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Zonal Marking: From Ajax to Zidane, the Making of Modern Soccer
A masterful tour of the most influential soccer tactics that continue to shape the beautiful game.
Zonal Marking traces the development of soccer in the modern era: the game has become globalized, but what are the differences in how soccer is played in the major leagues? To what extent do nations retain something of their "traditional" values? By analyzing the nature of soccer styles across the major European soccer nations -- Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Portugal and Holland -- Michael Cox will answer these questions and more.
Each of these nations have a strong top-flight, regularly produces top-level players and managers, and have a national team that has tasted success. More importantly, they each have a strong soccer identity, a particular way of playing the game. From the backpass law to the start of the Premier League, the last quarter century has ushered in the modern era of soccer. Michael Cox is the perfect guide to the unique contributions of some of the game's most innovative teams.
Zonal Marking traces the development of soccer in the modern era: the game has become globalized, but what are the differences in how soccer is played in the major leagues? To what extent do nations retain something of their "traditional" values? By analyzing the nature of soccer styles across the major European soccer nations -- Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Portugal and Holland -- Michael Cox will answer these questions and more.
Each of these nations have a strong top-flight, regularly produces top-level players and managers, and have a national team that has tasted success. More importantly, they each have a strong soccer identity, a particular way of playing the game. From the backpass law to the start of the Premier League, the last quarter century has ushered in the modern era of soccer. Michael Cox is the perfect guide to the unique contributions of some of the game's most innovative teams.
448 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2019
472 people are currently reading
4442 people want to read
About the author
Michael Cox
216 books231 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
This is Michael^Cox, where ^=space. (default profile)
About the Author:
Michael Andrew Cox was an English biographer, novelist and musician.
He also held the position of Senior Commissioning Editor of reference books for Oxford University Press.
This is Michael^Cox, where ^=space. (default profile)
About the Author:
Michael Andrew Cox was an English biographer, novelist and musician.
He also held the position of Senior Commissioning Editor of reference books for Oxford University Press.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
June 14, 2019
This is one of the best football books I've ever read. Michael is of course renowned on the internet for looking at individual football games and analyzing them well beyond the typical questions of whether a goal was "stunning" or a red card was "unfair". He looks at patterns - running patterns, passing patterns, tactical patterns. With Zonal Marking he is able to take his brilliantly analytical approach and apply it on a macro scale, looking at the development and evolution of modern European football over the past 25 years.
But it is even more than that! It's not just about tactical concepts like "space", "verticality" and "gegenpressing”. The book is also full of quirky anecdotes, interesting quotes, vivid descriptions of particularly important matches, goals and individual contributions. As such, even though the analysis of each chapter is sharp and well-argued, the book is never dry. For every discussion of Dutch obsession about the concept of "space" there is a series of quotes by Van Gaal and Cruyf taking pot-shots at each other followed by a brilliant move-by-move description of a Bergkamp goal. For every look at Mourinho’s new approach to physical conditioning or Juve full-backs switching sides, there is an anecdote of Hristo Stoichkov punching a photographer at the hospital where the wife of his buddy (and rival), Romario, had given birth. It’s great stuff!
The structure of the book works extremely well. Each part deals with the particular contributions by a given European football nation during its particular period of dominance. This includes that nation’s league, clubs, national team, players and – most pertinently – the coaches from those nations. This allows Cox to go through all of the features that make modern football what it is today - but with an added historical flow and an appreciation of certain influencers and innovators as well as national characteristics. In places, it veers close to feeling contrived, but it never is. Just when I feel that Cox is about to take a point a bit too far, he provides a counter-argument himself. It makes the book feel balanced and thoughtful, and its structure is not a straightjacket.
All the chapter transitions happen smoothly, and to me, the author never seems to think that certain features “belonged” to one footballing nation/coach/player and them alone, then and forever. On the contrary, it weaves a story of how loads of clubs and national sides have been inspired by Ajax’ playing from the back, later by Italian tactics, then by French speed, followed by Mourinho’s focus on transitions, then by Spanish possession obsession, afterwards by German gegenpressing, all of which are then well and thoroughly mixed and showcased in the multinational English Premier League. Nations and individuals inspiring each other and creating new and better results. A good example is Guardiola and his thesis (tiki-taka), anti-thesis (high-intensity German pressing) and synthesis (a Spanish-German hybrid full of innovative tactics and increased unpredictability compared to Guardiola’s own Braca).
The narrative really works terrifically. In the epilogue, Cox even goes a bit poetic about how distinct national characteristics are still present and are still important. Happily, in this day and age, European nations only clash for 90 (or 120) minutes at a time. The rest of the time, football is about inspiring and being inspired across national borders. The author even wonders if the lack of English football innovation stems from the fact that English footballers are relatively more reluctant to move abroad in search of new opportunities compared to their Spanish, French and German counterparts. Maybe that is why the Premier League has not been won by an English coach since Leeds in 1991-92 (when it was called First Division)? It’s an interesting point that the “birthplace of football” has had the least marked influence on the rest of Europe, while it now incorporates players and coaches from all over the continent, providing the perhaps most thrilling league of them all. Made me personally think of broader cultural and political parallels to Brexit, but that’s a different story of course.
