Why is Defense So Reviled in Football?
The theory is that because of the low amount of scoring in football, using particularly protective and cynical tactics ruins the sport whose nature inhibits a high amount of goals per match. Football’s common nickname is “The Beautiful Game,” but from where did that phrase initially originate? Credit is usually given to 50’s and 60’s Brazilian star Waldyr Pereira, universally known as Didi, and those Seleção teams spoiled the world with their slick passing, their showmanship, and their creativity. In today’s football, FC Barcelona would be the team that most resembles this vision of Joga Bonito. Barcelona survived a 1-0 victory over feisty Almería on Saturday to maintain their perfect start and their position at the top of the table. While the game itself was not that interesting, the postscript afterward brought attention to a long-standing feud between defensive tactics and football. Xavi Hernández, the main orchestrator of the Barça attack, had some bold statements regarding Almería
