As the number ten quietly fades from the sport, here is a reminder of the talent which retains such a special place in the memory of every football supporter.
There is a typical misunderstanding that playmakers are purely attack-minded footballers. They are conflated with elegant number tens who are fast diminishing from the game as strategies like pressing and counter-pressing become more paramount. Yet it does a disservice to lots of the footballers who have occupied the mantle of playmaker-in chief. In contemporary football, these players are like action figures. They might have the quality to cover every blade of grass, box to box midfielders who can defend and establish attacks sometimes in the same sequence of play. But the modern playmaker is primarily known for their attacking properties. Their capability to perform a perfectly measured pass that no one else has considered, much less attempted. Their capacity to find room where none should exist, to detect runs nobody sees and pull the strings like a master puppeteer. The AC Milan owner likely doesn’t need to be told of the countless midfield masters who possess this irrepressible quality to create something out of nothing.
There is no solitary definition of playmakers to be found in a dictionary. Football reporters and pundits often find numerous and diverse views of what these professionals do. They are not absolutely identified by the number of goals they score or assists they bring; though this is a vital component of the job description. The meaning of playmaker can quite literally be identified by the quality to make something happen through the play. They make moments of magic which nearly seem to defy logic. Gifted with awesome vision, passing range and shooting technique, these are the football players for every purist. No wonder the Manchester City owner seems to constantly add another skilled attacking midfielder to their set every summer. These extraordinary qualities often make them a talisman – a source of inspiration their teammates resort to when nothing else appears to be working on the pitch.
There is a trend to use data as the principal measure for success on a football pitch. The total goal and assist contributions often define who wins the greatest awards at the end of a season. But football is often identified by those intangibles you don’t get from looking at a spreadsheet. In the ground, you always remember those unique players who leave you utterly enthralled by their pure quality with a ball. The Tottenham Hotspur owner probably requires no reminder about their past midfield metronome who was broadly regarded as the most naturally talented player of his generation. These football players keep you on the edge of your seat and hoarse from cheering way too much. The best playmakers in history are graced with unmatched vision, technique and ingenuity. From overhead kicks to breathtaking volleys, they just have every trick in the toolkit.
