What Players Can Learn from João Pedro’s Back-to-Goal Play

Playing with your back to goal flips the image. The game is no longer about prioritizing what you can see in front of you, but about what you can feel; pressure on your back and movement around you. In the modern game, this ability has become a necessity not just for strikers, but for almost every position. The rise of man-to-man marking systems has only accelerated that demand. Having players who excel in these situations gives teams room to breathe against such schemes, whether by targeting them directly with long balls or asking them to drop deep and receive at their feet.

Following his recent impressive performances, most notably against the centre-back partnership of Saliba and Gabriel, this article will examine João Pedro’s back-to-goal play in recent games to highlight the details that could serve as a blueprint for other players.

The focus here is on back-to-goal play; a skill relevant across multiple positions, rather than traditional hold-up play, which is typically associated with strikers. Back-to-goal play can be simplified into four phases, which we can then apply to João Pedro’s recent performances.

Preparation Phase:

Before the ball is even played, any player receiving with his back to goal needs to prepare to operate with the “mirror flipped.” This phase is about information gathering. Where is the pressure? Where is it coming from? How intense is it?

That information is mainly collected through scanning; either by assessing what’s in front before turning towards one’s own goal, or through shoulder checks once the reversed orientation is established. A secondary means of gathering information comes through touch, using contact to confirm the defender’s distance and angle. The quality of this phase largely determines how much time and control the player will have once the ball arrives.

Separation Phase:

To give himself the best possible chance of receiving the ball, the player needs to create separation from his marker, even if only for a split second. This separation is mainly achieved through off-ball movement.

Double movements to fake a run in behind before dropping short, sudden changes of direction into spaces the marker cannot easily follow, and subtle footwork can all provide that brief window needed to receive under control. At times, however, this phase cannot be fully applied due to extremely tight marking. In those situations, it often overlaps with the preparation phase, as the player begins to use his arms to marginally separate, feel contact, and create just enough space to receive.

Decision Making Phase: 

This is where the player, based on the information he has gathered and how much separation he managed to create, decides what to do on the ball. Importantly, this is not the final step. This phase is about identifying the what; the decision itself: whether to keep the ball, recycle it immediately, or attempt a first-time flick. Execution, the how, comes last and is heavily dependent on the individual’s technical quality (ball manipulation, control, pass detail) as well as his physicality (holding pressure off, use of arms).

Execution Phase: 

What are you expecting here? I just explained it in the previous paragraph. Let’s move on.

Case Study: Joao Pedro

Case 1: Outwitting Your Marker

In the sequence below, João Pedro is marked by Martín Zubimendi in the middle third. The preparation phase begins while João is still facing the opposition’s goal. He gathers information by simply looking forward, locating both his marker and the back line, before scanning towards the ball side.

As the pass is played to Marc Cucurella, João initiates the separation phase, quickly adjusting his footwork and dropping away from Zubimendi at the exact moment the pass is released.

Now receiving with his back to goal, João already knows two things: Zubimendi is the player jumping him, and the pressure is arriving from his left shoulder. That information was gathered during the separation, which means that as the ball travels towards him, no additional shoulder check is required.

The decision-making and execution phases merge into one action. João takes an outside-of-the-right-foot touch into space, locking his ankle to ensure the ball is flicked away from pressure. At the same time, he uses his left arm to feel for contact and hold off Zubimendi. That combination of gathering information, gaining a few yards away from his marker, touch selection, and arm usage is what allows him to come out on top and infiltrate the final third.

Case 2: When to “Get Rid” & When to “Keep Hold”

Keep the ball with pressure on your back and you risk entering a WWE match with your marker when a safer immediate option is available. Release the ball too quickly when there’s a window to turn, and you miss the chance to progress play yourself and act as the extra man in possession. The preparation and separation phases are extremely crucial for this.

In the previous sequence, João knew he could keep the ball and turn with a single touch because he had already identified where the pressure was coming from. In the following one, his subtle double movement, briefly sticking his right foot out before springing deep, influenced his marker and increased the pressing distance. That created separation, giving JP the space to keep the ball with a close touch, turn, and then release it on his own terms.

In contrast to what we discussed earlier, the sequences below show moments where João Pedro knows he has to get rid of the ball. In these separate occasion, he arrives at that conclusion in two different ways. Against Arsenal, he checks his right shoulder and reads the situation perfectly, recognising that William Saliba is ready to follow Cucurella, leaving Gabriel as the player applying pressure on his back. Against Napoli, the decision comes through feel rather than vision: João senses his marker’s contact on his back and immediately recycles possession with his first touch.

Case 3: Your Body Is Your Shield, So Use It

The ball is on its way to you. You check your shoulder one final time and know the defender is closing down. A first-time release would be the cleanest solution here. But what if you fail to spot a free teammate? At that point, entering a duel with your marker becomes unavoidable.

In the sequence below, with no clear passing options (Caicedo being a risky one) João Pedro has no real way to avoid contact with Gabriel. The preparation, however, is spot on. His left arm is already out, sensing pressure; heels grounded, knees slightly bent, back straight, and body weight leaning backwards. This stance allows João to generate force through his quads and hold his ground.

Gabriel does manage to nudge him forward (not entirely João’s fault, considering his Brazilian teammate seems to have the strength of a thousand bulls) but that’s where João’s touch selection comes in, taking the ball away from pressure rather than keeping it close. From there, the continued use of the arms helps him stabilize the duel and maintain possession.

Like Everything in Life, No Footballer is Complete.

Now, the above might make it look like João Pedro is the best back-to-goal player around (there’s a real case for that, in my opinion. We can fight about it later), but like any player, he still has his limitations.

When it comes to aerial duels, João Pedro often struggles. He either stays grounded, waiting for the defender to make a mistake, or misjudges the flight of the ball and, consequently, the timing of his jump. In both cases, he tends to end up underneath the defender, which significantly limits his chances of winning first contact.

A second limitation lies in his foul-seeking tendencies. Despite having the physical build and the know-how to stay on his feet, João Pedro can sometimes go to ground too easily in the hope of earning a foul. When the referee doesn’t blow the whistle, the outcome is usually a frustrating turnover rather than a positive attacking moment.

Conclusion

Whether he’s outwitting Zubimendi in the middle third, choosing when to get rid or keep hold against Arsenal and Napoli, or using his body as a shield in a forced duel with Gabriel, the same four phases are constantly at play.

It always starts with preparation. Scanning early, collecting information, and flipping the image before the ball arrives allow him to operate one step ahead. Separation then gives him that crucial margin. A double movement or subtle footwork can be enough to influence the defender. From there, decision-making becomes clear rather than rushed. João knows whether the situation calls for a first-time release, a touch to turn, or inviting contact and protecting the ball. Execution is simply the consequence of everything that came before: the right touch, the right use of the arms, and the right body positioning, all applied under pressure.

The key takeaway is that back-to-goal play is about sequencing actions correctly. Miss one phase and the entire action is at risk of collapsing. Get them right, and you can turn pressure into progression.

That’s what makes João Pedro such a valuable reference point. Not because he wins every duel or gets every decision right, but because his process is consistent, transferable, and applicable well beyond the striker position. In a game increasingly shaped by man-to-man pressure and shrinking space, the ability to receive with your back to goal and dictate the next action is  becoming a necessity.