12/06/2023
What is a double pivot?
A double pivot is a withdrawn central-midfield or defensive-midfield pairing. They are positioned in front of the central defenders, inside the full-backs or wing-backs, and behind the attacking midfielders. The duo is most commonly used in a 4-2-3-1 formation, operating behind a single number 10.
A double pivot can also be used in a 4-4-2 shape, especially when the wide midfielders move into narrow positions when the team attacks. Alternatively, a double pivot can be used ahead of a back three in a 3-4-3 structure.
A single pivot operates alone in the spaces between the defensive and attacking units. A double pivot, as the name suggests, adds a second player in that zone.
Where does the double pivot originate?
Two central players in front of the defence has long been common in football. The W-M formation introduced by Herbert Chapman in the 1920s featured two half-backs positioned ahead of three full-backs. Operating behind the two inside forwards, the half-back pair covered similar areas to that of the modern-day double pivot. However, the role of the double pivot has developed significantly over time.
In the 1980s, Brazil played in a 4-2-2-2 formation, with Falcão and Cerezo in front of the defence and behind Zico and Socrates. This evolved, as time went on, into something resembling the modern 4-2-3-1. One of the centre-forwards dropped back, and the attacking midfielders moved wider to form a three behind a lone striker.
At the 1986 World Cup, teams started to use just one holding midfielder to free another player further forward. Then, after France’s successes with a single pivot at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, teams in Europe increasingly used one player to cover the central space outside the penalty area – often referred to in coaching as ‘Zone 14’. A second player was eventually added – particularly in Spanish football – as opponents realised they could drag the single pivot away from the centre of the pitch with movements out towards the flank, leaving the defence exposed. Juanma Lillo, Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City from 2020, was one early advocate for the permanent 4-2-3-1 shape that featured a second pivot. He wanted his teams to press high more effectively, with the ‘doble pivot’ supporting the press while adding security behind its first line.
