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Football (Soccer) vocabulary · Positions & Players

Defensive midfielder

Meaning in football (soccer), with examples

nounCommon term

In football (soccer), defensive midfielder means: A midfielder who plays just in front of the defence, breaks up the opponents' attacks and keeps the ball moving with simple passes.

In Turkish: defansif orta saha, ön libero

How it is used

Also called a holding midfielder, a number 6 or a pivot. Commentators praise a defensive midfielder who screens the back four, wins second balls and does the dirty work that others do not notice.

Example sentences

  1. Without a proper defensive midfielder, we were wide open on the counter.

  2. He plays as a defensive midfielder and rarely crosses the halfway line.

Common collocations

  • holding midfielder
  • play as a defensive midfielder
  • screen the defence
  • number 6 role
  • midfielderA player who operates in the middle of the pitch, linking defence and attack by winning the ball back and moving it forward.
  • playmakerA creative player, often a midfielder, who directs the team's attacking play and creates chances with clever passes and vision.
  • 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.
  • possessionControl of the ball by a team; also the percentage of time each team has the ball during a match.

More terms: Positions & Players

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