In association football, or soccer, the hole is generally referred to as the gap between a team's midfield players and its front strikers, particularly in a 4-4-2 formation. The gap might be filled through the employment of an attacking midfielder, or a deep lying striker. The striker (wearing red jersey) has run past the defender (in white jersey) and is about to take a shot at the goal, while the goalkeeper positions himself to stop the ball. ... Formation in association football (soccer) describes how the players in a team are positioned on the pitch. ... In association football (soccer), a midfielder is a player whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders. ... 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 teams goal, who are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals. ...

Notable players who occupy (or occupied) the hole include Pelé, Eusébio, Johann Cruyff, Zico, Michel Platini, Diego Maradona, Roberto Baggio, Dennis Bergkamp, Alessandro Del Piero and Ronaldinho. Edson Arantes do Nascimento, KBE (born October 23, 1940), nicknamed Pelé (pron. ... Eusébio da Silva Ferreira (known by the playing name of Eusébio) (born January 25, 1942 in Lourenço Marques (now Maputo), Mozambique) nicknamed The Black Pearl and The Black Panther, is a Portuguese football icon. ... Johan Cruijff Johan Cruijff (born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football trainer/coach and former star player. ... Arthur Antunes Coimbra (born in March 3, 1953), better known as Zico, was a famous Brazilian football sensation and one of the best midfielders the worlds ever seen. ... Michel Platini (born June 21, 1955 in JÅ“uf, Département Meurthe-et-Moselle) is a former French football player, widely regarded as one of the most elegant midfielders of his generation. ... Diego Armando Maradona (born in Lanús, Buenos Aires October 30, 1960), nicknamed El Diez, Pelusa and El Diego, is a former Argentine football player. ... Roberto Baggio Roberto Baggio (born February 18, 1967 in Caldogno, Italy) is a legendary Italian football player, considered to be among the best forwards in the world throughout the 1990s. ... Dennis Bergkamp Arsenal 7–0 Everton; May 11, 2005 image:soccer-europe. ... Alessandro Del Piero Alessandro Del Piero (born November 9, 1974 in Conegliano) is an Italian football player. ... Ronaldinho in action for Barcelona Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (born March 21, 1980 in Porto Alegre, Brazil) is a footballer more commonly known as Ronaldinho Gaúcho due to his citizenship in the Rio Grande do Sul region of Brazil. ...