Midfielders have many responsibilities during a soccer game, so it's important that each player has all the necessary qualities. A bad midfielder severely reduces a team's effectiveness because both defensive and offensive maneuvers will be less likely to succeed. A team's midfielders typically are the best all-around players who exhibit superior offensive and defensive skills.
Function
Midfielders must switch quickly between defensive and offensive strategies, so they need to be flexible. When a team has possession of the ball, midfielders dribble or pass the ball up the field to the forwards. They also take shots on goal when the opportunity arises, so they must have superior shooting skills. When the other team has possession of the ball, midfielders help limit the movement of opponents by stopping the player who has the ball and blocking any passes. When their team regains possession, midfielders sprint to an open area so they can receive forward passes from the fullbacks.
Endurance and Speed
Fullbacks might get to rest during an offensive play, and forwards rarely run back to defend their goal. Midfielders, on the other hand, jog up and down the field many times during a game, so physical endurance is a vital requirement for the position. Midfielders also must sprint often, so they need to be fast and capable of getting into position quickly.
Ball Distribution
Without midfielders who can pass effectively, a team can't return the ball to the other team's half. Midfielders receive the ball from defenders and then execute a passing strategy to deliver it to the forwards. This means that midfielders must trap the ball well so they can receive speedy passes without losing control. Also, midfielders must be excellent dribblers so they can dart past opponents.
Defense
Midfielders must have excellent defensive skills to prevent the ball from entering their team's half. For example, when the opposing team's goalkeeper punts the ball forward in an attempt to initiate an attack, midfielders must win the ball and return it to the forwards. Often this requires a block tackle, which means stealing the ball from a dribbling opponent by using your foot to stop the ball, which typically causes the opponent to lose control. For a sliding tackle, the midfielder must slide on the ground toward the opponent to try to knock the ball away.
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