Centre-backs: Their influence when progressing play

During the Women’s Olympic Football Tournament Paris 2024, several of the on-site Technical Study Group (TSG) members had also attended and observed the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™. An advantage of having this dynamic within the group was that changes in trends or tactical approaches were easily identifiable.

While analysing the group stages in France, it was noted that centre-backs appeared to be more involved in how teams were breaking lines of the opposition team’s defensive structures. This was tracked throughout the competition and the post-tournament data provided by our Football Performance Insights Team validates this observation.

It was found that centre-backs completed significantly more line breaks during the Olympics when compared to the Women’s World Cup 12 months prior, even though a similar number of line breaks were attempted. In France, centre-backs completed 72.7% of line breaks attempted (17.5 attempted per 30 minutes in possession) compared to the 66.7% completed in the recent Women’s World Cup where 17.7 line breaks were attempted per 30 minutes. In addition, during the Olympics, when playing against teams that are in a three-unit defensive shape, centre-backs were far more successful in their attempts to break their opposition’s defensive line (60.3%) compared to Australia & New Zealand 2023™ (46.9%).

We questioned if there had been a reduction in high pressing by opposition teams and if this could be a reason for the increase in line-breaking efficiency. However, our Football Performance Insights Team found that high-pressing rates in both tournaments were similar and that the trend of more successful line breaks was reflected both in teams playing with two centre-backs and those playing with three.

The increased success with line-breaking passes is an interesting trend and is a further reflection of the growing technical development of top-level female players, according to Anna Signeul.

“The role of the centre-back continues to evolve and so too the demands on players playing in this position. It is clear from these findings that centre-backs are becoming more proficient at playing line-breaking, forward passes and that they have better range and accuracy in their passing games. When playing against teams that are operating in mid and low blocks, teams can push more players into positions ahead of the ball if their centre-backs are competent at playing forward passes, and this in turn gives them more options to play to.”

It was also found that line breaks completed inside the opponent’s team shape by centre-backs at the Women's Olympic Football Tournament 2024 was 54.8% with 10.5 attempted per 30 mins in possession compared to just 48.7% from 11.4 attempted per 30 mins in 2023. This indicates that centre-backs are becoming more effective at playing through and over the lines as opposed to going around them.

It would be expected that centre-backs would break the first line of the opposition’s defensive shape but interestingly, when playing against teams with a typical three-line defensive shape, the number of midfield line breaks completed by centre-backs was 60% in Paris compared to 47% in the tournament a year earlier. Furthermore, there was consistency in the number of midfield line breaks attempted per 30 minutes in possession at the Olympics (4.2) compared to the World Cup (4.4).

As can be seen in the graphic above, another interesting finding was in how centre-backs were breaking lines. In the Women's Olympic Football Tournament, it was found that their successful line breaks from passes increased from 66.7% in 2023 to 73% in 2024, with no change in the number attempted per 30 minutes in possession.

These increases in pass completion rates are significant and indicate a potential change in the role of the centre-back in the build-up play. Another interesting dynamic is that the percentage of line breaks completed by centre-backs using ball progressions (step-ins and take-ons) have decreased from 87.7% in 2023 to 80% in 2024. This could be attributed to the fact that centre-backs attempted just 0.3 step-ins per 30 minutes in possession in France compared to 1.1 per 30 minutes in Australia & New Zealand 2023.

This is a very interesting development as Gemma Grainger explains.

“There is a small trend in the circumstances leading to some of these line-breaking passes from centre-backs. As we will see in the clips below, often they occur when playing against an opponent that is set up in a mid or low block and have allowed the centre-back time and space on the ball, with their focus being on preventing the centre-midfielders from getting on the ball. Centre-backs are getting better on the ball now and they have the capacity to hurt opponents if given time and space. This will pose interesting pressing dilemmas for defending teams in the future.”

Our Technical Study Group have selected a number of clips to illustrate the types of passes used by centre-backs to break lines and the situations they used them in.

