Netherlands v West Germany, 1974: How the World Cup Final Turned
The Dutch led before West Germany had touched the ball, yet lost. The 1974 final turned on marking, control and what the Netherlands did with their lead.
Franz Beckenbauer
German defender who defined the attacking libero.
Franz Beckenbauer and the Attacking Libero
The sweeper began as a purely defensive safety net. Beckenbauer turned it into a platform for building play, stepping out from the back to lead attacks.
The Evolution of the Back Three
Three-man defences have come and gone in waves, from the WM to sweeper systems and the wing-back sides of the 2010s. Each wave solved a different problem.