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What is a Mezzala? Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have started the season in fine form, sitting at the top of the Premier League table with a 100% win record. Klopp has refined his system this year, not only dominating possession but breaking down teams that primarily sit in a deep defensive block. This success has been in large part down to Klopp’s deployment of a Mezzala, a central midfielder that likes to attack the number 10 area from deep.
In Italian, Mezzala means ‘inside forward’. In modern football, a Mezzala best operates in midfield threes or diamonds due to their general lack of defensive awareness. A Mezzala will look to enter the half spaces after starting in a deep position, before getting on the ball and looking to either dribble past a player, play a forward pass or through ball, or get a shot on target.
The role of a Mezzala originated in the 1930s with Vittorio Pozzo’s Italy. Pozzo created a new system that would allow the Italians to dominate possession when facing the traditional formation of the time, the 2-3-5. Pozzo had his inside forwards, who usually operated near the centre forward, drop into midfield to grant his side numerical superiority in the middle third. These inside forwards were technically gifted players, capable of spotting a pass and able to dribble past opponents with ease. Pozzo’s tactical ingenuity allowed Italy to dominate World football, winning the World Cup back to back in 1934 and 1938.
Arguably the greatest Mezzala to grace the game played in Pozzo’s system, Giuseppe Meazza. Often operating on the right Meazza was notorious for being the king of the dribble, frequently taking on multiple opponents before rounding the goalkeeper and finishing in an empty net. Moving forward, the greatest modern day Mezzala would graduate from Barcelona’s famous La Masia academy. Andres Iniesta was one of the star players in Barcelona’s famous 2011 side who went on to win a famous 6 trophies in the year and is regarded by some as the greatest club side in footballing history. Whilst Iniesta relied on his passing range and movement to excel as a Mezzala, at the time, Juventus’ Paul Pogba used his shooting ability and physicality to great effect. Dominating football matches with his athleticism before scoring incredible goals from distance. Whilst his shooting ability was proficient, he was an equally impressive passer. Creating more goals than he scored in his time at Juventus. His all round ability earned Pogba a return to Manchester United in 2016, for a then world record, £89 million. Finally, fellow Premier League star, Naby Keita is the latest Mezzala that could take Europe by storm. Jurgen Klopp has partnered his Mezzala in midfield with shuttler, James Milner, and deep-lying playmaker, Georginio Wjnaldum. If Keita can maintain his early season form he will surely be another to add to the growing list of great Mezzalas.
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By bringing Keita to Anfield, Jurgen Klopp has allowed Sadio Mane to move into a more central area more frequently. With Andy Robertson offering width on the overlap, Keita is free to act as a playmaker from the left half-space and Mane is able to get into more dangerous goalscoring areas more frequently, as shown by this season’s goal return.
Let me know what you think in the comments below, will the Mezzala continue to grow in popularity?
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