The “art of defending” is something pundits like to claim has been lost in recent years.
Whilst some “street-wise” elements may have left the game, along with changes in how games are managed by referees, defending now is arguably far more intricate than ever before.
In addition to being expected to play out from the back when under pressure, defenders have to deal with well-developed phases of play and teams that use in-depth analysis to identify and exploit their weaknesses.
This tactical theory will analyse how modern defenders defend their box from the wide area, prepare themselves to handle crosses, and react to the ball in central areas.
The analysis will use examples from the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, including clubs like Bayern Munich, Boca Juniors, and Auckland City, to show how players position their body shape to give themselves the best chance of seeing, predicting, and dealing with danger.
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Defending Attacks From Wide
The image above, from a Bayern Munich attack against Boca Juniors in the Club World Cup, shows a scenario where the backline is defending just outside their box with the ball travelling to the wide area.
Much conventional wisdom suggests that the back line should face forward, with the shoulders open as much as possible, when the ball is on one side of the pitch.
The advantage of this is that it allows players to see both the ball and any opposition threat from the ball-far side.
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