Substitute (association football) facts for kids

The substitute bench of the national team of Argentina.

In association football, a substitute is a player who is brought on to the pitch during a match in exchange for a player who is currently playing. Substitutions can be made for many reasons. Sometimes, they are made to replace a player who has become tired or injured. Substitutes can also replace a player who is playing poorly, or can be for tactics. For example, substitute strikers can be brought on for defenders if the team needs to attack. The term "super-sub" refers to a substitution made by the manager that saves the game. This is generally done by scoring one or more late goals. The goals can equalize or win the team the match. Players who have been called "super-subs" include David Fairclough for Liverpool, Adam Le Fondre for Reading, Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Javier Hernández for Manchester United, and Edin Džeko for Manchester City among others.

Images for kids

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  The assistant referee indicating a substitution