For a semiotics of the tactic in soccer: a analysis of Netherlands team in the FIFA World Cup in 1974

Abstract

The dynamic of professional soccer is characterized for high performance and competitiveness. In this context, the tactic is recognized how as a decisive aspect for performance of the game. The purpose of this article is to contribute for investigation of tactics in soccer through semiotic approach. The aim of semiotics is to investigate a phenomenon through the action of signs. The function of the signs is to make efficient the inefficient relations. This efficient process is denominated semiose. In this approach, the tactic is understood as a collective mind. This mind influences specific ways of the players' movement coordination. We propose a semiotics method that should identify and analyze the action of the signs in soccer tactics. To identify effects of process of semiose is necessary observing the regularities in way of to combine movements during the games. The regularity is a symptom of action of signs. For this analysis is necessary to understand the context that activates the semiose; the free spaces in soccer field and participating players and the way of the players combine their movements. We utilize this method to analyze the Netherlands soccer team at the FIFA World Cup in 1974. We investigated the tactic semiose, which we called “triangle in finalization path's. We note which this form of action of the sign took at 40% of Netherlands goals in World Cup of 1974.