The New World Order in football

This might be the perfect moment to say that it's time to kiss attacking football goodbye. 'Defence is the best form of attack' is the new world order in football. Jose Mourinho achieved it with elan at Inter Milan and reached Europe's summit. Ottmar Hitzfeld, another UCL master, has done it against Spain. Considering that Spain comprises 6 Barca players, the Swiss match would have felt like rubbing salt into their wounds sustained against the Nerrazzuris.

Attacking football has long being touted as THE way football must be played. People have slammed the catenaccio system as an abomination to the sport. Even during this World Cup, commentators and panelists have been up in arms calling for goals and a break from the monotony of disciplined defence by teams. All that criticism has gone out the window now with the shock upset of the reigning European champions at the hands of Hitzfeld's men. They were disciplined, patient and did not succumb to the pressure piled on them by Spain, who rarely gave the ball away. Just like Inter did against Barca, Switzerland stuck to their shape and waited to pounce on an opportunity, which arrived in the form of a long ball down the field. And the rest is the biggest shock of this World Cup.

The success of defensive football achieves another objective. It cuts out the arm-chair football fans who are glory-hunters looking at the sport as mere entertainment. If a team with a disciplined defence goes on to win this WC, the fans that will remain true to the sport will be those who have acquired the taste of defensive football.

First Europe. Now the world? This might be the year of catenaccio! Helenio Herrera must be smiling down upon us.