Captain (association football)

The team captain of an association football team, sometimes known as the skipper, is a team member chosen to be the on-pitch leader of the team: it is often one of the older or more experienced members of the squad, or a player that can heavily influence a game. The team captain is usually identified by the wearing of an armband.

The only official responsibility of a captain specified by the Laws of the Game is to participate in the coin toss prior to kick-off (for choice of ends) and prior to a penalty shootout. Contrary to what is sometimes said, captains have no special authority under the Laws to challenge a decision by the referee. However, referees may talk to the captain of a side about the side's general behaviour when necessary.

At an award-giving ceremony after a fixture like a cup competition final, the captain usually leads the team up to collect their medals. Any trophy won by a team will be received by the captain who will also be the first one to hoist it. The captain also generally leads the teams out of the dressing room at the start of the match.

The captain generally provides a rallying point for the team: if morale is low, it is the captain who will be looked upon to boost their team's spirits.

Captains may join the manager in deciding the first team for a certain game. In youth or recreational football, the captain often takes on duties, that would, at a higher level, be delegated to the manager.

A club captain is usually appointed for a season. If he is unavailable or not selected for a particular game, then the club vice-captain will be appointed to perform a similar role.

The match captain is the first player to lift a trophy should the team win one, even if he was not the club captain. A good example of this was in the 1999 UEFA Champions League Final when match captain Peter Schmeichel lifted the trophy for Manchester United as club captain Roy Keane was suspended. In the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final, match captain (who was the vice-captain) Frank Lampard jointly lifted the trophy for Chelsea with club captain John Terry (who was suspended, but given permission by UEFA).

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