5 a side soccer is a sport that requires skill, agility and a thorough understanding of the specific roles of the players. Each player, as in a choreographed dance, has a well-defined role to play. Here is an overview of the main 5 a side soccer roles and their peculiarities!
The Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper is the final defender and the only player allowed to touch the ball with his hands in his own area.
He can put the ball back into play exclusively with his hands; long kick throw-in is not regularized in the official rules.
Very important is the posture to be kept when coming out with the use of the knee to cover the space between the legs and the arms to block the top of the goal.
In 2-on-1 situations for the defender the keeper goes to cover the man on the ball, the defender is left with the man without the ball.
The Defender
Defenders are responsible for protecting the area and countering opposing attacks.
In addition to a defensive role, the defender also has a playmaker role by being the low vertex of the team: he sets up passes for the outside players, encourages their insertions, or inserts himself to build 1 2 with his teammates.
In cases where the defender inserts himself, it is essential that the hole in his area of the field is covered so as not to risk opposing offensive upheavals
The Wingers
Wingers are fast and agile, pushing the attack along the sides of the field.
They have the ability to dribble past opponents and create shooting opportunities.
In addition to attacking they have a key defensive role trying to cover the line of passing between the winger and the opposing pivot to disassemble the 1 2.
The winger is critical for a creative offensive phase and an effective defensive phase.
The Striker (or “Pivot”)
Strikers are charged with scoring goals.
They must be adept at shooting and positioning to take advantage of opportunities.
They most often play backing to the opposing defender to receive the ball and create 1 2 with the wingers (from here the alternative naming “pivot).
Alternatively, they move to the outside to create a central space for their wingers to exploit for an exchange insertion or a direct foray after a dribble.
In this video you can see the use of this roles in a typical 5 a side soccer game plan.
In this sport, synergy between all roles is crucial to success. Each soccer player is like a cog in a Swiss watch, contributing uniquely to the team.
In 5-a-side soccer, precision, speed, and agility are the keys to success.
Well-defined roles ensure that every game is a choreographed display of tactical perfection.
