| The Goalkeeper is commonly called keeper or goalie. | | | | Midfielders - Midfielders are neither part of the |
| The goalie stands in the area in front of the goal to | | | | offensive line nor the defense. These stoppers have |
| protect it from offensive attacks. The goalkeeper is | | | | the job of keeping the ball as far from their goal as |
| the only player allowed to use his or her hands in the | | | | possible. If a team has strong midfielders, there will |
| game. | | | | be little work for the defenders to do. Midfielders can |
| Defenders - After the goalie, the defenders are the | | | | also become additional offenders if their team has |
| next line of defense for a team. They linger in the 1 | | | | control of the ball. If a team has more than one |
| 3 of the field nearest the goal, ready to steal the ball | | | | midfielder in play, often one will focus on defense and |
| from the opponents and pass it off to their own | | | | the other, offense. |
| team's midfielders or offensive line. The defensive line | | | | Forwards are also called strikers. The goal of the |
| is made up of centerbacks, fullbacks/wingers, and | | | | forward is to move the ball towards the opponent's |
| sweepers/liberos. Generally, the centerbacks are the | | | | goal. Forwards work together, passing the ball to line |
| two nearest the goal, and the fullbacks spend their | | | | up the perfect shot against the other team. Though |
| time nearer to the corners. Libero means "free" in | | | | midfielders can score, it is usually the forwards who |
| Italian. The libero/sweeper goes where he or she is | | | | get all the goals. If there is one person who sets |
| needed to get the ball back into his own team's | | | | himself up to score more goals than other forwards, |
| hands (or feet, as the case may be). Sweepers are | | | | he is called the finisher. |
| not always used. | | | | |