to the years of 1950 to 1959 inclusive. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969. ... The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, also called The Seventies. ... ADO Den Haag (ADO stands for Alles Door Oefening, Everything Through Practice) is the main football club in the city of The Hague. ... Feyenoord team practice session in 2002. ... The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the World Cup, was held in Argentina between June 1 and June 25. ...

Teams to have used the tactic

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Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (Euronext: AJAX), also referred to as AFC Ajax, or simply Ajax, is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... Futbol Club Barcelona (Spanish IPA: , Catalan IPA: ), known familiarly as Barça (Spanish IPA: , Catalan IPA: ), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. ...

References

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Era (or Anno Domini), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 164th day of the year (165th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Anti-football
• Catenaccio
• Striker
• Football tactics and skills
• Formation (football)