Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s Director of Global Football Development, said that a good team at attacking will have a chance to win the 2022 World Cup title.
According to the former Arsenal manager, the FIFA Research Group found that the number of goals from widening increased by 83% at the Qatar tournament four years ago.
“Teams are prioritising defense in the central area so there will be more openings on the flanks. This means strong teams, with bridges. A good winger will have the best chance of winning the title.” Wenger said.
The outcome of the round of 16 matches support Wenger’s point of view, which he holds as FIFA’s Director of Global Football Development.
In the Netherlands’ 3-1 win over the US, all four goals came from the flanks when right-back Denzel Dumfries became key in the Dutch win with two assists.
Kylian Mbappe scored twice in France’s 3-1 win over Poland as a left winger. The England, on the other hand, are largely personal. They also has good flankers like Luke Shaw, Bukayo Saka, and Phil Foden.
Argentina probably attacked the middle the most of the four teams that reached to the quarterfinals because their skill to hit the ball relied heavily on Lionel Messi.
“It is very difficult for teams to break the opponent’s defense from the middle. The distance between the defense and the midfield is so close that there is almost no way to spark from this area,” former German head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said.
The defensive strategy that embraces certainty in the middle also results in 33% fewer passing situations at the 2022 World Cup compared to the 2018 tournament in Russia. Most of the passes, according to Klinsmann, keep appearing in South American groups.