Unopposed line-breaking pass over the opposition’s team shape

With their opposition set in a 1-4-4-2 mid-block, France, playing in a 1-4-3-3, recycled the ball back from the wide channel to left centre-back, Wendie Renard (3). When she receives the ball, she is unopposed and identifies an opportunity to release a forward runner into the space behind Colombia’s defensive line. Her perfectly weighted pass over the block breaks all three lines of the opponent’s defensive structure, reaching centre-forward Marie-Antoinette Katoto (12) on the edge of the penalty area.

Unopposed line-breaking pass through the opposition’s team shape

In a patient build-up phase against the USA’s 1-4-4-2 mid-block, Germany’s two centre-backs, Marina Hegering (5) and Kathrin Hendrich (3), switch play between each other while incorporating their goalkeeper. When centre-midfielder Janina Minge (6) receives the ball between the first and second lines of the USA’s defence, she turns and recognises the opportunity to play to right centre-back Hendrich, who advances to receive in space. Unopposed, she progresses with the ball before playing to centre-forward Sjoeke Nüsken (9), breaking the USA’s midfield line in the process.

In clip 3 below, we see a similar example, this time from Canada who are building with three centre-backs as opposed to two. New Zealand are settled in a 1-4-1-4-1 mid-block and are not applying any pressure on the ball. Canada forward, Adriana Leon (11), drops in between New Zealand’s midfield and defensive lines, making an offer to receive. Right centre-back, Jade Rose (12), obliges with a forward pass that breaks her opponent’s midfield line.

Stepping with the ball and risk-taking

It is also noted that some centre-backs are prepared to take more risks to advance play for their team. An example of this can be seen in clip 4 below from Spain’s quarter-final victory over Colombia. As both centre-backs, Irene Paredes (4) and Laia Aleixandri (14), recover to their normal positions following the breakdown of a set play, Spain begin a build-up involving both players.

When Aitana Bonmatí (6) receives and turns with the ball, she opens up space centrally (created by the movement of Patricia Guijarro (12)), in turn inviting her left centre-back to step in and receive the ball. Once received, Aleixandri drives forward, breaking Colombia’s midfield line with a forward pass in a phase that ultimately leads to a major goalscoring chance. Interestingly, it is worth noting that Spain are content in this situation to allow one centre-back to advance, leaving a 1v1 in their last line of defence, demonstrating the level of risk they are comfortable with when building attacks.

Impact of defensive midfield composition

With centre-backs' line-breaking success rates increasing, it followed that we should investigate any impact this had on centre-midfielders. An interesting trend emerged based on whether teams were playing with one defensive midfielder or two.

It transpired that, during the Olympics 2024, centre-backs had far higher distribution levels per 30 minutes in possession when playing with one defensive midfielder (72.6) compared to 54.5 distributions when playing with two defensive midfielders. This is particularly interesting because, when compared to Australia & New Zealand 2023, centre-backs had 61.8 distributions per 30 minutes in possession when playing with one defensive midfielder compared to 59.7 when playing with two.

It can be concluded that centre-backs had relatively similar levels of distributions at the World Cup 2023, regardless of whether they were playing with one or two defensive midfielders, whereas compared to the tournament in France, they had significantly more distributions (+10.8) with one holding midfielder and notably less (-5.2) when playing with two (per 30 minutes in possession).

According to Kirsty Yallop, “When defensive teams set up in a mid-block, they are usually more focused on screening the holding midfielder and preventing them from getting on the ball. This allows the centre-backs more time and space on the ball and puts the responsibility on them to play forward. Having just one holding midfielder means there is an extra player higher up the pitch and therefore, more passing options available in between the lines or in behind.”

Centre-backs are becoming increasingly more influential in progressing their team’s play using line-breaking passes. This trend occurs whether a team is playing with two centre-backs or three.

Furthermore, centre-backs are breaking the opposition’s midfield lines more often compared to Australia & New Zealand 2023 despite there being little change in the amount of high pressure being applied.

The improved technical competency in centre-backs is leading to more accurate and successful forward passes, especially when left unopposed in possession by opposition teams sitting in mid or low blocks.

Finally, it was found that centre-backs are more effective in their distributions when playing with one defensive midfielder as opposed to two.