Positions
See where every player lines up on the pitch
Vocabulary
8 key words for this lesson
GOALKEEPER
The player who stops the ball from going into the goal.
Our goalkeeper made a great save.
DEFENDER
A player whose job is to stop the other team from scoring.
The defender blocked the shot at the last second.
MIDFIELDER
A player in the middle of the pitch who links defence and attack.
The midfielder passed the ball to the striker.
STRIKER
A player whose job is to score goals.
Ronaldo is the striker — he scored twice today.
CAPTAIN
The leader of the team. They wear a special armband.
The captain spoke to the referee after the foul.
WINGER
A player who plays on the left or right side of the pitch.
The winger ran fast down the right side.
SUBSTITUTE
A player who comes on during a match to replace another player.
The coach sent on a substitute in the second half.
FORMATION
The way a team lines up on the pitch, shown as numbers.
Our team plays a 4-3-3 formation.
Phrases
6 phrases and their meanings
PLAY IN GOAL
To be the goalkeeper for a team.
She plays in goal and is very hard to beat.
PLAY AT THE BACK
To play as a defender.
He plays at the back and is very strong in the air.
PLAY IN MIDFIELD
To play as a midfielder in the middle of the pitch.
She plays in midfield and controls the game.
PLAY UP FRONT
To play as a striker or forward near the opponent's goal.
Ronaldo plays up front and scores a lot of goals.
COME ON AS A SUBSTITUTE
To replace another player and enter the match.
He came on as a substitute in the 70th minute.
WEAR THE ARMBAND
To be the captain of the team.
She wears the armband and leads the team.
Videos
Watch these terms used in context
Dialogue
Read the dialogue and hover the blue words for definitions
Sofia
RonaldoRonaldo, can you explain the positions? I don't really understand who does what.
Sure! Let's start at the back. The goalkeeper stays near the goal and makes saves.
OK. And the players in front of the goalkeeper?
Those are the defenders. They play at the back and stop the other team.
What about the players in the middle?
They are midfielders. They run a lot and connect the defence to the attack.
And what position do you play, Ronaldo?
I'm a striker. I play up front and try to score!
I saw someone running on the side of the pitch — what position is that?
That is a winger. They are usually very fast.
Who is the player with the armband?
That's the captain. Our captain is number four — she is great.
What about the players sitting on the bench?
They are substitutes. The coach can use up to three in a match.
Exercises
Complete all three exercises to see your final score
Complete the Sentence
Choose the correct answer to complete each sentence.
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence about players and positions.
1.The stops the ball from going into the goal.
2.Ronaldo plays up front. He is a .
3.The wears an armband to show they are the team leader.
4.She plays on the right side of the pitch. She is a .
5.The coach sent on a in the 70th minute to change the game.
6.Our team plays a 4-3-3 .
Matching
Click a word, then click its correct definition.
Click a word on the left, then its definition on the right.
Words
Definitions
Fill in the Blank
Drag the correct words from the word bank to complete each sentence.
Sentence 1
The— — —made a great save to stop the penalty.
Sentence 2
The— — —blocked the shot just before it went in.
Sentence 3
The— — —passed the ball forward to the striker.
Sentence 4
Ronaldo is our best— — —— he scored twelve goals this season.
Sentence 5
The— — —wears an armband and leads the team.
Sentence 6
The fast— — —ran down the side and crossed the ball.
Sentence 7
The coach sent on a— — —in the second half.
Sentence 8
We play a 4-3-3— — —with four defenders and three strikers.
Tip: Think about the meaning of each word and what makes sense in the sentence.
Multiple Choice
Choose the best answer for each question about the dialogue.
1.What is the goalkeeper's job?
2.Where do defenders play?
3.What position does Ronaldo play?
4.What is special about the captain?
5.Where does a winger play?
6.How many substitutes does Ronaldo say the coach can use?
7.What do midfielders do?
8.What does a formation show?
Group Activities
Role-play scenarios and discussion questions for group classes
🎯 Choose the Best Response
Work in groups. Read the question, then choose the best answer — A, B, or C.
Customer says
“What does a striker do?”
Salesperson responds…
Customer says
“Who wears the armband in a football team?”
Salesperson responds…
Customer says
“What is a 4-3-3 formation?”
Salesperson responds…
Customer says
“Can you explain what a substitute is?”
Salesperson responds…
🔍 Spot the Mistake
There are three mistakes in this dialogue — a wrong position word each time. Find them as a group.
Sofia
Ronaldo, what position is number one — the player in the goal?
Ronaldo
That's the winger. She stops every shot.
Sofia
And who is number ten — the player with the armband?
Ronaldo
That's the substitute. She is the team leader.
Sofia
What about the players on the side of the pitch — left and right?
Ronaldo
They are the defenders. They are very fast and cross the ball.
✏️ Finish the Salesperson's Line
Complete the second line using words from this lesson. Compare your answers, then click to see one possible answer.
Customer
“Sofia: Which player stops goals from going in?”
Salesperson
“Ronaldo: The goalkeeper does. …”
Customer
“Sofia: What does a winger do exactly?”
Salesperson
“Ronaldo: A winger plays on the side of the pitch. …”
Customer
“Sofia: What is a formation?”
Salesperson
“Ronaldo: A formation is the way the team lines up. …”
Customer
“Sofia: Why does number four have an armband?”
Salesperson
“Ronaldo: Because she is the captain. …”