Same formation, different styles: An exploratory study of clustering playing style of teams in 4-3-3 formation in elite soccer

Abstract

This study examined whether teams using identical formations display similar playing styles by integrating Phase of Play (PoP) indicators with clustering and explainable machine learning. Ninety-three observations from teams employing a 4-3-3 formation in the FIFA World Cup 2022 (n = 58) and FIFA Club World Cup 2025 (n = 35) were analyzed. K-means clustering identified distinct styles, while XGBoost with SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) interpreted key differentiators. Two contrasting styles emerged despite identical formations: a possession-oriented and a defending-oriented style. SHAP revealed attacking transition and both opposed and unopposed build-up as decisive in-possession indicators, and low block and high press as main out-of-possession factors. The possession-oriented cluster was characterized by structured build-up play, higher possession, total passes, pass completion ( p < 0.001, large), and more defensive line breaks ( p < 0.01, moderate). The defending-oriented cluster demonstrated deeper defensive organization, with greater low-block, more pushing-on-into-pressing actions and defensive pressures ( p < 0.001, moderate), and longer ball recovery time ( p < 0.001, large). These findings show that teams sharing the same formation can differ substantially in style, emphasizing the limitations of formation-based analysis and the value of PoP indicators for understanding functional behaviors in elite soccer.