Soccer or football as it is also known as is played by two teams of eleven players each.

The objective of the game is to get the ball into the opposing team’s goal with any parts of the body except the arms and hands. It is ultimately a team game where teamwork and ability to cooperate and follow instructions is key to the success of the team. Individuals of exceptional qualities have been known to be able to win matches on their own though! To achieve this objective, each team will need to tap on the strengths of their players and blend them into a lethal mix. Each team comprises of players of different specialties.

The goalkeeper is the only player in the team who is allowed to use his hands and he can only do so within his own penalty box. He protects the team’s goal and is the last line of defense against the opposing team’s attack. Though normally the least popular of positions in soccer, the goalkeeper is actually an integral part of the team and can mean the difference between a win or a loss for the team.

The defender, as the name suggests, is a specialist in defending against attacks albeit without the use of hands. He is the second last line of defense in front of the keeper and is considered an outfield player. Depending on position, the defender will be called center back, sweeper, full back or wing backs.

Next up is the midfielder. The vital link between defense and attack, midfielders are required to have tremendous amount of stamina as more often than not they will be required to support the attack or provide defensive cover. Again depending on position, the midfielders may be called central midfielder,defensive midfielder or attacking midfielder.

Last but not least is the attacker. The ones who normally hog the headlines due to their goalscoring exploits, this position is one of the more coveted and challenging one. It is also one of the more stressful positions as their inability to deliver might heap a mighty load of pressure on their shoulders. They are also more likely to receive numerous career threatening tackles and require top notch conditioning and strengthening to withstand injuries. The names associated with them are striker,centre forward and attacking wing.

Ok. Now we have covered the gist of soccer in the barest of basics, you should have a rough idea of what might be required to excel in each position and depending on the position you play in, you might want to cater your training in a certain direction. This shall be covered in more details in upcoming articles. Before you start playing soccer, there are certain essential soccer gear you require!

Soccer Gear