This article is about the association football position. For other uses, see Midfielder (disambiguation)

GK SW RB CB CB CB LB 🍇 RWB LWB DM DM DM RM CM CM CM LM AM AM AM RW SS LW CF CF CF The 🍇 midfield positions highlighted in relation to other positions in association football

A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.[1] Midfielders 🍇 may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central 🍇 midfielders often go across boundaries, with mobility and passing ability, they are often referred to as deep-lying midfielders, play-makers, box-to-box 🍇 midfielders, or holding midfielders. There are also attacking midfielders with limited defensive assignments.

The size of midfield units on a team 🍇 and their assigned roles depend on what formation is used; the unit of these players on the pitch is commonly 🍇 referred to as the midfield. Its name derives from the fact that midfield units typically make up the in-between units 🍇 to the defensive units and forward units of a formation.

Managers frequently assign one or more midfielders to disrupt the opposing 🍇 team's attacks, while others may be tasked with creating goals, or have equal responsibilities between attack and defence. Midfielders are 🍇 the players who typically travel the greatest distance during a match. Midfielders arguably have the most possession during a game, 🍇 and thus they are some of the fittest players on the pitch.[3] Midfielders are often assigned the task of assisting 🍇 forwards to create scoring opportunities.