Woke up today thinking about how my nephew just started playing soccer, reminded me how confusing team sizes can be. Seriously, it’s messy! Figured I’d write down what I learned since lots of folks probably wonder the same thing. Here’s how I got it straight.
My Stupid Confusion Starting Out
Couple weeks ago, my nephew’s first practice. Showed up and see these tiny kids running around. Counted maybe five or six on his team. Huh? I always thought it was eleven! Definitely messed that up. Felt embarrassed. Went straight home digging into this.
Googling Like Crazy
Started simple: typed “how many players on a soccer team” into Google. Man, results were all over the place. Saw numbers everywhere:
- “It’s 11 players.”
- “Youth soccer smaller teams.”
- “Depends on the league rules.”
Total chaos. Felt overwhelmed. Decided I needed real examples from actual leagues, not just random websites.
Watching Games & Asking Coaches
Okay, time for fieldwork. Went back to nephew’s games and paid attention this time. Spoke to his coach too during breaks. Here’s the gold:
- Little kids (Under 8): Like, really little. Usually 4v4 or 5v5 on small fields. Coach said they don’t even use goalies! Easy for them to just chase the ball.
- Older kids (Around 10-12): Saw bigger fields. Mostly 7v7 or 9v9. Oh, goalies showed up here. Fewer players, but starting to look like real soccer.
- Teens & Adults: Finally! The classic 11v11. Huge field. Proper positions. Watched a high school game, full squads. Asked a ref about substitutes – yeah, they got lots (7+ on bench usually).
Also bugged the coach about why this mess exists. He basically said: Little legs can’t handle big fields. Makes total sense. Kids would die running a full pitch.
Pros vs. Kids – Huge Gap
Next, thought about professional games. Obviously, 11v11. But dug deeper. Pro teams don’t just have those eleven starters though, right? Totally forgot about subs and reserves! Looked at Premier League rules – game day roster usually lists 20 players total for the pros, with big squads overall.
- Pro Game Day: 11 on field + typically 7-9 subs waiting (depends on competition). Plus backups injured or not picked.
- Youth Gameday: Often smaller benches. Nephew’s U10 team brings maybe 3-4 subs total. Way smaller pool.
The “Duh” Moment & Simple Answer
Felt so dumb later. It’s super simple if you break it down by age:
- Tiny Kids (U6-U8): Small teams. Think 4,5, or 6 players total. Fun and games.
- Growing Up (U9-U12): Medium teams. 7,8, or 9 players.
- Teens & Up: Big leagues. 11 players.
- How Many Per Team? Look beyond active players! Pro teams carry giant squads (20+), youth teams have way fewer.
So yeah, no single number fits all. Depends entirely on age and how serious the league is. Now I get why people get confused. You see the World Cup, you see toddler kickabout – wildly different sports sometimes.
Takeaway for Parents/Newbies? Look up your kid’s actual league rules. Don’t assume it’s eleven just ’cause Messi plays that way. Saved my nephew from teasing me more!