A soccer team consists of 11 players on the field at any given time.
So, in total, there are 22 players of both teams (11 + 11).
In addition to the players, you’ll also see the match officials on the pitch. This includes 1 referee and 2 linesmen.
Among the 11 players, one player is the goalkeeper (or goalie), who wears a different colored jersey than the rest of his teammates.
The main duty of the goalkeeper (as the name suggests) is to stay near the goal to prevent the other team from scoring. They’re also the only players on the pitch allowed to use their hands (but only within their penalty area).
The remaining 10 players are known as field players. They can move around the field more freely.
Types of Positions
There are four basic types of positions:
- Goalkeepers: As we discussed earlier they’re the final protectors of the goal.
- Defenders: Defenders are primarily focused on defense. Their main job is to stop the opposing team from attacking and scoring.
- Midfielders: They play a versatile role in the middle of the field. Midfielders have to assist in both the defense and attack of a team. You can also see them as the link between the defenders and forwards.
- Forwards: Forwards are the cavalry of the team. Their main goal is to score goals.
But a soccer squad is not just made up of the 11 players on the pitch. There are players waiting on the sidelines as well to assist the team when they get the chance.
Substitutes
Teams also have substitutes waiting on the sidelines to get involved in the action.
Usually, a team has between seven to thirteen players who can come into the game when needed.
In professional games, substitutes are more limited. A team can only make five substitutions during a game. Plus, once a player is substituted out, they cannot return to the game.
But, in many youth leagues and indoor games, teams can substitute more freely. This means that players can come on and off the field as often as the coach decides.
Summary
So here’s what you need to take away from this article:
- Each soccer team has 11 players on the field at any given time. So, in total, there are 22 players on the field.
- There are 4 main positions in soccer:
- A team also has substitutes that can replace the players on the field. In most professional matches, a team can only make 5 substitutes per game.
