When the bumper ball is put into play, each team has 11 players on the field. One of them is the goalkeeper and the rest are dedicated to play in different positions, although throughout the game these can vary. Changes are made to the lines of play if it is necessary to reinforce the attack or defense. But the number does not change unless there is an expulsion.
We have already talked about why it is played with 11 players. This time we want to talk about the positions that each of them occupies, as well as how many players really have a football team, not just those in the field or on the bench.
Each in its position
Football is a sport of strategy, which uses the qualities of each player to get something with which to surprise the opponent. Hence there are players specialized in each of the positions that are defined in the field. Depending on each one, we can distinguish between:
– Goalie
There is only one per team when playing. It is the one in charge to prevent that the opposite marks goal in the goal that defends. In addition, he is the only player who can catch the ball with his hands, as long as he remains within his zone.
– Defenses
They are placed right in front of the goalkeeper and their function is to stop the advance of the opposites. The idea is that the goalkeeper does not have to work, even being a little bored because the defensive line is doing an impeccable job.
Sometimes the defenders can play in advance or even go up and shoot a ball. Although they normally return to their position to avoid the danger of a backlash.
– Midfielders or midfielders
As its name suggests, they are players who are in the middle of the field. Its task is to distribute the game and support both the defenses and the forwards in their functions. It is one of the most important tasks of the game and it is considered that the best midfielder is responsible for whether or not his team is considered the best team in the world. In the history they remember great figures of the soccer that played in that position, some of them authentic legends.
– Front
Always play in the front area of the field, trying to break the defense of the opposing team and score goals to the goalkeeper. Normally they are the best finishers to be more likely to score. Some of these players with very individual ones, while others prefer to lean on the block and move the ball from one to another, depending on the strategy that each coach and each group’s mentality follow.
Lines and strategies
bumper ball is based on lines and strategies, which mark the number of players in each position, depending on whether a team follows a defensive or offensive pattern. This can vary from game to game depending on how the opponent plays.
Each line has its variations as well as a different type of player. For example, within the defense there are those who move better for one of the field bands, while others stay in the center and often support the midfielder. The agility or leg you use most determines to some extent what position you will occupy in each line.
The coach is the one who prepares the strategy and decides how many players from each position are going to the field. This always in principle, since the situation can change and be necessary to put a forward more to try to score a goal or even retouch the lines if someone is lost by an expulsion.
Off the field
The 11 players on the field are not the only ones. In fact, a football team can be made up of a total of 25 players, according to the current football regulations. Depending on the competition, you can take all or leave some out, perhaps watching the game from the stands or recovering from an injury. In any case, it is normal to have a complete template so that the coach has a place to choose or have a substitute player in any of the positions we have mentioned. If there were only 11 in the team, no changes could be made, and if the squad is too short and some players get injured or become ill, they could not play equally.
So the answer to how many players there are on a football team is: it depends. If we refer to a match, a team has 11, which can be more when you count to the reserves that are also available to the coach to make the changes you need. If you speak of a team in full, the number can be up to 25. And maybe some more, depending on a number of conditions that we may talk about another time.
