Center Midfielders
- Main passer on team
- Lynch pin between offense and defense
- usually one of the most talented ball possessers
- speed not as crucial
- term box to box is usually used to describe a center midfielder
- just means they play from the top of one 18 yard box to the other
- typically some of the most creative players on the team
- must have good field awareness and know where all teammates and opposing team are at all times
- Three types Center, Attacking and Defensive
- Center mids are traditional style of center mids
- between defense and forwards
- balance on attack and defense responsibilities
- Attacking plays a little more forward of where the center mids would be
- Behind and closer to forward
- helps mainly on the attack
- Defending plays a little more behind where center mids would be
- In front and closer to defenders
- Helps mainly in the defense
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Main Responsibilities of Center Mids
- Make plays
- Dictate the tempo
- Keep possession of ball
- Create goal scoring opportunities
- shooting themselves
- feeding forwards high percentage chances
- sending the wingers good balls they can then use to cross in to the forwards
- Support defense
- Maintain position
Main Responsibilities of Attacking Center Mids
- Drops most of the responsibilites of defending to work more on the offensive responsibilities
- Has to find high percentage chances for forwards
- Needs to create as many scoring opportunites as possible whether shooting themselves or feeding the ball to forwards
- Push high into the attack and try to create positive odd number opportunities for team
- Try to distract the defense from what the forwards are doing (get as many eyes on them so forwards can sneak around)
- Try to create space up front for forwards to work in
Main Responsibilities of Defending Center Mids
- Drops most of the attacking responsibilities for more defensive work
- Maintain positioning to help break up attack
- Pick up a man to mark
- Press the attack as high as possible to break up attack before it gets too deep and dangerous
- Help communicate any threats the defense is not aware of
Qualities of good Center Mids
- Decision making
- Ability to read game and great field awareness
- Above average ball control
- Above average passing
- Ability to create and find space
- Handle pressure
- Creative
- Good communicator
- Good phyisical fitness
- can be on field for long periods of time, hopefully full game
- referred to as having an engine
- Ability to turn in traffic
- to turn in soccer simply means to be able to change the direction you are facing, usually facing away from your attacking goal and then
turning with the ball at your feet to it. Usually under pressure from the other team
- Be able to shield the ball well
- Strong on the ball
- Must be able to use both feet
Famous Center Mids
- Steven Gerrard
- Luka Modric
- Toni Kroos
- Xavi
- Iniesta
- Kevin de Bruyne
- Frank Lampard
- Roy Keane
- David Silva
- Paul Scholes
- Yaya Toure
- Cesc Fabregas
- Paul Pogba
- Mesut Ozil
- Juan Mata
- Ronaldinho (Attacking Center Mid)
- N'Golo Kante (Defensive Center Mid)
Best American Center Mids
- Claudio Reyna
- Tab Ramos
- Michael Bradley
- Weston McKennie (current player)
- Sebastion Lletgat (current player)
Things of note
- Watched US v Mexico game after recording and saw Gio Reyna play. He deserves way more play time on the USMNT. He is an amazing center mid and has plenty of potential. He will make an amazing attacking center mid. Keep eyes on him
Online Sources
- https://completesoccerguide.com/soccer-center-midfielder
- https://ballathlete.com/center-midfielder-in-soccer/
- https://soccertraininglab.com/soccer-center-midfielder/
- https://yoursoccerhome.com/the-11-essential-roles-of-a-midfielder-in-soccer/
- https://www.soccer-training-methods.com/center-midfielder.html
- https://www.soccercoachingpro.com/attacking-midfielder/
- https://soccercoachtheory.com/defensive-midfielder-in-soccer/