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Inassociation football, asubstitute is a player who is brought on to thepitch during a match in exchange for an existing player. Substitutions are generally made to replace a player who has become tired or injured, or who is performing poorly, or for tactical reasons (such as bringing astriker on in place of adefender). A player who has been substituted during a match takes no further part in the game, in games played under the standardInternational Football Association Board Laws of the Game.
Substitutions were officially added to the Laws of the Game in 1958. Prior to this most games were played with no changes permitted at all, with occasional exceptions in cases of extreme injury or players not arriving to matches on time.
The number of substitutes has risen over time as well as the number of reserve players allowed to be nominated. It is now common for games to allow a maximum of 5 substitutions; some competitions allow for an additional substitution when playing extra time.[1] A maximum of 3 "substitution opportunities" are provided to a side during normal time, and an extra opportunity during extra time. Substitutions can be made during half-time breaks during normal and extra time, and full time breaks (before the start of extra time), but do not count as substitution opportunities.[2] There is also a provision of an additional substitution beyond whatever limits the match is being played under to be used specifically for a player who has sustained aconcussion.[3]
Teams choose a substitute player from a pre-selected set of reserve players, these players typically sit in thetechnical area with thecoaches, and are said to be "on the bench". When the substitute enters the field of play it is said they havecome on or have beenbrought on, while the player they are substituting for iscoming off, or beingbrought off orsubstituted. This pool of reserve players has also steadily increased in most competitions where they now allow 5, 7 or 9 reserves while in international competitive tournaments it is common that every player selected in the tournament squad (usually 23 players total) is an eligible substitute if they aren't suspended from the game.
A player who is noted for frequently making appearances, or scoring important goals, as a substitute is often informally known as a "super sub".
The origin of football substitutes goes back to at least the early 1860s as part ofEnglish public school football games. The original use of the termsubstitute in football was to describe the replacement of players who failed to turn up for matches. For example, in 1863, a match reports states: "TheCharterhouse eleven played a match in cloisters against some oldCarthusians but in consequence of the non-appearance of some of those who were expected it was necessary to provide three substitutes.[4]" The substitution of absent players happened as early as the 1850s, for example fromEton College where the termemergencies is used.[5] Numerous references to players acting as a "substitute" occur in matches in the mid-1860s[6] where it is not indicated whether these were replacements of absent players or of players injured during the match.
While substitution during games was first added to theLaws of the Game in 1958,[7] there are recorded instances of substitution being permitted on earlier occasions. A friendly inGlasgow betweenLancelot andCrosshill in November 1875 saw a Lancelot player injured and Crosshill "allow[ed] them to put a fresh man in his place".[8] The earliest known use of a substitute in a competitive match came on 7 November 1885, when theLockwood Brothers club used a substitute in anFA Cup first round replay againstNotts Rangers, aftermidfielder F. Brears suffered a broken leg.[9]
The first use of a substitute in international football was on 15 April 1889, in the match betweenWales andScotland atWrexham. Wales's original goalkeeper,Jim Trainer, failed to arrive; local amateur playerAlf Pugh started the match and played for some 20 minutes until the arrival ofSam Gillam, who took over from him.[10] In 1940, in amatch between Mandatory Palestine and Lebanon, Mandatory Palestine centre-halfZvi Fuchs was replaced at half-time byLonia Dvorin following an injury.[11][12] Also duringthe qualifying phase for the1954 World Cup,Horst Eckel ofGermany is recorded as having been replaced byRichard Gottinger in their match with theSaarland on 11 October 1953.[13] The use of substitutes in World Cup matches was not allowed until the1970 tournament.[14]
The number of substitutes usable in a competitive match has increased from zero, meaning that teams were reduced if players' injuries could not allow them to play on, to one in 1958; to two out of a possible five in 1988. With the later increases in substitutions allowed, the number of potential substitute players increased to seven.[15] The number of substitutes increased to two plus one (injured goalkeeper) in 1994,[16] to three in 1995,[17][18] and to a fourth substitute in certain competitions (starting fromUEFA Euro 2016) in extra time.[19] In 2020, following a proposal fromFIFA, theInternational Football Association Board allowed for competition organisers to temporarily allow for a maximum of five substitutions (with an additional allowed in extra time, where applicable) to be made in official matches for the remainder of the year in order to lessen theimpact of fixture congestion caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic. However, there will only be threeopportunities to make substitutions (with an additional allowed in extra time, where applicable).[20] This change was made permanent in 2022.[21]
Substitutions are governed under Law 3 of theLaws of the Game in the(3) Substitution Procedure section.[22]
A player can be substituted only during astoppage in play and with the permission of thereferee. The player to be substituted (outgoing player) must have left the field of play before the substitute (incoming player) may enter the field of play; at that point the substitute becomes an active player and the person substituted ceases to be an active player. The incoming player may enter the field only at the halfway line. Failure to comply with these provisions may be punished by a caution (yellow card).
A player who has been substituted takes no further part in a match.
Unused substitutes still on the bench, as well as players who have been already substituted, remain under the authority of the referee. These are liable formisconduct, though cannot be said to have committed afoul. For example, in the2002 FIFA World Cup,Claudio Caniggia was shown the red card for cursing at the referee from the bench.
Under the Laws of the Game, the referee has no specific power to force a player to be substituted, even if the team manager or captain has ordered their player to be substituted. AsLaw 3 (3) Substitution Procedure simply states that:"if a player who is to be replaced refuses to leave, play continues." However, in some situations, players may still be liable to punishment with a caution (yellow card) if they are perceived to be wasting time or behaving in an unsporting manner by refusing to leave the field of play.
