What is to like about associative football?

Associative football is like a ballet or a well coorditante orchestra of 11 skillful players, rithmically and patiently passing the ball as they look for a crack in the opponent´s defense. In a football increasingly dominated by the most athletic teams, associative football challenges this dominant trend by betting for skill, ball possession, and constant attack. It is both a risky bet and beautiful to watch.




Putting together a full national team of players able to play like this, including the guys on the bench, is no easy task. Very few countries in the world can do it. More importantly, very few national coaches dare to do it. Very skillful players are needed, and skillful players are usually small guys. A team playing in this way is a physically light-weight team. It risks getting abused by more muscular teams. Defensively, a light-weight team is also at risk, in danger of being overpowered by stronger and taller teams. Here you can see why this bet is so unusual, and so risky.

Notice that for associative football to take place, each player in the team must have the ability to pass the ball immediately. This is the most valuable skill necessary for associative football-speed of mind. This is hard. Really hard. Most players professional and non-professional, need to stop the ball when they receive it, then rise their head, then lower it and take a look at the ball again, then kick it forward or backwards, then rise the head again and pass the ball. Way too slow! Not good for associative football. The ball needs to circulate as fast as possible. The ball should run more than the players, not the other way around. Only in this way the opponent´s defense can get out of place, distracted, cracked, and scoring becomes possible. Again, this is not achievable by just any team. To put it bluntly-any team can successfully play defensive football, yet only a very good team can play associative football.

Spain is not the first team ever that plays in this way. Brazil national team has played in a slower motion, but very similar way, for decades. In this World Cup it will not play in this way, though. Dunga, the Brazilian coach, favors a more physical style-press, steal and run. Played in faster and more dynamic way, it is prohably the Netherlands in the World Cup of 1974 the point of reference. Ajax of Amsterdam, Arsenal and Barcelona are the three football clubs in Europe that play in this way. And then the Spanish national team, starting about 3 years ago. It all started with this Denmark vs. Spain in October 2007, and in particular, with this goal, scored only after 28 consecutive passes:




There are other very difficult and very effective ways to play football. Italian defensive football played at its best is an art. British and Irish push-and-run direct football played at its best is also an art. Each of these styles require a very different type of player. Each has its followers and its own beauty too.