Rinus Michels' Ajax team started it. Arrigo Sacchi's Milan evolved it. Pep Guardiola's Barcelona perfected it. Jurgen Klopp's Dortmund successfully copied it. Everyone is trying to emulate the high pressing game.
To adjust to this hostile environment defenders must adapt their game. Picking out a team-mate when you've got time on the ball is one thing, doing it when a pack of opponents swarm on you is another.
Manchester United's Nemanja Vidic has had to learn fast playing for a team that likes to play out from the back with speed and precision.
To move the ball quickly and around the opposition's busy strikers you have to play diagonal passes in to the midfield, according to Vidic.
"It is easier to defend against straight passes. Short diagonal passes help the team to move up the pitch," he told FFT.
"The more you work on it the harder it becomes for the opposition to get the ball off you."
To learn more hit play and let Vidic explain.
Also see:
Rio: Playing out from the back
How to be a ball playing centre back
Countering a team that press high up the pitch
The holding role: Press space, not players
Chris Hughton: Stop the opposition's passing game
How to make the opposition play the long ball game
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