Dominance in the midfield is crucial to the success of the modern soccer team.
The number 6 in soccer is usually given to the defensive midfielder who helps to maintain balance and stability, both on attack and defense.
They may also be referred to as the holding midfielder or central midfielder and these players must have a deep understanding of their tactical role as well as possess an innate understanding of the flow of the game.
Players that have strong positional discipline and who can establish ball control in the most congested area of the field make excellent defensive midfielders. They serve as the link between the defense and offense and are tasked with stopping attacks in the middle of the field while also creating scoring opportunities.
We’ll look at what role this player executes and why they must be well-rounded and experienced, possessing a combination of technical and tactical skills, physical ability, and mental toughness.
Table of Contents
- The Role of the Number 6 in Soccer
- Attributes of a Good Defensive MidFielder
- Technical and Tactical Skills Needed by a Defensive MidFielder
- Defensive MidFielders’ Movement on the Pitch
- Defensive MidField Player Training
- The Best Number 6 or Defensive Midfield Players In the World
The Role of the Number 6 in Soccer
While the primary purpose of the defensive mid-fielder is to act as a shield for the defense, they also fulfill other critical roles.
Under attack, the defensive midfielder’s main goal is to dispossess the opposition of the ball or to apply sufficient pressure on the ball that their opponents make a mistake and give away possession.
After applying pressure on the opposing ball carrier, the defensive midfielder either wins the ball, forces the opponent to play the ball to a teammate or, if beaten, takes up a position that makes passing difficult or provides cover defense for the wings or fullbacks.
The defensive midfielder’s role changes constantly and is dependent on which third of the field they are in and whether they are on attack or defense. They control the pace of the game on defense, during the transition phase and on the attack.
While defending, the player will disrupt the opposition by taking the ball, forcing errors, or applying pressure through good positional play that reduces the opponents’ passing opportunities.
During the transition phase, the midfielder must decide whether or not their team is ready for a counter-attack, needs time to regroup, or is in a position to exploit poor positional play by their opponents.
All of this happens very quickly, requiring the defensive midfielder to make split-second decisions and communicate constantly with both the backs, wings, and forwards.
And if that is not enough to do, they must retain possession, either through personal skill and strength or through strategic passing.
As you can see, the defensive midfield player greatly impacts the overall performance of the team.
So, what makes a good defensive midfield player?
Attributes of a Good Defensive MidFielder
The defensive midfielder must exhibit exceptional positional awareness, with the ability to be in the right place at the right time.
They must be able to tackle effectively, be quick and robust enough to dispossess the opposition, as well as have enough finesse to avoid giving away free kicks in sensitive areas within striking distance of the goal.
Often, defensive midfielders are required to compete for aerial balls, so they need physical robustness combined with agility and good timing to get their head on the ball.
It goes without saying that players in this position should have extremely good ball control coupled with the ability to make accurate passes. They must also be able to pick out strikers and wings with pinpoint accuracy using long, well-weighted passes and lofted balls.
Coupled with their technical skills, physicality, and agility, defensive midfield players must possess a strong understanding of the various phases of the game and the ability to make quick decisions. Using their knowledge and understanding, they need to be able to position themselves to effectively pressure the opposition and disrupt any attacks or transitional buildup play.
Technical and Tactical Skills Needed by a Defensive MidFielder
Midfielder players must possess the full gamut of soccer skills for them to effectively control the game from the midfield.
Technical Skills
Excellent defensive midfielders are able to tackle, mark, and pass exceptionally well.
These are all skills that can be learned through repetition and drills. Starting at a young age, all players need to learn the basics, but as players become more experienced, coaches will identify those players with the ability to tackle well.
Tackling
These players are usually tenacious, never giving their opponent a moment’s rest, and with the ability to tackle from in front, the side, and behind. Balance and agility coupled with quick feet and the tendency to avoid standing square on to an opponent are the hallmarks of a competent midfielder.
With good awareness of where they are on the field, the defensive midfielder will shepherd their opponent to their weaker side, close them down against the sideline or reduce their options to pass. Picking the right moment to make the tackle is critical, as is the ability to stay on their feet and avoid fouling the opposition.
Marking
Depending on the formation being used and the type of marking being employed, the defensive midfielder needs to know how to man-mark and employ zonal marking. Being the first player to pressure the ball carrier, midfielders must be able to recover quickly when beaten and know when and how to recover.
