Piggy in the middle? What’s that in German? Sometimes this game is called 5v2 or piggy in the middle or even “rondos”, but it’s really just a small game of keep away, usually part of a warm up game before training starts. The name of the game is one touch soccer and keep the ball moving. And if one of the two in the middle gets nutmegged then that have to stay in for another round.
Are the two in the middle really going at full speed? Are they trying as hard as they can? Not sure. One thing is true, the soccer ball is moving at speed and the two in the middle are staying in there for quite a while.
Watch Bayern Munich play keep away in the video below. It’s no wonder Bayern Munich are piggy in the middle masters of this keep away game, since they’ve taken over as the kings of possession and the tiki taka style of play.
Here’s what Xavi of Barcelona said about piggy in the middle or rondos:
Some youth academies worry about winning, we worry about education. You see a kid who lifts his head up, who plays the pass first time pum, and you think, ‘Yep, he’ll do.’ Bring him in, coach him. Our model was imposed by [Johan] Cruyff; it’s an Ajax model.
It’s all about rondos [piggy in the middle]. Rondo, rondo, rondo. Every. Single. Day. It’s the best exercise there is. You learn responsibility and not to lose the ball. If you lose the ball, you go in the middle. Pum-pum-pum-pum, always one touch. If you go in the middle, it’s humiliating, the rest applaud and laugh at you.
Here’s more Bayern Munich in a training session playing some more rondos. It doesn’t matter what you call it, 5 v2 or rondos or piggy in the middle, it’s all about keeping the soccer ball moving in just one touch and make the the two in the middle stay in:
Bayern Munich 61 pass rondo game is amazing. I feel bad for the two players in the middle. Who were they? The seven players on the outside put 61 passes together before the ball was knocked out of play.