I also enjoyed that the book goes beyond “European” and beyond “modern” football. All of the chapters are anchored in the historic traditions/achievements/disappointments of the nation in question, going back half a century or more at times. This provided me with even more insight about eras of which I have only superficial knowledge. Likewise, influences from Latin America and Africa are included where appropriate, allowing certain chapters to have a flair of e.g. Brazil or Argentina – without losing focus.
I thoroughly enjoyed Cox’s previous book, The Mixer: The Story of Premier League Tactics, from Route One to False Nines, which focused on 25 years of Premier League history. However, in my opinion, Zonal Marking – the Making of European Football is an even better book and an even bigger must-read for any football fan. It provides analyses and showcases patterns but without sacrificing drama and memorable moments. It is thoughtful but never dry. My only slight gripe is the lack of illustrations (of formations or tactics – such as in Jonathan Wilson’s Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics) or photos (of particularly memorable moments or teams). They would have added something extra and helped illustrate some of the tactical points – just as Cox usually does on his website, zonalmarking.net. It’s a minor thing, however, and it does not stop this from being an exhilarating, well-researched, thought-provoking page-turner! Perfect for a summer without football – or at any other time, of course!
But it is even more than that! It's not just about tactical concepts like "space", "verticality" and "gegenpressing”. The book is also full of quirky anecdotes, interesting quotes, vivid descriptions of particularly important matches, goals and individual contributions. As such, even though the analysis of each chapter is sharp and well-argued, the book is never dry. For every discussion of Dutch obsession about the concept of "space" there is a series of quotes by Van Gaal and Cruyf taking pot-shots at each other followed by a brilliant move-by-move description of a Bergkamp goal. For every look at Mourinho’s new approach to physical conditioning or Juve full-backs switching sides, there is an anecdote of Hristo Stoichkov punching a photographer at the hospital where the wife of his buddy (and rival), Romario, had given birth. It’s great stuff!
The structure of the book works extremely well. Each part deals with the particular contributions by a given European football nation during its particular period of dominance. This includes that nation’s league, clubs, national team, players and – most pertinently – the coaches from those nations. This allows Cox to go through all of the features that make modern football what it is today - but with an added historical flow and an appreciation of certain influencers and innovators as well as national characteristics. In places, it veers close to feeling contrived, but it never is. Just when I feel that Cox is about to take a point a bit too far, he provides a counter-argument himself. It makes the book feel balanced and thoughtful, and its structure is not a straightjacket.
All the chapter transitions happen smoothly, and to me, the author never seems to think that certain features “belonged” to one footballing nation/coach/player and them alone, then and forever. On the contrary, it weaves a story of how loads of clubs and national sides have been inspired by Ajax’ playing from the back, later by Italian tactics, then by French speed, followed by Mourinho’s focus on transitions, then by Spanish possession obsession, afterwards by German gegenpressing, all of which are then well and thoroughly mixed and showcased in the multinational English Premier League. Nations and individuals inspiring each other and creating new and better results. A good example is Guardiola and his thesis (tiki-taka), anti-thesis (high-intensity German pressing) and synthesis (a Spanish-German hybrid full of innovative tactics and increased unpredictability compared to Guardiola’s own Braca).
The narrative really works terrifically. In the epilogue, Cox even goes a bit poetic about how distinct national characteristics are still present and are still important. Happily, in this day and age, European nations only clash for 90 (or 120) minutes at a time. The rest of the time, football is about inspiring and being inspired across national borders. The author even wonders if the lack of English football innovation stems from the fact that English footballers are relatively more reluctant to move abroad in search of new opportunities compared to their Spanish, French and German counterparts. Maybe that is why the Premier League has not been won by an English coach since Leeds in 1991-92 (when it was called First Division)? It’s an interesting point that the “birthplace of football” has had the least marked influence on the rest of Europe, while it now incorporates players and coaches from all over the continent, providing the perhaps most thrilling league of them all. Made me personally think of broader cultural and political parallels to Brexit, but that’s a different story of course.
I also enjoyed that the book goes beyond “European” and beyond “modern” football. All of the chapters are anchored in the historic traditions/achievements/disappointments of the nation in question, going back half a century or more at times. This provided me with even more insight about eras of which I have only superficial knowledge. Likewise, influences from Latin America and Africa are included where appropriate, allowing certain chapters to have a flair of e.g. Brazil or Argentina – without losing focus.
