Project
Select XI
Select XI is live at select-xi.pro — a full-featured football tactics platform built from scratch.
Overview
Select XI is a production football tactics platform that goes well beyond a basic lineup card. It covers the full tactical workflow: pick a formation from 40+ options across three defensive shapes, build your squad on a dual-phase pitch canvas (in possession and out of possession side by side), customize jersey styles and colors, generate AI-powered match plans against specific opponent shapes, and share or export your lineup as a PNG.
Beyond the builder, Select XI includes a community board for browsing and submitting lineups, a live fixtures feed, a news section, and a full Tactics Guide covering 160+ years of football system evolution in a single visual timeline.
Core Features
Lineup Builder
- 40+ formations across three defensive shapes (three, four, and five at the back), plus custom
- Dual-phase pitch canvas — plan both in-possession and out-of-possession shapes independently, or view side by side
- Camp Mode for building full squad rosters (e.g., 26-man World Cup squads)
- Jersey customization: circle, shirt, or modern style; primary/secondary/text colors
- Show/hide player numbers, names, and positions; snap-to-align grid
- Draw arrows and ball movement directly on the pitch
- Draft save/restore across sessions
- Export lineup as PNG; shareable URL
AI Match Plans
- Per-formation tactical recommendations against common opponent shapes: Low Block, High Press, Protect Lead, Chase Goal
- Spacing instructions, out-of-possession shape, compaction zone, and counter-press triggers
- Substitution window suggestions with timing and tactical intent
Tactics Guide
- Complete written guide to football formations and tactical philosophy
- 160+ year visual tactics timeline — from early pyramid systems through modern positional play
- Formation-specific deep dives with historical context
Community & Data
- Community lineup board for browsing and submitting formations
- Live fixtures feed
- News section
Tech Stack
Built and deployed by Hawkeye Tech. Frontend-heavy application with a real-time interactive pitch canvas, AI-generated tactical content, and a live data layer for fixtures and news.
Why It Stands Out
Most online lineup builders are static drag-and-drop tools. Select XI treats formation building as a tactical problem: dual-phase planning forces you to think about what your team does in both phases of play, the AI match plan contextualizes your shape against real opponent profiles, and the Tactics Guide gives the historical and philosophical grounding that makes the tool educational rather than just cosmetic.