Tiki-taka. The name evokes memories of Barcelona, Spain, and its years of dominance in the previous decade. Most fans understand tiki-taka as keeping the ball and passing amongst players to dominate opponents.
However, the actual implementation of the tactic was a little more complicated. Tiki-taka was the defining legacy of the late-2000s, with seemingly every team wanting to play like that.
Old Barcelona tiki-taka vibes 😲 pic.twitter.com/GW9iAsqm7Z
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 21, 2021
Of course, there were deficiencies, and neither Barcelona nor Spain managed to last with it for too long. The evolution of tactics saw the rise of many new possibilities. However, tiki-taka would live long in the memory of supporters worldwide as the backbone of Spanish football during its most glorious years.
What is tiki-taka?
The name was coined by the late great Spanish commentator Andres Montes during the 2006 World Cup. Tiki-taka loosely translates to “touch-touch,” which is indicative of how the teams play. Pep Guardiola is credited with being the purveyor of the system, but its roots are steeped in history. Tiki-taka is the end product of the evolution of Schalke’s ‘spinning top’ tactic in the 1930s and the school of Total Football in the 1970s.
Johan Cruyff and Pep Guardiola. pic.twitter.com/wjVCrTmriQ
— 90s Football (@90sfootball) November 18, 2020
The Dutch connection is strong with Barcelona, and of course, it is Johan Cruyff who led the foundation of the modern-day version. Pep Guardiola was one of the players during Cruyff’s managerial reign, who stressed developing La Masia in the mold of the first team. Louis van Gaal and Frank Rijkaard. Therefore, when Pep Guardiola arrived, the stage was nicely set for the peak years of his former protegees.
Tiki-taka majorly focused on the passing aspect of the game. It is about using short, quick passes to unlock the opposition’s defensive line one by one. Moreover, tiki-taka also employs…
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