Custom Team Football Formation

Starting Lineup

22. Afonso Gonçalves
27 . Rafinha
26. Luís
6. Sousa
2. Duarte
75 . Sampaio
45 . Sá
25. Serra
11. Vilaça
10. Lourenço
38. Brites

Seeking to win the ball high up the pitch and strike with pace, this team relies on a 5-2-3 formation. The identity centers on a high press and quick transitions to catch opponents out of position. This lineup is built to sit in a mid-block when needed but prefers to squeeze the space in the opponent's half to force errors.

Afonso Gonçalves stays between the posts to organize the back line. The defensive unit functions with a back three consisting of Sampaio, Sousa, and Duarte. Sampaio acts as the central defender to win the header and clear the lines during crosses. Sousa and Duarte provide cover to the sides, while the attacking wing backs, Luís and Rafinha, push high to provide width. This allows the team to defend in a narrow defensive block while remaining ready to spread wide during an attack.

The midfield relies on a double pivot to control the center of the pitch. Sá and Serra work to connect the defensive and attacking lines. Serra drives forward with the ball to break the line, while Sá protects the space in front of the defenders to deny the turn to opposition attackers. Together, they press in pairs to win the second ball and immediately look to find the front three during a transition.

Up front, the team employs three attackers to stretch the defence. Vilaça acts as the pressing centre-forward to pin the last defender and hold up the ball for others. On the flanks, Lourenço and Brites operate as wide wingers who hug the touchline to create space in the middle. Their movements allow for runs in behind and create opportunities for Lourenço or Brites to cut inside and deliver early into the box.

One major strength is the ability to create wide overloads from overlapping full backs like Luís and Rafinha. This stretches the opposition and leaves space for the midfielders to arrive late into the box. Additionally, the team can hit in behind on the transition with great speed, using the directness of Vilaça and the pace of the wingers to punish teams that play a high line.

This 5-2-3 formation provides a solid base for a team that wants to dominate through aggressive pressing. It is best suited for matches against opponents who struggle to play out from the back or leave large spaces behind their defensive line.