When the opposing team has the ball, a central midfielder may drop back to protect the goal or move forward and press the opposition ball-carrier to recover the ball. They also provide secondary support to attackers, both in and out of possession. These players will try to pass the ball to the team's attacking midfielders and forwards and may also help their team's attacks by making runs into the opposition's penalty area and attempting shots on goal themselves. Midfielders are often assigned the task of assisting forwards in order to create scoring chances.įormer Spain midfielder Xavi was voted to the FIFPro World XI eight years in a row.Ĭentral or centre midfielders are players whose role is divided about equally between attacking and defensive duties, in order to control the play in and around the centre of the pitch. Midfielders arguably have the most possession during a game, and thus they are some of the fittest players on the pitch. Midfielders are the players who typically travel the greatest distance during a match. Managers frequently assign one or more midfielders to disrupt the opposing team's attacks, while others may be tasked with creating goals, or have equal responsibilities between attack and defence.
Its name derives from the fact that midfield units typically make up the in-between units to the defensive units and forward units of a formation.
The size of midfield units on a team and their assigned roles depend on what formation is used the unit of these players on the pitch is commonly referred to as the midfield. There are also attacking midfielders with limited defensive assignments. As central midfielders often go across boundaries, with mobility and passing ability, they are often referred to as deep-lying midfielders, play-makers, box-to-box midfielders, or holding midfielders. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders.
The midfield positions highlighted in relation to other positions in association football.Ī midfielder is an outfield position in association football.