Custom Team Football Formation

Starting Lineup

COURTOIS (Real Madrid) · MBAPPE (Real Madrid) · PEDRI (Barcelona) · LAMINE (Barcelona) · MENDES (PSG) · HAKIMI (PSG) · VITINHA (PSG) · HAALAND (Man City) · CAICEDO (Chelsea) · SALIBA (Arsenal) · VAN DIJK (Liverpool)

Control and aggression define the tactical identity of this side, which utilizes a 5-2-3 formation. The team focuses on winning the ball high up the pitch and hitting in behind on the transition to punish any loose space. This lineup is built to play with a high line and verticality, looking to move from a compact defensive block into a lethal attacking front in seconds.

Thibaut Courtois operates between the posts to provide security when the team plays a high line. A back five forms the foundation, featuring Caicedo as the central anchor to sweep behind the line. Saliba and Van Dijk act as the primary central defenders, using their aerial strength and ability to cover space to manage the opposition strikers. On the flanks, Hakimi acts as an attacking wing back to provide width, while Mendes performs a similar role on the left to overlap the attackers. This unit works to squeeze the space and force a long ball when under pressure.

The midfield relies on a two-man pairing to manage the center of the pitch. Pedri and Vitinha operate as the two central midfielders, tasked with recycling possession and progressing through the thirds. Pedri uses his passing range to find teammates in advanced positions, while Vitinha works to press in a mid-block and win the second ball. These two must work hard to cover the space left by the advancing wing backs and ensure they do not get bypassed by direct play.

The attacking front features three players designed to stretch the defence. Mbappe and Lamine act as wide attackers, with Mbappe often cutting inside to find goals and Lamine hugging the touchline to provide width. Erling Haaland serves as the lone striker and target man, using his strength to hold up the ball and knock it in behind the defenders. This front line is designed to press from the front and create runs in behind, often using the space created by the wide players to isolate defenders in one on one situations.

One major advantage of this formation is the ability to create wide overloads through the movement of Hakimi and Mendes. The team also benefits from a high degree of compactness when defending in their mid-block. This setup allows the team to transition quickly, using the pace of Mbappe and Haaland to break the line before the opposition can set their defensive line.

This 5-2-3 formation is a high-risk, high-reward setup designed for dominance and rapid counter attacking. It is best suited for matches against teams that play a high line and leave gaps behind their defenders.