EURO 2020 TACTICAL TRENDS

Hybrid formations 2

Center back performing in the holding area 2

Vertical passes through the center made by defenders 3

Passes of holding midfielders through two lines 3

Winger as a finisher 4

Right-footed players on the left side of defense 4

Full backs against compact block 5

Crosses to far full backs areas 5

Holding midfielders running into the box 6

Exchange of positions it the center 6

Exchange of positions between insides and forwards in counters 7

Fast attacks after pressing 7

High position of holding midfielders during pressing 8

Throw-ins organized by three players 8

Runs from the spot at corners 9

Hybrid formations
Italy and Sweden played with four defenders in opponents’ attacks.
They switched to three at the back on the ball. Left back moved
to high positions. In attacks, Spinazzola and Augustinsson played
along the entire sideline. Left center back filled the zone on the
left flank, while the player from the right flank maintained deep
position, joining two center backs in defense.
Video

Center back performing in the

holding area
Denmark often switched from three to two defenders in attack
development as Christensen moved to the holding area. The team
often used this option under pressure, outnumbering opponents in
the center. Russia’s Barinov performed a similar function, moving
up from the right center back position and maintaining possession
across halfway line.
Video

Euro 2020 tactical trends 2

Vertical passes through the center
made by defenders
High compactness at the center limited holding midfielders. As a
result, it proved to be efficient to use center backs as playmakers.
Spain center back Laporte and Italy center back Bonucci performed
clear playmaking functions. Laporte became the tournament’s
top-passing player (91 pass per match, 96% accuracy), having
made many low passes to the forward through the center. Bonucci
performed the most long-range high balls of all defenders (six per
match) and made eleven key passes.
Video

Passes of holding midfielders through

two lines
As long as teams tried to maintain compactness between lines,
large space between defensive blocks and the goal emerged. It
made holding midfielders with long-range pass skills particularly
efficient. Pogba, Xhaka and Hojbjerg showed solid performance at
Euro 2020 and proved to be their teams’ leaders in the number of
penetrating attacking passes. Pogba completed ten accurate key
passes, including nine from own half or from the third quarter of
the pitch.
Video

Euro 2020 tactical trends 3

Winger as a finisher
Sweden and Italy hybrid formations, involving high attacking
positions of left backs, provided left halfbacks with more freedom.
Insigne and Forsberg moved a lot along the edge of the penalty
area. They kept combining with forwards or doubled up positions
at the center. Insigne made more key passes than any of his
teammates (4.2 per match) and made 19 shots. Forsberg also
created the most chances (9) in the team and made the most shots
(14).
Video

Right-footed players on the left side

of defense
Left and right backs enjoyed more attacking freedom. It was
particularly common for left backs as many teams used right-
footed players on that side of the pitch. It provided them with a
possibility to create chances after shifting to the center. Spinazzola
and Maehle were the most vivid examples of this trend as they
kept moving to the box and finished attacks (7 and 10 shots,
respectively). Being right-footed players, they actively used
dribbling (each making five dribbling attempts per match).
Video

Euro 2020 tactical trends 4

Full backs against compact block
Playing with three at the back gave the edge against teams, opting
for a compact defensive block. In the match against Portugal, for
instance, Germany’s Kimmich and Gosens managed to find wide
space to the side from opponents’ full backs. These full backs
played key parts in attack finishing in that game (each made
five key passes). Ukraine’s left full back also showed successful
performance in attack finishing in the match against Sweden.
Video

Crosses to far full backs areas

Compared to Euro 2016, teams did not use crosses as often this
time around (11 crosses per match compared to last tournament’s
15). However, their efficiency remained high. It is the application
of crosses that has changed. The ball has been often delivered to
open areas behind the far center back or even the far full back.
Diagonal crosses made with the inner side of foot and curled
towards the goal were common. Denmark and Spain used such
crosses and proved to be among the tournament’s leaders in the
total number of crosses.
Video

Euro 2020 tactical trends 5

Holding midfielders running into the
box
Players who ran from the depth were the targets of crosses. In the
games of Denmark and Czech Republic, one or even two holding
midfielders went into opponents’ box. These players finished
attacks. Czech players Soucek and Holes totaled 14 shots, Danish
players Delaney and Hojbjerg made 16 shots. Denmark and Czech
Republic holding midfielders were among their teams’ TOP-5
shooting players.
Video

Exchange of positions in the center

France’s Benzema often dropped to flanks or to the depth of the
pitch, creating space for Mbappe, who ran into open areas at the
center at high speed. It was England players who exchanged
positions at the center most efficiently as Kane supported his
partners from a false nine position, while Sterling finished attacks
from the second forward position. It was Sterling who had the
most chances (13) in England team.
Video

Euro 2020 tactical trends 6

Exchange of positions between insides
and forwards in counters
Teams, using a 3-4-3 formation, developed the most threatening
counterattacks. Denmark and Switzerland scored three goals in
counterattacks each, Belgium scored two goals. Insides stayed in
half-space during transition to attacks and managed to meet the
ball in promising positions. The forward and inside exchanged
positions to create space for them. Center forward moved to the
flank to take one of defenders away from position and create
a corridor for an inside. Belgium’s Lukaku and De Bruyne were
particularly efficient in this action.
Video

Fast attacks after pressing

Teams that maintained high pressing intensity proved to be
the most successful at the tournament. They tried to finish
combinations in two or three passes. Italy, Czech Republic and
Spain demonstrated the most efficient performance at the change
of possession. Having made a recovery, they tried to take advantage
of opponents’ mistakes during transition from attack to defense.
Two to three players found space at the same time.
Video

Euro 2020 tactical trends 7

High position of holding midfielders
during pressing
Both Czech Republic holding midfielders took high positions during
pressing. Holes and Soucek started dispossession actions across
halfway line. Opponents had to take the ball to flanks quickly
as full backs showed proactive performance in those areas. Italy
managed to make up for Jorginho’s low tenacity with a compact
central block. The player showed 43% success in tackling and
made six recoveries per match.
Video

Throw-ins organized by three players

Combinations, involving a group of players at the corner of the box,
proved to be successful. In this case, the ball was delivered to a
player, running towards the goal, with the first touch. Croatia and
Italy were efficient in such combinations. Croatia finished three
attacks with shots after throw-ins.
Video

Euro 2020 tactical trends 8

Runs from the spot at corners
Crosses to the center of the box were successfully used at corners.
England were particularly good at such combinations. Four players
typically stayed at the edge to the box at the cross. Their compact
positioning did not allow opponents to use man-marking. Three
players blocked opponents, the fourth player moved to the ball.
Maguire acted as the finisher in such episodes. Seven crosses to
this player from the corner flag proved to be accurate and four
resulted in shots. Denmark used a similar combination (at crosses
from the right flank), delivering the ball to Vestergaard. France also
used this combination at times.
Video

Euro 2020 tactical trends 9