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The Greatest Box-to-box Midfielders of All Time
Shirt number: 6 or 8; also known as: 'carilleros'
This is a useful, versatile member of the team. The box-to-box midfielder can both win the ball and carry the attack forward. Able to tackle and pass effectively, they can run all day and stamina is their most important asset. As their name suggests this allows them to shuttle back and forward, covering a lot of ground and acting almost as two players in one. They are the closest thing to the 'complete midfielder'. This player can act as a driving force for all of the team and the box-to-box midefielder is usually invloved in the heart of the action. They make good captains. Their most telling contribution is often their running off the ball arriving late in the box at the end of a well timed run to strike the ball and hit the back of the net. Their versatility means that this player can also be deployed as either a defensive midfielder or an attacking midfielder and they often excel in these positions too (for example Gerrard for Liverpool in 2008/09 (AM) or Ballack for Chelsea in 2009/10 (DM)).
The origin of this player is probably the attacking centre-half in the 2-3-5 formation. Since then the popularity of this player has varied according to prevailing tactics of the time. The W-M system divided the midfield into defensive and attacking players, which didn't really suit this flexible role. The modern version of the box-box midfielder came of age with the advent of the 4-4-2 system developed by Alf Ramsey in which midfielders became all purpose players that had to both defend and attack (i.e. Peters and Ball). From then onwards the box-to-box midfielder remained an important tradition of the English game (maybe too important when it comes to international football). The total football of Holland and the system of Sacchi's Milan also valued the multi-purpose midfielder (i.e. Ancelotti and Neeskens). Today, with the advent of 4-2-3-1 maybe the box-to-box midfielder is starting to be phased out again. Although it has been used recently, such as Mourinho's first Chelsea side which employed 4-3-3 with two box-to-box midfielders either side of a holding player.
For an interesting article on this subject see here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2009/apr/22/where-have-box-to-box-midfielders-gone - although it now seems rather premature.
Duncan Edwards
Faustos dos Santos Bra 1930s
Obdulio Varela Uru 1950-54
Ernst Ocwirk Aus 1950s
Gerhard Hanappi Aus 1950s
Duncan Edwards Eng 1956-58
Igor Netto USSR 1958-62
Masopust Cze 1953-66
Jose Martinez Pirri Spa 1960s/70s
Alan Ball Eng 1960s/70s
Martin Peters Eng 1966-74
Johann Neeskens Hol 1970s
Matthaus
Sammy McIlroy NI 1970s
Billy Bremner Sco 1970s
Colin Bell Eng 1970s
Americo Gallego Arg 1975-82
Ossie Ardiles Arg 1978-82
Bryan Robson Eng 1980s
Jean Tigana Fra 1980s
Carlo Ancelotti Ita 1980s
David Platt Eng 1989-96
Lothar Matthaus Ger 1986-2000
Billy Bremner Sco 1970s
Colin Bell Eng 1970s
Americo Gallego Arg 1975-82
Ossie Ardiles Arg 1978-82
Bryan Robson Eng 1980s
Jean Tigana Fra 1980s
Carlo Ancelotti Ita 1980s
David Platt Eng 1989-96
Lothar Matthaus Ger 1986-2000
Gerrard
Stefan Effenberg Ger 1990s
Paul Scholes Eng 1990s/00/10s
Clarence Seedorf Neths 1990s/00s
Edgar Davids Neths 1990s/00s
Torsten Frings Ger 2000s
Steven Gerrard Eng 2000s
Frank Lampard Eng 2000s
Michael Ballack Ger 2000s
Bastian Schweinsteiger Ger 2000s/10s
Yaya Toure Iv Co 2000s/10s
Vidal Chile 2010s
Pogba Fra 2010s
Paul Scholes Eng 1990s/00/10s
Clarence Seedorf Neths 1990s/00s
Edgar Davids Neths 1990s/00s
Torsten Frings Ger 2000s
Steven Gerrard Eng 2000s
Frank Lampard Eng 2000s
Michael Ballack Ger 2000s
Bastian Schweinsteiger Ger 2000s/10s
Yaya Toure Iv Co 2000s/10s
Vidal Chile 2010s
Pogba Fra 2010s
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