Combining different football styles in the age of globalisation

Tamas Vajna speculates whether the individual football styles of the different nations have been preserved in the age of globalisation and explains that for example Dutch-style football, referred to as "total football," is based on "the Protestant work ethic and the principle of equal exertion for all," as opposed to Brazil's "Samba football," in which "the players constantly change their position so as to distract the defence of the other team and open up the field for the next goal – a tactic that looks like mindless running about to the layman". Vajna points out that  there is now a tendency to mix styles, a strategy that has worked well for the Germans but not for the Japanese. "Zico, the Japanese team's legendary trainer, tried to teach them the Brazilian tactic of permanently switching positions, but unfortunately the players kept on getting mixed up in Samurai-style attacks."

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