When the rules of Association Football were first codified in the 19th century, minimal strategy was involved. Over half the players on any team were forwards, and games were high-scoring affairs ...

Over time, this W-M formation – named so for its resemblance to the letters – evolved even further. It was the Brazilians who dropped another player into the backline to form early 4-2-4 formations, ...

This article is part of a wider series in partnership with Football Manager 26, which looks at the strengths and weaknesses of famous historical and contemporary tactics. The story of football teams ...