I just saw the tactical analysis they've released on COPE and it made me think: this World Cup has been the one of the interior players and wingers, but the classic '10'... has shone in only one national team. Note that.
It turns out the award for best player of the tournament has once again gone to a guy who doesn't stay still, who presses, who runs all 90 minutes, and who also has the final pass.It's not nostalgia, it's another way of seeing football. But then, where do the traditional playmakers stand?
Aspect | '10' classic (Riquelme, Zidane) | '10' modern (MVP 2026) |
|---|---|---|
Position | Between the lines, standing still, facing the game | Interior/winger, arrives from the second line |
Physique | Secondary, pure talent | Press, pace, sprints all game |
Goals | 8-12 per season at most | 20+ and also assists |
Defensive work | Almost always exempt | Key in the high press |
Influence | Pause and magic | Transition and verticality |
And look at the difference in kilometers covered per match that has been seen in the semifinals and final, which is where these things really show:
Kilometers covered per match (2026 semifinalists)
12.1
MVP 2026
10.8
Tournament average
9.2
Classic '10' in 2006
MVP 2026
Tournament average
Classic '10' in 2006
With that on the table, I'll pose the million-dollar question:
The role of the '10' after the 2026 World Cup: has it died or just evolved?
0
0
0
0
Let no one be fooled: the last textbook '10' to win a World Cup was Rodríguez in 2014, and look how he ended up. The position requires a physical condition that used to be forgiven. Even Guardiola says it.
I'm clear about it: it's not that the '10' has died, it's that now if you don't run, you don't play. And that's why we love the player who has been named MVP... but I also have a little nostalgia for pause football, or does that only happen to me? 🇦🇷🏆
If I'm honest, I think that by 2030 the '10' will have disappeared from starting lineups except in very rare cases. Tactics rule, and the kilometer data doesn't forgive.
My predictionclic para revelar
What do you all think? Would you sign a Riquelme or do you prefer the new MVP style? 🤔⚽
1
100%