I thoroughly enjoyed Cox’s previous book, The Mixer: The Story of Premier League Tactics, from Route One to False Nines, which focused on 25 years of Premier League history. However, in my opinion, Zonal Marking – the Making of European Football is an even better book and an even bigger must-read for any football fan. It provides analyses and showcases patterns but without sacrificing drama and memorable moments. It is thoughtful but never dry. My only slight gripe is the lack of illustrations (of formations or tactics – such as in Jonathan Wilson’s Inverting the Pyramid: The History of Football Tactics) or photos (of particularly memorable moments or teams). They would have added something extra and helped illustrate some of the tactical points – just as Cox usually does on his website, zonalmarking.net. It’s a minor thing, however, and it does not stop this from being an exhilarating, well-researched, thought-provoking page-turner! Perfect for a summer without football – or at any other time, of course!
August 26, 2019
Cheesy. Michael Cox was impressive in the 5-star book The Mixer. However, I found Zonal Marking is kind of repetitive to The Mixer. If you have read The Mixer, no need to read this book. It feels like a consolation goal to The Mixer.
December 12, 2023
Very mixed feelings. But I'll start with a bit of context - I like football a lot, I enjoy watching matches (more on TV than at the venue), but I'm very bad at "reading" tactics. What does it mean? I understand tactics (4-3-3, 4-4-2, ...), I understand the positions & roles they play - but all of that in theory, on a scrap of paper (or in Football Manager) - all that theory doesn't correspond to me to what happens on the field. OK, I see the most obvious facts:
- target man deployed in the penalty area
- wingers dashing close to the line
- defenders in line trying to set up an offside trap
etc.
But I don't see more intricate patterns, especially in the midfield - for me, it's actually
hard even to track an individual player's movement (and tactical thinking behind that) - I am intuitively more focused on a more holistic overview of what's happening.
So, as a person missing the connection between the tactical theory & chaos on the pitch, I tried to solve my problem with this book. But ... it didn't work out well. "Zonal ..." is like a sentimental journey across football, starting somewhere in the late 80s until the modern day (early 2020s) - that focuses on the most important matches, key players, and the impact of individual coaches on the grandest teams. This is all quite interesting & pleasant, as I do remember 90% of what is described, but ... there's just (by far) too little tactical depth in that. I openly admit to being far from proficient & still - I don't think I've learned anything ...
I'm struggling to understand who is this book for?
- someone new to football (to learn the tactical basics) - no, because if someone had never seen these players, doesn't remember these matches, it will be a boring chronicle of alien names ...
- someone like me (40+ yo) who has always been an avid fan of football - maybe, but only if what you're looking for is some sentimental journey
I was disappointed, I expected much more.
- target man deployed in the penalty area
- wingers dashing close to the line
- defenders in line trying to set up an offside trap
etc.
But I don't see more intricate patterns, especially in the midfield - for me, it's actually
hard even to track an individual player's movement (and tactical thinking behind that) - I am intuitively more focused on a more holistic overview of what's happening.
So, as a person missing the connection between the tactical theory & chaos on the pitch, I tried to solve my problem with this book. But ... it didn't work out well. "Zonal ..." is like a sentimental journey across football, starting somewhere in the late 80s until the modern day (early 2020s) - that focuses on the most important matches, key players, and the impact of individual coaches on the grandest teams. This is all quite interesting & pleasant, as I do remember 90% of what is described, but ... there's just (by far) too little tactical depth in that. I openly admit to being far from proficient & still - I don't think I've learned anything ...
I'm struggling to understand who is this book for?
- someone new to football (to learn the tactical basics) - no, because if someone had never seen these players, doesn't remember these matches, it will be a boring chronicle of alien names ...
- someone like me (40+ yo) who has always been an avid fan of football - maybe, but only if what you're looking for is some sentimental journey
I was disappointed, I expected much more.
July 14, 2020
Excellent book. Might be the best footballing book I've ever read. Features tactical analyses in great detail along with minute-by-minute match descriptions, all written in very free-flowing and subtly passionate language. This book describes modern football – born in 1992 (the year I was born) after the back-pass rule totally changed how football was played – through the contributions and styles of 7 nations. These range from Dutch tactical brilliance to Italian defensive mastery to French attacking flair to Portuguese speedy wingers to Spain's golden generation of possession football to German gegenpressing, and finally ends with how England is imbibing all these styles. I loved reading this book and would totally recommend it to any football fan. It covers events up to the end of the 2018 season and the world cup.
February 12, 2022
Another amazing overview of football history from Michael Cox. I probably did prefer The Mixer, but Zonal Marking gave a wider insight into why modern football is where it is.
The descriptions of goals and teams had me constantly YouTubing 90s videos of Serie A and Dutch football stars I had never seen before while also revisiting famous games from my childhood, but never appreciated the tactical and historical significance of them.
Hope he’s got another one in the pipeline, or would love a documentary series with all the highlights Cox describes.
The descriptions of goals and teams had me constantly YouTubing 90s videos of Serie A and Dutch football stars I had never seen before while also revisiting famous games from my childhood, but never appreciated the tactical and historical significance of them.
Hope he’s got another one in the pipeline, or would love a documentary series with all the highlights Cox describes.
May 7, 2022
It’s kind of amazing how many different ways soccer can be played, and that each way can be just as successful as another while being wildly different stylistically.
Also, this book is great.
