Man-marking

Man-marking is a defensive tactic in which each defender is assigned to follow a specific opponent, limiting that opponent’s space and influence.

Marking assignment: A defender’s responsibility to track and restrict a designated opponent. This individual assignment is the defining unit of man-marking.
Zonal marking: A defensive system in which players protect assigned areas rather than track specific opponents. It replaces individual opponent assignments with responsibility for space.
Set piece (association football): A restart in association football after play has stopped, including corners and free kicks. Man-marking is especially visible when defenders assign opponents at restarts.
Defensive shape: The arrangement of a team’s players when it is defending. Following opponents can stretch or distort the team’s overall shape.
Tracking (association football): Following an opponent’s movement to limit their access to space or the ball. Continuous tracking keeps a marked opponent covered as play moves.
Hybrid marking: A defensive system combining opponent-oriented assignments with protection of designated zones. It blends man-marking’s close attention with zonal coverage.
Corner kick: A restart awarded when the ball crosses the goal line after last touching a defending player. Defenders often use individual assignments to track attackers in the penalty area.
Space (association football): Unoccupied areas of the pitch that players can use to receive or carry the ball. Markers who follow opponents may concede space elsewhere on the pitch.
Defensive cover: Support positioning that allows one defender to protect space behind or beside another. Cover compensates when a marker is beaten or pulled out of position.
Man-oriented zonal marking: A zonal system in which defenders track opponents who enter their areas for limited periods. It can resemble man-marking while keeping responsibility tied to zones.

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