The Pivot That Changed Football: How Claude Makélélé Revolutionized Modern Tactics
“Why do you need to add a gold layer on a Bentley when you have already lost the engine?” Zidane was furious while saying this in 2005. Famous “Los Galacticos” lost its charm as the backbone of Vicente del Bosque, Claude Makélélé tactics set to Real Madrid for Stamford Bridge. When a player like Zidane got so drastically angry over the saga, it was clear how vital Makélélé was.
Real Madrid went for David Beckham in 2004, opening the doors for the Frenchman. But as Isaac Newton said, every action has a reaction; football fanatics witnessed one of the finest butterfly effects of the game. At the bank of the Thames River at Chelsea, Mourinho saw an opportunity and evolved‘The Makélélé Role.’
Claude Makélélé and The Pivotal Culture
The main thing about any culture is developing itself through new ideas. Before Makélélé’s role, there was a 4-4-2 formation in football, where two players were box-to-box midfielders, and the other two were wide midfielders. On the other hand, Mourinho’s system called for something more specific: a player who could break up opposition attacks, protect the backline, and maintain possession in tight spaces.
But Makélélé’s ability to sit deep, read the game, and shield the back four allowed Mourinho to structure his Chelsea side with a solid defensive base. In a 4-3-3 formation, Makélélé would sit at the base of the midfield trio. Breaking up opposition play and allowing players like Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, and Arjen Robben to push forward. This allowed Chelsea to remain compact, solid, and difficult to break down while still offering an attacking threat.
During the 2004-2005 Premier League season, Chelsea won their first league title in 50 years, with Makélélé playing a pivotal role in their success. His understated yet crucial contributions were essential to Mourinho’s philosophy—dominate the middle of the park, win the ball back quickly, and transition swiftly into attack.
The Role in Modern-day Football
Since Makélélé’s time at Chelsea, his role has become a defining feature of modern football. Today, many top teams employ a similar defensive midfielder to disrupt the opposition and provide stability in midfield. Players like N’Golo Kanté, Casemiro, and Fabinho have become the modern-day versions of Makélélé. Fulfilling the same defensive responsibilities while also contributing to their teams’ offensive play.
Take N’Golo Kanté, for example. Kanté’s relentless energy and ball-winning ability mirror that of Makélélé, and his role as a deep-lying midfielder has helped Chelsea win multiple trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League. Kanté’s ability to read the game, intercept passes, and recover the ball quickly has made him one of the best midfielders of his generation, much like Makélélé in his prime.
Relevancy
Since I mentioned that evolution is a necessity in any kind of culture, the role also enlarged. After COVID-19, there has been a little change in defensive midfielders’ duties. In the era of Makélélé, it was responsible for covering Zone 14. Currently, the defensive midfielder should make some creative moves and create rhythm. Scouting agents require progressive carries and holding capability. Something similar to “Jack of All Trades.” Like Rhodri, Valverde, Declan Rice, and Enzo Fernandez, those who fit the criteria.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.