Pressing or pressure in football is a process in which a team seeks to apply stress to the opponent player who possesses the ball. A team applies pressure to limit the time an opposition player has left to make a decision, reduce passing options, and ultimately attempt to turn over ball possession. Although nearly all teams seek to apply pressure to their opponents, their strategy to do so may vary.
Some teams adopt a so-called deep press, leaving the opposition with time and room to move the ball up the pitch. However, once the ball reaches the last third of the field, defenders aim to intercept the ball by pressuring the ball carrier. A slightly less conservative approach is the middle press. Here pressure is applied around the halfway line, where defenders attempt to lead the buildup in a certain direction, blocking open players and passing lanes to ultimately force

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