Strikers, also known as centre forwards, forwards, and attackers, are the players on a team in football (soccer) in the row nearest to the opposing team's goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals. For the term attacker in computer security, see adversary. ... Football is a ball game played between two teams of eleven players, each attempting to win by scoring more goals than their opponent. ...

Modern player formations include between one and three strikers; two is most common. Coaches usually field one striker who plays over the shoulder of the last defender, and another attacking forward who plays somewhat deeper and assists in making goals as well as scoring. Formation in association football (soccer) describes how the players in a team are positioned on the pitch. ...

Because they score more goals than other players, strikers are often among the best-known and most expensive players on their teams.

Well-known strikers

• Adriano
• Ali Daei
• Gabriel Batistuta
• Hernan Crespo
• Samuel Eto'o
• Jimmy Greaves
• Mia Hamm
• Thierry Henry
• Geoff Hurst
• Jürgen Klinsmann
• Gary Lineker
• Gerd Müller
• Michael Owen
• Pelé
• Raúl
• Romario
• Ronaldo
• Wayne Rooney
• Ruud van Nistelrooy
• Christian Vieri
• Andriy Shevchenko

Adriano Leite Ribeiro, better known simply as Adriano, was born on February 17, 1982 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. ... Ali Daei (born March 21, 1969) is an Iranian football player who is a striker for Saba Battery Tehran and the Iran national football team. ... Gabriel Omar Batistuta (born 1 February 1969 in Reconquista, Santa Fe Province of Argentina) is a world-famous ex-footballer. ... Hernán Crespo (born 5 July 1975 in Florida, Argentina) is an Argentine international football player. ... Samuel Etoo Samuel Etoo Fils (born March 10, 1981 in Nkon, Cameroon) is a football striker, who currently plays for Barcelona. ... James Peter Jimmy Greaves (born 20 February 1940) was an English football player, and more recently a television pundit. ... Mia Hamm (born Mariel Margaret Hamm on March 17, 1972 in Selma, Alabama) is an American soccer player. ... Thierry Henry in action Thierry Henry (born August 17, 1977 in Les Ulis, Paris, France, pronounced tee-AIR-ee ON-ree) is a French international footballer. ... Sir Geoff Hurst, Kt, MBE (born Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, 8th December 1941) is a footballer enshrined in the games history as the only player to have scored a hat-trick in a World Cup final. ... Jürgen Klinsmann (2005) Jürgen Klinsmann (born July 30, 1964 in Göppingen) is a German football manager (coach) and former football player. ... Gary Winston Lineker OBE, (born 30 November 1960), was a notable English international footballer. ... Gerhard Gerd Müller (born November 3, 1945 in Nördlingen) is a former German football player. ... Michael Owen at the Santiago Bernabéu. ... Pelé, on scoring a goal in the 1970 World Cup final against Italy. ... Raúl González Blanco, usually referred to simply as Raúl (born June 27, 1977 in Madrid) is a Spanish football forward. ... Categories: Brazil-related stubs | 1966 births | Brazilian footballers | People stubs ... Ronaldo Luíz Nazário de Lima (b. ... Wayne Rooney playing for the England football team Wayne Rooney (born 24 October 1985) is a professional footballer who currently plays for Manchester United and the England national football team as a striker. ... Ruud van Nistelrooy (full name Rutgerus Johannes Martinus van Nistelrooij, see letter IJ; born July 1, 1976 in Oss, North Brabant, Netherlands) is a Dutch football player currently playing for Manchester United. ... Christian Vieri while at Inter Milan Image © soccer-europe. ... Andriy Shevchenko with Ukrainian flag after scoring the winning penalty in Champions League 2002-2003 final Andriy Shevchenko (Андрій Шевченко, Андрій Миколайович Шевченко (Ukrainian) - Andriy Mykolayovych Shevchenko, born September 29, 1976 in Dvirkivschyna, near Kyiv) is a Ukrainian football player who is a striker for A.C. Milan and the Ukrainian national team. ...

See also

• Football (soccer) positions