Where is 4-2-3-1 the default?
Share of line-ups set out as 4-2-3-1 — the most common shape in football, and in some leagues close to the only one.
Serie B (Brazil) is the most uniform: 68.8% of its line-ups are 4-2-3-1.
| League | 4-2-3-1 | Line-ups |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Serie B Brazil | 68.8% | 538 |
| 2. Süper Lig Türkiye | 67.4% | 601 |
| 3. First League Bulgaria | 67.4% | 417 |
| 4. Premier League Ukraine | 66.2% | 358 |
| 5. Serie A Brazil | 64.3% | 760 |
| 6. Super League 1 Greece | 63% | 449 |
| 7. 1. Lig Türkiye | 56.8% | 468 |
| 8. Primera División Peru | 53.5% | 714 |
| 9. Pro League Saudi Arabia | 53.1% | 480 |
| 10. Primera A Colombia | 47% | 807 |
| 11. Liga I Romania | 46.1% | 488 |
| 12. Ekstraklasa Poland | 44.9% | 574 |
| 13. Major League Soccer United States | 44.1% | 816 |
| 14. Ligue 2 France | 43.2% | 760 |
| 15. Primera División Chile | 41.3% | 480 |
| 16. AFC Champions League Elite International | 38.3% | 274 |
| 17. Ligue 1 France | 35.5% | 760 |
| 18. UEFA Nations League International | 33.6% | 262 |
| 19. A-League Australia | 32.1% | 274 |
| 20. Super League China | 31.3% | 480 |
| 21. Premier League Russia | 30.5% | 478 |
| 22. UEFA Champions League International | 30.1% | 392 |
| 23. Friendlies International | 29.2% | 322 |
| 24. Championship England | 28.8% | 1,110 |
| 25. World Cup - Qualification Europe International | 28.7% | 508 |
| 26. Primeira Liga Portugal | 28.7% | 607 |
| 27. Liga MX Mexico | 28.1% | 668 |
| 28. 2. Bundesliga Germany | 28% | 610 |
| 29. Jupiler Pro League Belgium | 27.6% | 446 |
| 30. Super League Switzerland | 27.3% | 355 |
| 31. Segunda División Spain | 27.1% | 887 |
| 32. 3. Liga Germany | 25.8% | 450 |
| 33. UEFA Europa League International | 23.1% | 906 |
| 34. Premiership Scotland | 20.5% | 336 |
| 35. Bundesliga Germany | 18.7% | 616 |
| 36. Eliteserien Norway | 18.6% | 474 |
| 37. Premier League England | 17.6% | 760 |
| 38. Liga Profesional Argentina Argentina | 17% | 640 |
| 39. FA Cup England | 16.9% | 207 |
| 40. La Liga Spain | 14.9% | 758 |
Showing every competition. Major competitions only
Exact formation as recorded.