total football

noun

1. an attacking style of play, popularized by the Dutch national team of the 1970s, in which there are no fixed positions and every outfield player can join in the attack

Example Sentences

The former midfielder was part of the Ajax and Netherlands teams credited with creating "total football" in the 1970s.

From BBC

The Dutch played Total Football, but did not win the World Cup.

From BBC

The Dutch were hot favourites in their era of 'Total Football', but West Germany came back from going behind to Johan Neeskens penalty after only two minutes to win 2-1.

From BBC

Netherlands coach Rinus Michels selected him as a goalkeeper who could set up moves for a team known for its “total football” and his free-spirited roaming with the ball came to epitomize a style known for fluency all over the field.

From Seattle Times

It was only midway through his last season that he discovered his sporting vision — “total football” — that he used to turn his team of losers into winners.

From New York Times