This article is part of a wider series in partnership with Football Manager 26, which looks at the strengths and weaknesses of famous historical and contemporary tactics. The story of football teams ...

The 4-4-2 formation. A tactical staple in football, synonymous with both swashbuckling attacking displays and resolute defensive stands. From its heyday in the Premier League with teams like Arsenal's ...

Xabi Alonso will make his managerial debut with Real Madrid later tonight in their FIFA Club World Cup Group H encounter against Al-Hilal. Having replaced Carlo Ancelotti at the helm after the La Liga ...

Over time, this W-M formation – named so for its resemblance to the letters – evolved even further. It was the Brazilians who dropped another player into the backline to form early 4-2-4 formations, ...

MADRID, SPAIN – JANUARY 04: Gonzalo Garcia of Real Madrid celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the LaLiga EA ...

Milan manager Paulo Fonseca is set to adopt a new system ahead of the Derby della Madonnina showdown against Inter, switching form 4-2-3-1 to a more attacking 4-4-2 formation. The Portuguese has thus ...