With man marking, defensive midfielders may have a specific player to mark but this risks being out of position during an attack. Effective communication with your teammates is essential to avoid gaps in the defense.
With zonal marking, the defensive midfield player will have a specific area to cover and loosely mark any opposition that enter their zone. Players will then hand off the opposition ball carrier to the next zone while maintaining their own position. This calls for extreme discipline and the ability to confront opponents quickly when they enter their zone.
Passing
Players must be able to pass accurately with both sides of their foot as well as the instep.
Once the quality of their passes is acceptable, dummies, feints, and body movement can be added to their skills to wrong-foot opponents and create space.
With the speed at which the modern game is played, short, accurate passes make up a large part of the defensive midfielder’s arsenal. Not only must they be able to make well-weighted passes but also receive them correctly.
The ability to look up while the ball is being played and receive the ball with the correct foot, shielding it from the opposition, and steering it into open space, are all skills that a midfielder must possess.
Long passes across the field, either on the ground or in the air, can have a devastating impact on the opposition, who may be caught out of position.
The defensive midfielder can either initiate an attack with a well-weighted long pass or distribute the ball to their backs to start the attack from another area of the pitch.
The players’ ability to make use of the right skill to achieve a tactical advantage hangs on their ability to press, counter-attack, maintain possession, or win back the ball.
Defensive MidFielders’ Movement on the Pitch
Defensive midfielders must constantly re-position themselves during the game as they jockey for position to either disrupt the opposition or set themselves up for an attack.
This requires a high level of fitness and top-flight players will cover more than 6.5 miles during a match, sometimes even as high as 9.5 miles.
Players must have good spatial awareness and the ability to move quickly into position to be effective as defensive midfielders.
Defensive MidField Player Training
Well-rounded training regimes are crucial for midfield players to reach their full potential, but it is the ability to execute accurate short passes, shield the ball, and run with the ball at pace that is the mark of a top-level midfielder.
Xavier Hernández, acknowledged as one of the best midfielders in the history of the game, is an excellent player on whom to mirror midfield play.
Use a drill where players are arranged in a restricted area, approximately the size of an 18-yard box with two players in the middle and 5 or 6 players around the edges. Starting with one ball, the outside players can pass to one of the two players in the middle, one of whom is a defender and one an attacker.
Low pressure is used at first, with the attacking player receiving the ball either to the right or left foot, making sure to steer the ball away from the defending player and then run a few paces, controlling the ball with the outside of the foot furthest away from the defending player who jogs close to the attacking player.
The attacker then plays the ball to one of the players on the outside of the area.
Attackers and defenders change roles and the ball is played to the new attacker, who repeats the process, returning the ball to the other end of the training area.
This drill has many applications and pressure can be increased once the coach sees improvement in technique, awareness, and speed.
The defending players can apply pressure by being physically closer to the attacker, making physical contact with the attacker, or later even challenging for the ball.
Drills like this focus on decision-making, spatial awareness, positioning, and communication using verbal and non-verbal signals and technique.
The Best Number 6 or Defensive Midfield Players In the World
Here are some of the best defensive midfield players in the world who have worn the number 6:
- Bobby Moore
- Xavi Hernandez
- Paul Pogba
- Koke
Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore played for West Ham and Fulham and was the quintessential English defensive midfielder. He appeared for England 108 times between 1962 and 1973, being the captain of the English World Cup-winning team in 1966.
Xavi Hernandez
Xavi Hernandez was one of the members of the dominant Barcelona team that scooped every major tournament cup in the 2000s. He also held the World Cup aloft as a member of the Spanish side that obliterated their opposition in 2010.
Xavi’s incredible ability to read the game and distribute the ball from midfield played an enormous part in his team’s success.
Paul Pogba – Juventus
Paul Pogba is primarily a defensive midfielder but has the pace to play on the wing as well.
He was instrumental in securing France’s 2018 World Cup win in Russia and is an integral part of the Juventus and Manchester United team.
Koke
Since 2009, Koke has played at Atlético Madrid, appearing in more than 550 league and cup matches. He’s won the La Liga title twice, in 2013–14 and 2020–21.
Koke played a huge part in winning two UEFA Super Cup trophies by controlling the midfield with his quick-thinking and superlative technical skills.
To excel in this position, defensive midfielders must possess strong technical and tactical skills, along with physical and mental toughness.
Regular training and performance analysis can help the number 6 midfield player develop their abilities and ultimately reach their full potential.
.jpg){kind=link}