Soccer is a mix of strategy, skill and teamwork. Knowing how the field is laid out and what each player is there to do makes it easier to follow a match.

Whether we’re watching a local game or cheering for a professional team, it helps to notice the moves that lead to a goal or a save.

The Soccer Field

A soccer field can vary in size from one stadium to another. A common size for professional pitches is 105 metres long and 68 metres wide. The penalty area matters for more than penalty kicks: it also marks where the goalkeeper can handle the ball during play.

Outside their own penalty area, goalkeepers are subject to the same handball rules as everyone else. Not every touch of the hand or arm is an offence. Deliberately handling the ball is an offence, but whether it warrants a card depends on the circumstances.

Players and Substitutes

Each team can have up to 11 players on the field, including a goalkeeper. The other players are usually grouped as defenders, midfielders and forwards. How many players fill each role depends on the formation. In five-a-side soccer, there are five players per team, usually including a goalkeeper.

Substitution limits depend on the competition or the rules of the match. In most senior competitive matches, a player who has been replaced cannot return. Some youth and recreational competitions allow players to come back on after being substituted.

Goalkeepers

Goalkeepers wear a different kit to stand out from their teammates, opponents and the officials. They need quick reactions, but decisions matter as much as saves. A goalkeeper has to judge when to stay near the goal and when to come out to meet a pass or narrow an attacker’s angle.

Centre Backs

Centre backs protect the area in front of the goalkeeper. They mark attackers, intercept passes and clear the ball when under pressure. They often challenge for headers and can help start attacks with passes out of defence. Franco Baresi, for example, was known for organising play from the back.

Sweepers and Fullbacks

A sweeper plays behind the other defenders to cover balls that get past them and can start counterattacks. Fullbacks cover the sides, blocking crosses and supporting attacks. Wingbacks, often used in a 3-5-2 formation, cover more of the flank, getting forward to support the attack and dropping back to defend.

Midfielders

Defensive midfielders shield the back line and help start attacks. Central midfielders distribute the ball, support defenders and link up with forwards. Attacking midfielders play closer to the forwards and focus on creating chances. A pass through the defence or a shot from distance can make them a scoring threat as well.

Wingers

Wingers start on the sides of the field. They can take on fullbacks and deliver crosses into the penalty area for forwards. Some also cut inside to pass or shoot, as Arjen Robben often did. Starting wide gives a winger room to receive the ball before deciding which route to take.

Depending on the formation, wingers may also drop back to help defend or move closer to the central midfielders to receive a pass.

Centre Forwards and Strikers

The terms centre forward and striker often refer to the same player, but they can emphasise different parts of the job. A centre forward can be the focal point of the attack, receiving passes with their back to goal, shielding the ball and bringing teammates into play.

A striker’s main task is to finish chances. Some are strong in the air and score from crosses. Others use quick runs between defenders to reach a pass near goal. When two forwards play together, one can come short for the ball while the other runs into the space behind the defence.

At your next match, pick a player and watch them for a few minutes when they don’t have the ball. Notice where they move when their team wins possession and who they cover when it loses the ball.