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: 70% of its line-ups are 4-2-3-1.
| League | 4-2-3-1 | Line-ups |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Serie B Brazil | 70% | 749 |
| 2. First League Bulgaria | 55.4% | 444 |
| 3. Super League 1 Greece | 55.3% | 472 |
| 4. Primera A Colombia | 53.4% | 526 |
| 5. Pro League Saudi Arabia | 50.4% | 470 |
| 6. Premier League Egypt | 47.5% | 600 |
| 7. Serie A Brazil | 47.5% | 746 |
| 8. Primera División Peru | 47.4% | 466 |
| 9. Super Liga Serbia | 46% | 582 |
| 10. HNL Croatia | 45.5% | 356 |
| 11. Süper Lig Türkiye | 45% | 755 |
| 12. Liga Pro Ecuador | 44.4% | 315 |
| 13. Indian Super League India | 43.5% | 230 |
| 14. Czech Liga Czechia | 43.2% | 556 |
| 15. Eredivisie Netherlands | 42.7% | 647 |
| 16. 1. Lig Türkiye | 42.6% | 685 |
| 17. 1. SNL Slovenia | 42.5% | 233 |
| 18. 1. Division Cyprus | 41.1% | 353 |
| 19. NB I Hungary | 41% | 329 |
| 20. Premier League Belarus | 39.3% | 387 |
| 21. Eerste Divisie Netherlands | 37.3% | 758 |
| 22. Pro League United Arab Emirates | 36.8% | 340 |
| 23. A-League Australia | 36.5% | 326 |
| 24. Major League Soccer United States | 36.2% | 905 |
| 25. Premier League Ukraine | 35.1% | 279 |
| 26. CONMEBOL Libertadores International | 33.2% | 307 |
| 27. CONMEBOL Sudamericana International | 32.4% | 312 |
| 28. Segunda División Spain | 32.3% | 936 |
| 29. Super Liga Slovakia | 32.1% | 368 |
| 30. AFC Champions League Elite International | 31.8% | 280 |
| 31. Copa del Rey Spain | 30.4% | 214 |
| 32. Bundesliga Austria | 30% | 390 |
| 33. Liga I Romania | 29.4% | 630 |
| 34. Primeira Liga Portugal | 28.9% | 615 |
| 35. Ligue 2 France | 28.7% | 764 |
| 36. Primera División Chile | 28.1% | 540 |
| 37. UEFA Europa League International | 28% | 350 |
| 38. J1 League Japan | 27.2% | 760 |
| 39. Liga MX Mexico | 26.9% | 684 |
| 40. 3. Liga Germany | 25.9% | 706 |
Showing every competition. Major competitions only
Exact formation as recorded.