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Football (Soccer) vocabulary · Positions & Players

Defender

Meaning in football (soccer), with examples

/dɪˈfendər/nounCore term

In football (soccer), defender means: A player whose main job is to stop the other team from attacking and scoring, usually playing in the line closest to their own goal.

In Turkish: savunma oyuncusu, defans oyuncusu

How it is used

A general word that covers centre-backs, full-backs and wing-backs. Coaches talk about defenders who are good in the air, strong in the tackle or comfortable on the ball.

Example sentences

  1. We need another defender because two of our centre-backs are injured.

  2. The striker got past two defenders and finished into the corner.

Common collocations

  • central defender
  • experienced defender
  • left-sided defender
  • get past a defender
  • centre-backA defender who plays in the middle of the back line, marking strikers, winning headers and clearing danger from the penalty area.
  • full-backA defender who plays on the right or left side of the back line, defending against wingers and often joining attacks down the flank.
  • tackleAn attempt to take the ball away from an opponent with your feet. A fair tackle wins the ball; a mistimed or reckless one is a foul.
  • clearanceA kick or header by a defender that sends the ball away from danger near their own goal.

More terms: Positions & Players

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