Football is undoubtedly the most popular sport in the United Kingdom, with the English Premier League and lower divisions capturing the attention of millions each week. An integral part of the enjoyment of football is an understanding of the makeup of a football team. Specifically, fans may wonder – how many players are there in a football team?
The basics are straightforward – there are 11 players per team on the pitch during a game. This number has been set by the global football governing body FIFA in the official Laws of the Game. Football is unique in having an established, unchanged number of players for each team on the field during play.
This article will explore in detail the composition of a football squad, including the different positions and roles within a team. We’ll also look at the typical squad numbers allocated and the substitutes available to managers in a matchday team sheet.
11 to a Team: Breaking Down the On-Pitch Composition of a Football Side
When the referee blows the whistle to start a football match, there are 22 players on the pitch – 11 per team. The 11 players selected in the starting line-up will each have a specific position and responsibility:
Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper’s role is self-explanatory – to prevent the opposing team from scoring goals. The goalkeeper is the only player allowed to handle the ball within the 18-yard box around the goal. Goalkeepers will typically wear the number 1 shirt.
Defenders
Defending is a key responsibility of additional players whose priority is to prevent the opposition from creating goalscoring chances. Common defensive positions include:
- Centre backs – Wearing shirt numbers 4 and 5 typically, their job is to stop forwards and mark opposing attackers.
- Full backs – Right and left full backs wearing numbers 2 and 3 respectively flank the centre backs and provide defensive cover as well as width in attack.
- Wing backs – Their role is a combination of full back and winger, supporting both defence and attack. Shirt numbers 2 and 3.
Midfielders
Midfielders operate in the centre of the pitch as a link between defence and attack. Some common midfield roles are:
- Central midfielders – Wearing shirt numbers 4, 8 and 10 normally, they aim to control the game by distributing the ball to teammates.
- Defensive midfielders – Typically in the number 6 shirt, their priority is breaking down attacks and protecting the defence.
- Attacking midfielders – Playing in the number 10 shirt often, their main responsibility is creating and scoring goals.
Forwards
Forwards play closest to the opposition’s goal with the primary aim of scoring goals. Examples include:
- Strikers – Central attackers wearing shirts 9 and 10 normally, their main role is scoring goals.
- Wingers – Typically wearing numbers 7 and 11, they provide crosses into the penalty area from wide positions.
Substitutes
Each team can name up to 12 substitutes in a matchday squad, with a maximum of 3 substitutions permitted during play. Unused subs wear shirts numbered 12 onwards. Common substitute roles include midfield anchormen, attacking impact players and backup keepers.
From Goalkeepers to Forwards: The Positions and Squad Numbers in Football
Football fans can easily identify a player’s position and role by their squad number, from goalkeeper #1 to striker #9. Here’s a breakdown of the standard first-team squad numbers used in the UK:
- 1 – Goalkeeper
- 2 – Right full back
- 3 – Left full back
- 4 – Centre back / Defensive midfielder
- 5 – Centre back
- 6 – Defensive midfielder
- 7 – Right winger / Wide midfielder
- 8 – Central midfielder
- 9 – Centre forward / Striker
- 10 – Attacking midfielder / Second striker
- 11 – Left winger / Wide midfielder
Shirt numbers 12 onwards are typically given to substitutes. Most teams will have a first-choice keeper in the #1 jersey, with a backup #13. Defensive numbers like 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are usually assigned to defenders. Midfielders occupy the central numbers 7, 8, 10 and 11, while forwards wear 9, 10 and 11. Players in the starting 11 generally take priority with preferred squad numbers.
Squad numbering conventions can vary by country. In Spain’s La Liga, for example, numbers 1-11 are reserved for the starting players only. Football teams must submit squad numbers to the league before the start of each new season. While players can sometimes change numbers mid-season, this is relatively uncommon.
How Many Players on a Football Pitch? Examining Team Sizes in the UK
A football match is contested by two teams of 11 players each. This 22 player on-pitch lineup has been the standard in football since the game’s origins in 1863. The Laws of the Game, codified by The International Football Association Board, strictly define the regulation team size of 11 aside. FIFA oversees this across international matches and its 211 member football associations.
Traditionally British football teams numbered the starting 11 players from 1-11 based on their positions, a format still used widely today. The goalkeeper is always #1, while forwards took the highest numbers. Defenders occupied the low numbers and midfielders the middle.
Squad sizes expanded when substitutes were first introduced in the 1960s. Now teams can have up to 12 substitutes, allowing managers more tactical flexibility during a match. Only 3 subs can be used in a game. Subs typically wear squad numbers from 12 up to around 35 in bigger Premier League squads.
Other players registered to a club who aren’t picked for a matchday squad will train during the week hoping to break into the first team. Top clubs like Manchester United may have over 30 players contracted. But only 11 can start on a Saturday, with 7 substitutes named typically.
The standardised team size creates consistency and fairness across all levels and matches. Fans also know exactly what to expect when going to games – 22 players and 11 per side chasing glory on the pitch.
Kitted Out and Ready to Play: Investigating Football Squad Sizes
When the two teams walk out onto the pitch before kick-off, football fans know there will be precisely 11 players on each side, kitted out and ready to compete. This numerical standardisation is unique among popular team sports and provides consistency across every match.
Analysis shows the average football squad size among English Premier League clubs stands at approximately 25 players per team. This wider roster includes potential substitutes and injury cover beyond the starting 11.
The typical squad composition is:
- 2-3 goalkeepers
- 5-8 defenders
- 5-8 midfielders
- 3-5 forwards
Variations depend on a team’s formation and tactical style. Defensively minded teams may carry more defenders and protective midfielders. Attacking sides will stack their squad with creative midfielders and strikers.
Football clubs are free to register up to 25 first-team players each season for Premier League competition. Additional under-21 players don’t need registration, so youth prospects often train with the senior side.
Come matchday, a shortlist of 18 players is named – the starting 11 and 7 substitutes. The manager can only make 3 live substitutions during play.
In a sport with rigid 11 versus 11 on-pitch match ups, squad depth and selection flexibility is vital over a gruelling season. Careful management of these wider resources can make or break a campaign.
So, while the starting team attracts all the attention, football is very much a squad game requiring contributions from across 25 or more players over 10 long months. Fans dreaming of glory are always hoping the names down as substitutes might change the game when called upon.