2010 – 2019
Tiki-taka, the Leicester miracle and data
Spain and Barcelona made possession the dominant idea of a generation. Then Leicester City won the Premier League at 5000–1. By the end of the decade every club had a data department and expected set-piece coaches were normal.
Four defining moments
- 2010Spain win the World Cup with a goal from Iniesta in extra time.
- 2012Chelsea win the Champions League in Munich against Bayern.
- 2016Leicester City win the Premier League; Portugal win Euro 2016.
- 2019Liverpool win a sixth European Cup; VAR is used across Europe’s leagues.
Why this decade matters
Two shifts: analytics moved from the back room to the touchline, and the pressing game replaced possession as the default model. Both are visible in every top team sheet today.