Also, this book is great.
December 21, 2022
This is an excellent book: a little slow, but oh so well researched! A detailed review will take time, but I will leave some of the liner notes here below.
.....................
So I haven't read a sports book for more than a year, it seems.
If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath I answered it.
.........................
The Dutch.
The Amstardammer style. Michels, Cruyff and Van Gaal. 3-4-3.
Ruud Krol.
Stoichkov and Romario. Michael Laudrup!
Rivaldo.
Bergkamp and Litmanen!
Overmars.
Stanley Menzo, Carles Busquets and Jesus Angoy.
Danny Blind, Frank de Boer, Reiziger, and Rijkaard. Frank Rijkaard!
Van der Saar of Ajax, the first sweeper-keeper.
The Ronald Koeman / Pep Guardiola nexus at Cruyff's Barcelona.
Amazing!
...............................
Calcio! Italy!
Sacchi - Trapattoni - Capello - Lippi. Especially Lippi!
Coverciano, the Hogwarts of football coaching!
The everybodies of Juve - Gianluca Pessotto, Moreno Torricelli, Angelo Di Livio, Alessandro Birindelli.
Lippi rotating strikers.. can you imagine in the world cup win of '06, he rotates Totti, Inzaghi, Toni, Iaquinta, Gilardino and Del Piero!
Sevilla 2-4 Capello's Real.
Win at all cost! What joy!
Zemanlandia! TOTTI ! That 4-5 game against Hodgson's Inter.
Alberto Zaccheroni, and Udinese's 3-4-3. Oliver Bierhoff. Then the Milan 3-4-1-2, ah, Zvonimir Boban! Trapattoni's Viola - Bati, Rui Costa, Chiesa. Capello and Roma. 3-4-1-2, and Bati's maiden triumph. Sven Goran Ericsson. Carlo Ancellotti.
Roberto Baggio. The Trequartista.
Ohoho Calcio I love you so.
Oh Catenaccio, oh Catenaccio!
The Old Helenio Herrera / Nereo Rocco guard, Gianni Brera and 0-0. Arrigo Sacchi and his thoughts on challenging the orthodoxy.
Cesare Maldini. Sven Goran Eriksen, Roy Hodgson. Carlo Ancellotti.
In a different context, Paolo Maldini. Costacurta, Cannavaro, Nesta. Thuram. Sinisa Mihajlovic.
The incredible niche story of Salvatore Fresi.
Calcio!
...................................
Changing of the guard. '98 France - very Italian team! That defence! Thuram, Desailly, Blanc, Lizarazu. Deschamps Petit. Zidane, saw almost the entire WC from the bench, but for the final.
2000 France was different. Zidane's team now. Lemerre. Vieira, Trezeguet, Henry. Final was billed as good (France, attacking football) vs evil (Italian catenaccio)
Never. Calcio is so tactical, much fun. So was France. Love it!
.......................................
Ohoho Pep and Baggio reminiscing about their time at Brescia!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McfSc...
This is a book you read with YouTube handy.
Pure love!
.....................................
Foot! France!
Foot! Oh I love it so!
Clarefontaine!
Georges Boulogne. Albert Batteux at Reims and St Etienne (Kopa/Hidalgo.. right up to Platini) - and the team leader No 10. Zizou! and Djorkaeff!
Henry, Anelka, Wiltord, Trezeguet, Saha, Marlet, Govou, Cisse; the Antilles... Vieira.
Houllier, Arsene, and
And the Water Carrier from Nantes - Didier Deschamps, Pires, Karembeu, Makelele.. right up to N'golo. Oh N'Golo Kante!
Love it!
...........................
Futebol / Portugal
Ooh Portugal is SO interesting! I thought it would be as boring as Mourinho's football and Cronaldo fanboys. But no! This is fun!
And new. In the way that Voetbal and Calcio and Foot are not... because a keen follower knows.
Futebol, is new. And fun.
.....................
So I haven't read a sports book for more than a year, it seems.
If it were so, it was a grievous fault, And grievously hath I answered it.
.........................
The Dutch.
The Amstardammer style. Michels, Cruyff and Van Gaal. 3-4-3.
Ruud Krol.
Stoichkov and Romario. Michael Laudrup!
Rivaldo.
Bergkamp and Litmanen!
Overmars.
Stanley Menzo, Carles Busquets and Jesus Angoy.
Danny Blind, Frank de Boer, Reiziger, and Rijkaard. Frank Rijkaard!
Van der Saar of Ajax, the first sweeper-keeper.
The Ronald Koeman / Pep Guardiola nexus at Cruyff's Barcelona.
Amazing!
...............................
Calcio! Italy!
Sacchi - Trapattoni - Capello - Lippi. Especially Lippi!
Coverciano, the Hogwarts of football coaching!
The everybodies of Juve - Gianluca Pessotto, Moreno Torricelli, Angelo Di Livio, Alessandro Birindelli.
