Jude Bellingham’s Integral Role in the Diamond 4-4-2 Formation: Insights from Ancelotti
“We Don’t Lack Players for the Number 10 Role, but Bellingham Is the Perfect Choice There”
During the press conference after the match against AC Milan, coach Carlo Ancelotti received a tactical question from reporter Kiyan Sobhani of Managing Madrid about the diamond 4-4-2 formation and Jude Bellingham’s role. The Italian strategist did not hesitate to provide a straightforward answer:
“Hello Carlo, I’d like to continue with a question about the diamond 4-4-2 formation you’re building. When Nico Paz came on to replace Bellingham in the second half, Nico’s role on the field seemed slightly different from Jude’s. So my question to you is, is the diamond 4-4-2 formation only used when Bellingham is present on the field, or can you still use it because there are other players in the squad who can play in the number 10 role like he does?”
Ancelotti’s response was as follows:
“No, in reality, when Nico Paz came on, he played as a number 10 exactly in Bellingham’s position. However, towards the end of the game, we were defending with a flat 4-4-2 block, and Nico was asked to play on the wing at that time.”
“Our squad has many players who can play in the number 10 role: Nico Paz can play there, Modric can play there, Rodrygo can play there, and even Arda Güler can play there too.”
“We don’t lack personnel to play in the number 10 position, but as I mentioned earlier, I believe Bellingham is the perfect choice in that position because he possesses excellent abilities to penetrate the box and create constant threats, something the others don’t have.”
