What is marking in soccer?
Marking in soccer means staying close to an opponent so that it is hard for them to receive the ball or to turn with it. A good marker stands between the opponent and their own goal and can see both the opponent and the ball.
Other names: marking, man-to-man, zonal.
Soccer is called football in most of the world. This guide is part of Futbol Island’s free football lessons for kids aged 7 to 12.
Mark: diagram
How to mark a player
- Stand between your opponent and your own goal. Coaches call this goal-side.
- Stay close enough to challenge when the ball arrives, about an arm’s length away near your goal.
- Turn your body so you can see the ball and your opponent at the same time.
- When your opponent runs, go with them. Pass them on to a teammate only when that teammate is ready.
Common mistakes
- Ball watching: looking only at the ball while your opponent runs behind you.
- Standing in front of the attacker, so one pass over your head beats you.
- Following an opponent so far that you leave a hole in the middle of the defense.
In 7v7, 9v9, 11v11 and futsal
Young teams in futsal and 7v7 usually start with one player marking one opponent. Bigger teams in 9v9 and 11v11 also mark zones: each defender looks after an area and the players who come into it.
Questions about the mark
What does goal-side mean?
Between the attacker and your own goal. From there you can always step in front of a pass or block a shot.
What is the difference between man-to-man and zonal marking?
In man-to-man marking each defender follows one opponent. In zonal marking each defender guards an area.
What is ball watching?
Looking only at the ball and forgetting the runner you should be marking. Our lesson See the Ball and the Runner teaches the fix: look between the ball and the runner.
Lessons that teach it
- Stay Between the Ball and Goal (7v7 lesson)Move with the attacker while keeping yourself between the ball and your goal.
- See the Ball and the Runner (7v7 lesson)Look between the ball and the runner. Share the marking job as the attack moves.
- Track the Runner, Keep the Cover (9v9 lesson)Track movement away from the ball, then share the runner only when cover is ready.
- Delay and Cover (Futsal lesson)One defender approaches under control while a teammate protects the dangerous pass.
Related soccer terms
- Goal-SideStanding between an attacker and your own goal.
- PressRunning to close down the player with the ball so they have less time, while a teammate covers behind.
- TackleUsing your foot to take the ball away from an opponent.
- Clean SheetA game in which a team does not let in any goals. In the United States it is also called a shutout.
- All soccer terms, A to Z92 soccer words in plain English, from advantage to yellow card, 18 with a diagram
- Soccer rules for kids16 rules explained for kids, each with a diagram: offside, handball, throw-ins and more
Futbol Island is a free football (soccer) learning game for kids aged 7 to 12. Every idea on this page is taught on a pitch with moving players, then checked with a quick quiz.