Lippi rotating strikers.. can you imagine in the world cup win of '06, he rotates Totti, Inzaghi, Toni, Iaquinta, Gilardino and Del Piero!
Sevilla 2-4 Capello's Real.
Win at all cost! What joy!
Zemanlandia! TOTTI ! That 4-5 game against Hodgson's Inter.
Alberto Zaccheroni, and Udinese's 3-4-3. Oliver Bierhoff. Then the Milan 3-4-1-2, ah, Zvonimir Boban! Trapattoni's Viola - Bati, Rui Costa, Chiesa. Capello and Roma. 3-4-1-2, and Bati's maiden triumph. Sven Goran Ericsson. Carlo Ancellotti.
Roberto Baggio. The Trequartista.
Ohoho Calcio I love you so.
Oh Catenaccio, oh Catenaccio!
The Old Helenio Herrera / Nereo Rocco guard, Gianni Brera and 0-0. Arrigo Sacchi and his thoughts on challenging the orthodoxy.
Cesare Maldini. Sven Goran Eriksen, Roy Hodgson. Carlo Ancellotti.
In a different context, Paolo Maldini. Costacurta, Cannavaro, Nesta. Thuram. Sinisa Mihajlovic.
The incredible niche story of Salvatore Fresi.
Calcio!
...................................
Changing of the guard. '98 France - very Italian team! That defence! Thuram, Desailly, Blanc, Lizarazu. Deschamps Petit. Zidane, saw almost the entire WC from the bench, but for the final.
2000 France was different. Zidane's team now. Lemerre. Vieira, Trezeguet, Henry. Final was billed as good (France, attacking football) vs evil (Italian catenaccio)
Never. Calcio is so tactical, much fun. So was France. Love it!
.......................................
Ohoho Pep and Baggio reminiscing about their time at Brescia!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McfSc...
This is a book you read with YouTube handy.
Pure love!
.....................................
Foot! France!
Foot! Oh I love it so!
Clarefontaine!
Georges Boulogne. Albert Batteux at Reims and St Etienne (Kopa/Hidalgo.. right up to Platini) - and the team leader No 10. Zizou! and Djorkaeff!
Henry, Anelka, Wiltord, Trezeguet, Saha, Marlet, Govou, Cisse; the Antilles... Vieira.
Houllier, Arsene, and
And the Water Carrier from Nantes - Didier Deschamps, Pires, Karembeu, Makelele.. right up to N'golo. Oh N'Golo Kante!
Love it!
...........................
Futebol / Portugal
Ooh Portugal is SO interesting! I thought it would be as boring as Mourinho's football and Cronaldo fanboys. But no! This is fun!
And new. In the way that Voetbal and Calcio and Foot are not... because a keen follower knows.
Futebol, is new. And fun.
December 22, 2024
Michael Cox’s musings on the major trends in European football (soccer) from 1992-2020 turned out to be a pleasant diversion—technical, but not too technical; definitely an English point of view, but not chauvinistically English; peppered with anecdotes, but not just to put them in—in short, this is enjoyable for people who enjoy reading about football. The rest of you? Probably not so much. One of my rituals is to read a football-themed book while either the World Cup or European Championship are in progress. This two-year cycle, like everything else, was interrupted by the pandemic, and the 2020 European Championship was completed one year late. And not having dipped my toe into anything on the subject in three years (at least in book form and checking out
Kicker
) every day, this was a fun place to reconnect.
The EU’s Bosman ruling in 1992 led to one of the greatest revolutions in football by allowing the movement of players from European clubs across borders, regardless of nation, when their contracts ran out. Prior to that, onerous national league rules limited their movement and power to bargain salaries. Others limited the number of foreigners per team, usually never more than three. All these years later, consequences have been top European clubs that usually have a small number of national citizens who actually play. Logically, this would seem to lead to the loss of national identity or styles of play since so many players, and later coaches, from differing nations were on club teams.
Cox’s gift is demonstrating that the history of European football since 1992 was one of ebbs and flows in which, early on inspired by the Cruyff-van Gaal tensions that developed into a style of play that saw its dominance ebb and flow in different eras, leagues and nations. This included French dominance that saw the emergence of a new player type, the worker who allows other players to shine and becomes a star in his own right. Cox’s understanding of the fusing of styles to perfection of the German team, whose stars then influenced other league play, is a great example of how nations like Spain and England have had their moments of ascendancy. He is quite insightful in discussing how Pep Guardiola’s influence at Barcelona impacted the Spanish national team were translated into other nation’s teams when he moved to Germany and then England.
If you’ve gotten this far, you’re either one of those strange beings who not only watch football and keep up with the latest news, but actually like to read about it, or you have no idea why you’re here now. If you’re the former, this is a fun read. If the latter, get back to reading what you like!
The EU’s Bosman ruling in 1992 led to one of the greatest revolutions in football by allowing the movement of players from European clubs across borders, regardless of nation, when their contracts ran out. Prior to that, onerous national league rules limited their movement and power to bargain salaries. Others limited the number of foreigners per team, usually never more than three. All these years later, consequences have been top European clubs that usually have a small number of national citizens who actually play. Logically, this would seem to lead to the loss of national identity or styles of play since so many players, and later coaches, from differing nations were on club teams.
