São Paulo Football Formation

Starting Lineup

23- Rafael
32- N. Ferraresi
28- A. Franco
4- Morato*
16- F. Bustos*
20- Marcos A.
29- P. Maia
18- Wendell
7- Lucas M.
8- Oscar
17- André Silva

Seeking to control matches through high pressing and verticality, São Paulo operates with a 3-4-3 formation. This lineup is built to win the ball high up the pitch and use wide areas to stretch the opposition. The team looks to play with intensity, using the width of the pitch to create space in the middle for their attackers to work.

Rafael acts as the last line of defense for São Paulo, guarding the goal while the team maintains a high line. The back three consists of A. Franco, N. Ferraresi, and Morato. A. Franco plays as the central defender to organize the unit, while N. Ferraresi and Morato operate as the wide center-backs. They must be ready to step up and squeeze the space or cover the space behind when the team presses. These defenders need to be comfortable playing out from the back to start attacks.

The midfield works in a flat four to control the central zones and provide width. Marcos A. and P. Maia occupy the central roles, with Marcos A. helping to drive the ball forward and P. Maia shielding the defense. On the flanks, F. Bustos and Wendell act as wide midfielders who must cover the entire length of the pitch. F. Bustos and Wendell provide the width, often overlapping to support the attack while ensuring they track back to defend the wide areas when the team loses possession.

In the final third, the team employs three attackers to pressure the opponent. André Silva leads the line as a lone striker, working to hold up the ball and link up with his teammates. Oscar and Lucas M. play as wide attackers, with Lucas M. cutting inside from the right to create goal threats and Oscar operating on the left. This front line aims to pin the last defender and create runs in behind. The goal is to use quick combinations between André Silva and the wingers to break the lines.

One major strength of this formation is the ability to press high in coordinated waves, using the front three to trigger the press. The wide midfielders, F. Bustos and Wendell, allow the team to create wide overloads when they push forward. Additionally, the three center-backs provide a solid base to defend against counter attacks while the team commits numbers forward.

This 3-4-3 formation relies on high intensity and wide play to dominate matches. It is best suited for games where the team needs to pin the opponent back and control the tempo through aggressive pressing.