Although futsal is identical to football, the name of the playing positions used by the players are different
As we are well aware, futsal is a sport that is analogous to football. It is a mini version of football which is played on a hard court, usually inside indoor stadiums, and there are only five members in a team. Although analogous, futsal comprises distinct elements, rules and positions. For the unversed souls who are new to the sport, we have drafted an overview of the playing positions that are practiced in futsal by the players.
Usually, a futsal team follows a diamond formation (1-2-1) where one player functions as a forward, two players play as wingers and another player stays in the centre back for defending.
Pivot- The first player on the front is called a pivot. In football, we address them as centre-forwards or strikers. The pivot is presented with the duty to attack the opponent and score goals. Usually, a player who is quick on his feet with strong and accurate shooting ability and has tricks up his or her sleeves is preferred as a pivot. At times, several teams employ two pivots by adjusting the formation of the team from diamond to square (2-2).
Wingers- The two players on the centre flanks are noted as wingers or ala. Similar to football, the wingers in futsal are given the responsibility of supervising the momentum of a team. The wingers pass the ball to the pivot and move forward to lay extra support to the pivot. When the wingers discover a chance, they also try to score goals. Not to forget, when the opponent team attacks; the wingers move back to defend the team.
Players who possesses immense stamina are mostly picked for the role of wingers because they are demanded to move to the front and back throughout the game. Furthermore, the wingers must possess a tactical intelligence of futsal because it is as per their judgement, a team attacks or defends. Another essential element the wingers must possess is the quality of accurate finishing because along with the pivot, they too move forward.
Fixo- In futsal, a defender is called the fixo of the team. The defender stands in the central rear area and monitors upcoming attacks. Although, the defender is offered the liberty of proceeding freely and support the attackers if and when required. Usually, the fixo of the team is chosen as the captain as he or she can read the game from the rear-end.