Cox’s gift is demonstrating that the history of European football since 1992 was one of ebbs and flows in which, early on inspired by the Cruyff-van Gaal tensions that developed into a style of play that saw its dominance ebb and flow in different eras, leagues and nations. This included French dominance that saw the emergence of a new player type, the worker who allows other players to shine and becomes a star in his own right. Cox’s understanding of the fusing of styles to perfection of the German team, whose stars then influenced other league play, is a great example of how nations like Spain and England have had their moments of ascendancy. He is quite insightful in discussing how Pep Guardiola’s influence at Barcelona impacted the Spanish national team were translated into other nation’s teams when he moved to Germany and then England.
If you’ve gotten this far, you’re either one of those strange beings who not only watch football and keep up with the latest news, but actually like to read about it, or you have no idea why you’re here now. If you’re the former, this is a fun read. If the latter, get back to reading what you like!
March 21, 2022
Michael Cox presents a history of modern football tactics that is at once fascinating and secondly made me feel quite old when I figured how long ago some of the defining matches of the time were and how well I remembered them.
We are taken through Holland, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany and lastly England through the 90s and into 2020 in what might be the first non-fiction novel in stories I've encountered given how well things are linked to the modern English game and how it has taken the best bits of every conceivable European footballing system. In part because of the nature of the game and the prioritisation of competitions like the Champions League and also due to the influx of top quality European managers who are flocking to the league with the most resources.
The book doesn't just stick to club football and focuses upon the marriage of style and tactics between club's and that of the country in question's national side. Often the fate and fortunes of club and country are majorly linked especially in the case of Spain and Germany with Guardiola bringing about footballing revolutions to the top players in each country.
Cox is an entertaining orator and gives a snapshot into many of the characters who have had an influence on modern tactics whether they be a heroic figure or sidelined to the margins of history as it were.
This is a book for all level of football fan as it doesn't get overly bogged down in tactical details. It acknowledges changes and systems, but never becomes too technical and is certainly the type of book that will have you scouring the internet for goals compilations and match highlights.
A couple of my favourite chapters revolved around Roberto Baggio and Zinedine Zidane, who were almost mythical figures of my youth and I learned a lot more about them here, and it is interesting to contrast them with the likes of Messi and Ronaldo, who completely changed the scope and focus of what it is to be the best player in the world.
A compelling, compulsively readable history of modern European football that ties itself together brilliantly.
We are taken through Holland, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Germany and lastly England through the 90s and into 2020 in what might be the first non-fiction novel in stories I've encountered given how well things are linked to the modern English game and how it has taken the best bits of every conceivable European footballing system. In part because of the nature of the game and the prioritisation of competitions like the Champions League and also due to the influx of top quality European managers who are flocking to the league with the most resources.
The book doesn't just stick to club football and focuses upon the marriage of style and tactics between club's and that of the country in question's national side. Often the fate and fortunes of club and country are majorly linked especially in the case of Spain and Germany with Guardiola bringing about footballing revolutions to the top players in each country.
Cox is an entertaining orator and gives a snapshot into many of the characters who have had an influence on modern tactics whether they be a heroic figure or sidelined to the margins of history as it were.
This is a book for all level of football fan as it doesn't get overly bogged down in tactical details. It acknowledges changes and systems, but never becomes too technical and is certainly the type of book that will have you scouring the internet for goals compilations and match highlights.
A couple of my favourite chapters revolved around Roberto Baggio and Zinedine Zidane, who were almost mythical figures of my youth and I learned a lot more about them here, and it is interesting to contrast them with the likes of Messi and Ronaldo, who completely changed the scope and focus of what it is to be the best player in the world.
A compelling, compulsively readable history of modern European football that ties itself together brilliantly.
June 11, 2020
A fantastic and engrossing read if you’re a football lover, especially if you love your football tactics. It’s meticulously researched and packed with detailed summaries of matches and engaging, humorous anecdotes. At times I felt that the structure of the book (which inevitably influences its overall argument) was becoming a bit of a straitjacket, but the author dispelled those concerns with relative ease and comfort by both his writing and the content of his work. This book was a great bit of football nostalgia in lockdown, and made me want to tinker tactically the next time I play Football Manager! ⚽️
June 9, 2021
Zonal marking is an ambitious book from micheal cox trying to chronologically set the evolution of football since the back pass law.
In his previous book, the wonderfully written Mixer, the salient underlining and defining characteristics of the premier league was marked by the perennial presence of Sir Alex Ferguson and in zonal marking that role has been replaced by Johan Cruyff. Without a doubt, the the current style of playing owes much to the philosophies of Cryuff.
Every European country has an identity based football, who were dominatant during their stint.
Just like the Mixer, zonal marking is filled with trivias and untold episodes.
Enjoy it till the current transition and trends lasts.
