Entrainement football ·

Carrilero's position in football

The term Carrilero (Railway in French) was initially used in Spain to designate the 2 side players in a diamond-shaped environment. This formation therefore consisted of a defensive midfielder (low point), an offensive midfielder (high point), and two Carrileros responsible for being the wagons between the defense and the attack.

The role of Carrilero can also be played by defenders. The 3-4-2-1 or 3-5-2 formations, widely used in Italy during the 90s, are making a comeback on European fields. In these formations with 3 central defenders, the full-backs are positioned higher on the pitch, and therefore allow the team to ensure the presence of 5 defenders in the defensive phase. In the offensive phase, they must also be able to help in the construction of the game.

This player profile must therefore be able to repeat efforts and cover a large area of the pitch. For the metaphor, they represent the lungs of their team.

In a diamond midfield configuration, we can cite several references to the Carrilero position, with N'Golo Kanté, Blaise Matuidi, Idrissa Gueye, and even Ander Herrera.

There are also midfielders who can play as a full-back, like James Milner or Fabian Delph. Tireless, the players of Liverpool and Manchester City are real Swiss army knives for their manager.

Finally, the perfect example of Carrilero is perhaps Fabinho. Ex-Monaco player and now a fixture at Liverpool, the versatile Brazilian has already occupied almost every position in defense and midfield, and has therefore played the role of Carrilero as a full-back (right) but also in a diamond-shaped middle.

The Carrileros therefore have an essential role in the management of a match. Very useful for providing a defensive base, they can also become the first counter-attackers.

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