You might play good football without understanding The Art of War, but you’ll never win without it. Victory on the pitch depends not only on skill, but also on strategy.
Football relies on players’ individual technique and fitness, but without deeper strategic thinking, it is difficult to keep winning at the highest level. Individual skill determines a player’s basic level, while strategic planning is the key to winning matches.
Knowing yourself and your opponent is a core principle of The Art of War. In the 2006 World Cup penalty shootout between Germany and Argentina, German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann used a small note listing the Argentine players’ penalty habits to save two shots, a classic example of knowing your opponent.
“First make yourself invincible, then wait for the enemy to become vulnerable” highlights the importance of a solid defense and seizing opportunities. In the 2012 Champions League final, Chelsea faced a powerful Bayern Munich side and retreated deep to park the bus. They then seized a gap in their opponents’ defense at the last moment to win, perfectly illustrating this principle.
The interplay of the orthodox and the unorthodox on the pitch demands flexibility from a coach. In a European Championship match between England and Wales, Roy Hodgson suddenly changed formation in the second half and brought on a surprise weapon to turn the game around, embodying the wisdom of “In battle, use the orthodox to engage, and the unorthodox to win.” Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari also posted excerpts from The Art of War in the players’ rooms before the 2002 World Cup, then led the team to victory, further demonstrating how strategic thinking can shape a team’s mindset.