In his previous book, the wonderfully written Mixer, the salient underlining and defining characteristics of the premier league was marked by the perennial presence of Sir Alex Ferguson and in zonal marking that role has been replaced by Johan Cruyff. Without a doubt, the the current style of playing owes much to the philosophies of Cryuff.
Every European country has an identity based football, who were dominatant during their stint.
Just like the Mixer, zonal marking is filled with trivias and untold episodes.
Enjoy it till the current transition and trends lasts.
July 12, 2019
Outstanding read. Part nostalgic trip through the last 25 years of football, part tactical analysis of both individual teams and players as well as broader national trends. This book is well written, fascinating and has some great wit and if you’re a football fan of any generation , it’s worth a read. If you were born in the 80’s however, it is likely you grew up along side many of the teams and players, which for me, made it all the more interesting and meaningful.
If I had one criticism, it would be that the section on England is relatively short and it would have been good to have had a bit more in depth analysis of some of the more interesting teams there.
Highly recommended.
Note - I listened to this on audio book and loved both the content and the narration.
If I had one criticism, it would be that the section on England is relatively short and it would have been good to have had a bit more in depth analysis of some of the more interesting teams there.
Highly recommended.
Note - I listened to this on audio book and loved both the content and the narration.
October 17, 2022
Banging book.
May 19, 2020
This was a really enjoyable read. As in his first book, The Mixer, Cox presented the sometimes nebulous subject of football tactics in an entertaining and accessible way. It felt like he wanted to take you with him rather than inundate you with dry material. The structure of the book was both thematic and chronological which gave it a good flow. It was really interesting to see how each of the discussed countries interacted with the concept of footballing identity and the extent to which they strayed from their established practices. Having not read a football book for a short while, I felt sufficiently inspired to add a couple to my list in light of reading Zonal Marking.
One criticism: I’m not sure if this is due to the new paperback edition being released only recently but there seemed to be a lack of editing at times. Words repeated in the same sentence, some typos, things that seem to have just not been checked. It’s alright if it happens once or twice but it seemed to occur rather more than that. This, however, should not detract from Cox’s achievement in creating a definitive guide on European approaches to football in the modern era.
One criticism: I’m not sure if this is due to the new paperback edition being released only recently but there seemed to be a lack of editing at times. Words repeated in the same sentence, some typos, things that seem to have just not been checked. It’s alright if it happens once or twice but it seemed to occur rather more than that. This, however, should not detract from Cox’s achievement in creating a definitive guide on European approaches to football in the modern era.
January 1, 2021
Final book of the year for 2020! And a cracker it was, too.
The best football book I've read, by far. Absolutely fascinating.
Cox tells a history of European football. There's one section for each of 7 countries in a different time period - Holland ('92-'96), Italy ('96-'00), France ('00-'04), Portugal ('04-'08), Spain ('08-'12), Germany ('12-'16) and England ('16-'20).
Each country gets a discussion of their 'national footballing identity' - a combination of the dominant tactics of their eras and the prominent managers and players of that nationality & nation's league.
This structure works brilliantly. It works both as a sweeping history of modern European football from '92 to the present day, and as mini-histories of individual countries, leagues, players and managers.
Some personal favourite mini-histories included: Italian tactical divisions of the late nineties; the managerial ego clashes of early 90s Holland, Guardiola and Mourinho's managerial evolutions over time, Zidane's playing career, and the evolution of the 'Makelele' role.
Superb. 5 / 5.
The best football book I've read, by far. Absolutely fascinating.
Cox tells a history of European football. There's one section for each of 7 countries in a different time period - Holland ('92-'96), Italy ('96-'00), France ('00-'04), Portugal ('04-'08), Spain ('08-'12), Germany ('12-'16) and England ('16-'20).
Each country gets a discussion of their 'national footballing identity' - a combination of the dominant tactics of their eras and the prominent managers and players of that nationality & nation's league.
This structure works brilliantly. It works both as a sweeping history of modern European football from '92 to the present day, and as mini-histories of individual countries, leagues, players and managers.
Some personal favourite mini-histories included: Italian tactical divisions of the late nineties; the managerial ego clashes of early 90s Holland, Guardiola and Mourinho's managerial evolutions over time, Zidane's playing career, and the evolution of the 'Makelele' role.
Superb. 5 / 5.
April 24, 2025
This had a very interesting concept - breaking up the period 1992-2020 into seven 'eras' of football, in which one of the major European nations could be argued to have had a substantial impact on the game and how it is played - and in the main, this worked well. For the first half in particular I was struck with how well-structured the author's discussions were, how coherent and well-argued they seemed, and how engaging the subject was made. These early chapters about Netherlands, Italy and France I thought were excellent - perchance due to my dislike of the boring tika-taka of the Spanish, there was a bit of a lull around the middle when the two Iberian nations were discussed in perhaps too much tactical detail, but the final couple of chapters about Germany and (at less length) England were an improvement. So overall an intriguing and educational little read.
