Footballing Lexicon Number 3: ‘Trequartista’

We’ve not done one of these in AGES – so here is another addition to our footballing lexicon – the ‘Trequartista’.

A trequartista is a term coined for that mythical ‘second striker’ role, someone who plays in the hole, creates and scores, and is usually supremely gifted.

The Trequartista is not a new advent:

The Austrian ‘Wunderteam’ of the early 1930s had great success with Mathias Sindelar, a centre-forward who constantly dropped deep, and Vsevolod Bobrov did similarly for the Dynamo Moscow tourists who so delighted British crowds in 1945.

It was then Nandor Hidegkuti’s role as a deep-lying centre-forward that so perplexed England when Hungary won 6-3 at Wembley in 1953. If Johnston followed Hidegkuti, he left a hole in the centre of England’s rearguard; if he stayed put, Hidegkuti roamed free.

And is still very much active today – think Baggio and Raul through to currently Aguero and Rooney. Players who are undoubtedly forwards, but drop off into ‘the hole’ to dictate and link play. Think Cantona, think Bergkamp. Think Totti. Think Del Piero.

That is basically a list of my favourite players.

Players who are so good, can be so influential, that a position is carved out for them.They score, they create, they beat players, they link play. They are skilful and difficult to mark.

They are also often difficult to describe, as ‘Trequartista’ has yet to infiltrate its way into the vocabulary of the common football fan.

Hopefully we can begin that process…

‘Trequartista’ – a special type of second striker who plays in ‘the hole’ offering creativity and a goal threat.

I love Trequartistas.