There are eleven players on an official team. Three to five of them can play in midfield positions. There are three different types of midfielders. They are the center, left, and right midfielders. They are all positioned between the defenders and the forwards. The forwards are the people in the front of the midfielders; the midfielders have to get the ball to the forwards. The defenders are the people who get the ball to the midfielders and midfielders try to protect the ball from getting to them. Sometimes, there can be two of one type of midfielder (e.g. two center midfielders).

Center midfielders (there are always one or two) are divided into attacking and defending center midfielders. They both attack and both defend, but they are supposed to try harder to attack (if you are an attacking midfielder) or defend (if you are a defending midfielder). A defending center midfielder is supposed to take the ball away from the other team and pass it to an open player. Attackers are supposed to try to score goals or pass the ball to people who can. A common job for them is to stop or slow down other players before the get to the defense.

Side midfielders (left and right) support the strikers (center forwards). Strikers' jobs are to score and get the ball up the field. A side midfielder is supposed to cross the ball (get it to someone in the middle of the field who is in the position to score). If you go wide, (there are almost always less people there) you usually have more options and more time. Going wide means going to open space on either the left or right side of the field.

A midfielder of any type has many jobs that he/she can do. Therefore, a midfielder rarely can afford to rest while the game is going on. Since there are so many things you can be doing at any time, you need a lot of stamina (to be alert and ready throughout the game).

Midfielders can score, defend, pass, dribble, or just try to keep the ball away from opponents (buy time). It is important during a game that you have good midfielders.