May 28, 2025
The title definitely doesn’t match the book - and by the end of the foreword the author effectively concedes that he’s written a tour down memory lane for people in their mid-thirties (at the time of writing) onwards who remember basically all of the post-1992 football era.
Happily, I’m one of them so had a great time! By going chronologically but zeroing in on each of the big seven European leagues in each time period you get pulled into stories you don’t know lots about (the Munich/Dortmund rivalry in the mid-2010s, the Portuguese national team in the mid-2000s) while having the comfort food of Italy in the 1990s and a romp around the development of the Spanish team as they won every trophy going.
Inevitably there are some odd bits (the author really seems not to like Zinedine Zidane, and clearly couldn’t decide what to do with the English league/national team). But it’s a fun book for anyone who likes football.
Happily, I’m one of them so had a great time! By going chronologically but zeroing in on each of the big seven European leagues in each time period you get pulled into stories you don’t know lots about (the Munich/Dortmund rivalry in the mid-2010s, the Portuguese national team in the mid-2000s) while having the comfort food of Italy in the 1990s and a romp around the development of the Spanish team as they won every trophy going.
Inevitably there are some odd bits (the author really seems not to like Zinedine Zidane, and clearly couldn’t decide what to do with the English league/national team). But it’s a fun book for anyone who likes football.
March 14, 2025
Very good book. I found it very interesting and in depth, basically a full history of European football since the back pass rule was created, both on the club and national level. Told the story of nations and players through tactics, and very interesting to see different tactics developing and building off of each other. The sections were very well done and the mini chapters switching between the stories of the defining nations were interesting. My only criticism was the focus purely on Europe, when I feel that Brazil or even Argentina could have had a section.
April 11, 2025
I originally started this book years ago soon after it was published. I don’t remember why I stopped, but thankfully I rediscovered it.
Michael Cox has an exceptional understanding of soccer history and tactics, and he weaves them both together into fluid analysis. It’s impressive how he’s able to identify and isolate developments from specific countries in unique eras without being overly reductive or pigeon-holing.
This was so much fun to read, a rush of nostalgia for the days of playing FIFA and watching international soccer in the early 2000s.
Michael Cox has an exceptional understanding of soccer history and tactics, and he weaves them both together into fluid analysis. It’s impressive how he’s able to identify and isolate developments from specific countries in unique eras without being overly reductive or pigeon-holing.
This was so much fun to read, a rush of nostalgia for the days of playing FIFA and watching international soccer in the early 2000s.
January 8, 2020
A very interesting read on the eras of tactics from late 80s/early 90s Holland to modern day England. How the various countries shaped their systems and how current day England is the melting pot where all systems came together to give England an identity that is aspects of everything.
Enjoyable read.
Enjoyable read.
April 29, 2024
As an avid Football fan, this was a quick introduction to intersection of two of my passions: football tactics and history. It helped me build a better understanding of the development of modern football and helped me look back at teams, I never knew of or understood how good they were, that were influential and before I really started watching football.
June 10, 2024
A fun read. As other reviewers have emphasised, it's more a nostalgic retelling of how football tactics have evolved over the past thirty years than a technical guide. But I have also come away with new appreciation for the tactical geniuses - the Guardiolas, Klopps and even the Mourinhos - of our era.
July 29, 2021
A brilliant book to start with if you're interested in European football. Not just a cut-and-dry book for the football nerd, but an engrossing history of how different social factors contributed to the game as well. And, it has some lovely recommendations for further reading!
July 7, 2023
As someone who doesn't really understand football tactics, for me this was both a really interesting general overview of how football has changed in the modern era, and also quite a detailed insight into how different nations (and specific teams) have played the game
January 5, 2020
I’ve been reading Michael Cox’s tactical analyses for years, and getting them in book form (first The Mixer for English football since the start of the Premiership, now Zonal Marking for European football since the early 90s) is an absolute treat. I’ve learned to watch and understand football through his prose and my enjoyment is all the better for it.
February 27, 2020
A brilliant insight into not only European football but culture as well. A fantastic follow up to The Mixer!
April 5, 2020
A well written analysis of the modern European football and its tactics that differs and distinguishes from a country/ league to another.
January 30, 2021
Erinomainen katsaus eurooppalaisen jalkapallon taktiseen kehitykseen ja vaihteluun 80-luvun lopulta näihin päiviin. Euroopassa tuona aikana mahtimaa on vaihtunut taajaan, jokaisen kohdalla käydään läpi perusajatukset ja tekijät pelissä. Lämmin suositus jokaiselle jalkapalloa seuraavalle.
September 11, 2022
I didn’t have a lot of time to read in the last couple of months, but I always got back to this book. It’s a really good overview of the different football-philosophies in the “Big European 7”. Definitely recommended.
March 19, 2023
O livro oferece um contexto histórico bem delineado e contemporâneo sobre o futebol europeu e suas influências e evoluções. Prato cheio pra quem gosta de enxergar e entender o futebol por outras lentes e perspectivas.
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