A player who has been sent off (red card) cannot be replaced; the team will have to continue with one fewer player. In the case of a goalkeeper who is sent off, the coach will usually (but is not required to) substitute an outfield player so that the backup goalkeeper can enter the game. For example, in the2006 UEFA Champions League Final,Arsenal midfielderRobert Pires was replaced by second-choice goalkeeperManuel Almunia to replaceJens Lehmann, who was sent off less than 20 minutes into the match. If all substitutions have been used, or if no goalkeeper is available, an outfield player must take up the role of the goalkeeper. A famous example of this is whenChelsea goalkeepersPetr Čech andCarlo Cudicini were both injured in the same game, which led to defenderJohn Terry spending the remainder of the match in goal wearing third-choice goalkeeperHilário's shirt.[23]
According to the Laws of the Game, "the number of substitutes, up to a maximum of five, which may be used in any match played in an official competition will be determined by FIFA, the confederation or the national football association."Also:
For lower non-leagues, amateur leagues and social leagues sanctioned by private football organisers in many countries, unlimited substitutions are allowed in each game.
Following the introduction of five substitutions in matches, "substitution opportunities" were established to avoid time-wasting and disruption to the game. Each team is given only three windows (opportunities) during a match to make their five substitutions. For competitions allowing an additional substitution in extra time, each team will have one additional substitution opportunity (any unused substitution opportunities from regular time will carry over to extra time). Substitutions made at half-time, before the start of extra time, and at half-time in extra time do not count towards a team's substitution opportunities. When both teams make a substitution simultaneously, it counts as a used substitution opportunity for both teams. Multiple substitutions (and requests) made by a team during the same stoppage in play count as one used substitution opportunity.[20]
In October 2019, theInternational Football Association Board (IFAB) began discussing the use of additional substitutions for players who are suspected to have sustained aconcussion during a match.[24] Earlier in the year, the chairman ofFIFA's medical committee,Michel D'Hooghe, said the body was open to discussing concussion substitutions.[25]UEFA had also called for FIFA and IFAB to allow for temporary substitutes for suspected head injuries.[26][27] The idea had been previously discussed by theFIFA Executive Committee five years earlier. However, the prevailing view was that the rule would hurt football's "universality", as it would be difficult to replicate on a grassroots level, and could be exploited to waste time and/or gain an additional substitution.[28]
In 2014, UEFA introduced a rule to allowreferees to stop matches for up to three minutes to assess head injuries, with players only allowed to return after the team doctor could confirm the player's fitness to carry on.[29] The three-minute rule was similarly adopted at the2018 FIFA World Cup.[30] The change came followinghigh-profile head injuries at the2014 FIFA World Cup, and calls byFIFPro for FIFA to review its concussion protocol.[31][32]
Initially, IFAB had considered a ten-minute assessment period for players suspected of a concussion, with a substitute replacing them in the interim.[28] In December 2019, IFAB agreed to appoint an expert group, composed of sports medical specialists and football experts, to identify options for the assessment and management of suspected concussions during matches.[33] Following feedback from the Concussion Expert Group, IFAB announced in February 2020 that it would draw up concussion substitute protocols to be used in trials.[34] In October 2020, the expert group announced that an "additional permanent substitution" protocol would be used to protect the health of players using an "if in doubt, take them out" philosophy, and that trials would start in 2021.[35][36] The protocol and trial was formally approved by IFAB on 16 December 2020. Under the protocol, players suspected of a concussion will be permanently removed from the match and replaced by a substitute. This prevents a player from sustainingmultiple head injuries in a match, prevents teams from suffering a numerical or tactical disadvantage, reduces the pressure on medical personnel to make a quick assessment and can be applied on all levels of the game.[37] Competition organisers must be approved by FIFA and IFAB to participate in the trial period, which will last from January 2021 to March 2022.[38]
In January 2021, FIFA announced that it would trial concussion substitutes in the following month at the2020 FIFA Club World Cup.[39] Later that month, it was announced that thePremier League,FA Women's Super League,FA Women's Championship andFA Cup would begin the trial in February 2021.[40][41] On 9 February 2021,West Ham United made the first concussion substitution in English football during anFA Cup match againstManchester United, whenIssa Diop was replaced byRyan Fredericks at half-time following a head injury.[42] The trial is also taking place in theEredivisie,Eerste Divisie andKNVB Cup.[43]
IFAB announced two protocols for concussion substitutes, with competition organisers able to choose which to use. The use of concussion substitutes will operate in conjunction with other protocols used, including the three-minute break for an on-field concussion assessment.[44]
Both protocols use the following general principles and procedures:[44]
The following principles are specific to each protocol:[44]
The term "super-sub" refers to a player who is not a regular in the starting line-up but who is noted for often coming on a substitute and making a significant impact on the game. Players regarded as "super-subs" includeSemih Şentürk forFenerbahçe,David Fairclough andDivock Origi forLiverpool,[45][46]John Hewitt forAberdeen,[46][47][48]Tosaint Ricketts forVancouver Whitecaps FC,Adam Le Fondre forReading,[49]Ole Gunnar Solskjær,Javier Hernández andScott McTominay forManchester United,[50][51][46][52]Mikael Forssell forChelsea,[53]Edin Džeko forManchester City,[54]Giovanni Simeone forNapoli,[55]Brendon Santalab forWestern Sydney Wanderers,[56]Henrique forBrisbane Roar,[57]Stevie Kirk forMotherwell,[58]Archie Thompson,Joshua Kennedy andTim Cahill forAustralia,[59][60][61][62][63]Fernando Llorente forTottenham Hotspur,[64][65]Roger Milla forCameroon,[46]Oliver Bierhoff forGermany,[46]Ilsinho forPhiladelphia Union,[66] andAbby Wambach andCarli Lloyd for theUnited States women's team.[67][68]
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