Never has the center of the pitch been more important than in this World Cup. Most teams lack pace in the front line, and quicker throw-ins have opened space between the lines. The floaters are the ones drawing defenders out to open the through pass.

The quicker the throw-in, the less time the other team has to rest and reset. When every throw-in is taken quickly, space naturally opens in central areas. And the space can only open when both the superior team, who want to take them quickly, and the inferior team, who want to reset, are forced to take the throw-in quickly.

With the new rule change at this World Cup, every throw-in and dead ball is taken quickly. The ball is constantly moving.

How are you going to attack as the superior team if you are not prepared to defend the whole pitch? If the ball remains dead for a long time, you have time to get into position. When it is constantly moving, constantly circulating, you have to remain spread out.

The space is open, but we don’t have pace in the front line. Plant someone in the middle who can draw defenders in and think different.

France are the only team with true pace in the front line, but even they see that the space is open central. Michael Olise doesn’t float where he wants; he floats to the areas of the pitch where he is needed, which is in the center. He can play a spectacular pass, but the simple, well-waited through balls are the ones that are necessary.

We expect Lionel Messi to drift central, but it was not the norm for him to start central. We often saw him in the right half-space in 2022, and then he drifted inside on the dribble. Against Algeria, he is planted in the middle from the start of every possession.

Julián Quiñones for Mexico should be the main example of a player who can make a difference with quick, energetic movements but who you would only expect to make simple passes, simple through balls, a short combination with the threat of a shot. A player who can drift into the center to draw defenders in.

Quiñones is the prototype, the example, for Lamine Yamal for Spain, Bukayo Saka for England, Jeremy Doku for Belgium, Iliman Ndiaye for Senegal, Raphinha for Brazil.

Senegal lacked Iliman Ndiaye’s presence against France. Someone who is energetic, can play the simple through ball, can dribble to force defenders to jump. You could sense that difference in quality in each attack in the short time we saw him play players through with purpose in the second half.

The substitute who is going to make the biggest impact won’t be the player who comes in for Di Maria on the wing because the Di Maria’s don’t exist. It will be whoever makes the difference in the center when they sub in for Lionel Messi. The Nico Paz’s of the world, the Rayan Cherki’s of the world, start to become the key players again.