Why Number 10 Role in Football Is Declining As Messi, Zidane Chat About Tactics

• Lionel Messi and Zinedine Zidane have discussed the use of number 10 in football
• The two stars of their respective generations sat down for a football chat in Miami
• We take a look at the role of number 10 and why managers are doing away with it

Video footage and pictures of Lionel Messi meeting with Zinedine Zidane sent ripples across the football world as the two greats sat down to discuss a number of topics.

Their El Clasico duels with Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively aside, the two legends opened up about their careers and expressed regret at not ever playing together.

As Zidane was headbutting Marco Materazzi in the 2006 World Cup final before retiring, Messi was still just another player - not the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner he is today.

One of the issues the two agreed on was how number 10 as a position is on sharp decline to the extent that managers almost never use it nowadays.

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"Today, the number 10 is not as important as it used to be. Its place and positioning on the pitch is gone," said Zidane who apart from a glittering career, had an equally impressive stint as Real Madrid manager.

The number 10 position in football

Sports Brief takes a tactical approach and delves into why number 10s are no longer important in a team's setup.

An ideal number 10 operates in a free role between the midfield and just behind the lead striker or, in terms of numbers, a number 9.

The position is at times called 'between the lines' as a player's main role is to receive the ball in between the lines before turning and looking to split the defence.

The 4-2-3-1 or 3-4-1-2 formations are the perfect setups for a number 10 to thrive in on paper.

The role is referred to as enganche - an Argentine football term. The Conventional Playmaker opines that whoever plays in this role must possess a deep sense of vision and the ability to deliver killer passes. In the blink of an eye, they can decide a game.

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But as the game evolved, managers started to become more creative by looking for ways to stifle the main source of attacks in the opposing teams.

"There aren't many number 10s left," said Messi. "Nowadays, teams play 4-3-3, which requires players to be more inside than the number 10."

A number 10, as intended, was a player who wasn't necessarily required to drop back and help in defence. His would be to wait in case of a turnover in possession and be ready to carry the ball forward.

These days, managers insist on constant work rate on both ends of the pitch. That explains why Mikel Arteta did away with Mesut Ozil as soon as he took over as Arsenal's boss. Ozil is one of the best playmakers in the history of the game, mark you.

How number 10s are contained in football

Part of a manager's game plan is making sure that the opposing team doesn't play well by cutting off their passing channels.

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Teams often set up with a double-pivot in midfield, with one of the players instructed to screen or shadow the number 10 of the opposing team. Once the number 10 is marked out of the game, it becomes hard for the opposing team to make an impact.

To counter this, number 10s have been forced to move to the wings, which can offer spaces for them to exploit. As a winger, one can take on a defender, cut in or switch play to help his side.

Harambee Stars midfielder, Kenneth Muguna - one of Kenya's natural number 10s - has echoed Messi and Zidane's sentiments.

"It’s true the number 10 position is dead in modern football. The position doesn’t exist anymore as a player; you have to adapt. Nowadays, they play from the wing," he said in an exclusive chat with Sports Brief.

Muguna opines that David Silva, Ozil, Juan Riquelme, Zidane, Wesley Sneijder, and Kaka are some of the best number 10s in history.

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The position is not entirely useless these days, but it requires the ingenuity of the player in that position to make the team tick, for instance, Messi.

The Argentine's ability on the ball is second to none. Teamsheets usually have him starting from the right wing, but he drifts in to collect the ball before launching offensives on the opponent's area either by using his exquisite passing range or by taking on players.

Analysing the use of the 'high line'

Sports Brief previously broke down the 'high line' as a defensive tactic teams often employ to reduce the space in which the opposition can play in the other half.

It involves the entire defence stepping up the pitch, almost near the halfway line or, as Tottenham boss, Ange Postecoglou showed, on the halfway line itself.