Footballers

Footballers are athletes who play football, a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball. The objective is to score goals by getting the ball into the opposing team's net. Footballers compete professionally, semi-professionally, or as amateurs, and can be registered with clubs in national leagues, cup competitions, and international tournaments. The sport is governed globally by FIFA and by national associations; leagues are organized by national bodies, with major professional leagues including the English Premier League, Spain's La Liga, Italy's Serie A, Germany's Bundesliga, and others.

Players are usually classified by position: goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and forwards. Each position has typical roles, though modern football emphasizes versatility. Training emphasizes technique, tactical understanding, physical fitness, and injury prevention. Careers often begin in youth academies, advance through reserve teams, and progress to senior squads. Transfers between clubs can occur via purchase, loan, or free transfer, governed by contract law and regulation by leagues and FIFA. Statistics such as appearances, goals, assists, clean sheets, and minutes played are used to assess performance. Internationally, players may represent their country in continental championships and the FIFA World Cup.

Footballers are subject to health and safety standards, anti-doping rules, and codes of conduct. The professional landscape includes wage structures, sponsorship, media rights, and the transfer market, with rising emphasis on player development, data analytics, and sports science.