THE ESSENTIALS · 4 MIN READ

How to make a football lineup

A clear lineup tells everyone where they start. Here is how to turn your team into a matchday image.

1. Choose a starting shape

For eleven-a-side football, your lineup needs one goalkeeper and ten outfield players. The formation name counts the outfield lines: 4-3-3 means four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards.

Start with 4-4-2 for two banks of four and two forwards. Try 4-3-3 for a front three, or 3-5-2 for a five-player midfield. Choose according to the players available, then adjust.

2. Set the spacing

Open the editor and drag players to their starting positions. Goalkeeper and defense sit at the bottom; attack points toward the top. Leave space between teammates so each name is readable. A starting shape is a guide, not a rule that stops players moving during the match.

3. Add names, numbers and colors

Tap or click a player to edit the name and shirt number. Short names or surnames are easiest to read on a phone. Set the team color, then give the goalkeeper a contrasting color if you want them to stand out.

4. Save a version

Give the lineup a name such as “Saturday vs Riverside” and choose Save lineup. My lineups holds multiple selections in this browser. Use Duplicate to start a second option. Browser storage does not sync to another device and can be removed when browser data is cleared.

5. Export and share

Choose Portrait for a 1080 × 1350 PNG, or Story for a 1080 × 1920 PNG. Export the image, review it, then download. Attach the downloaded file to WhatsApp or X. A native share option is available on browsers that support sharing image files.

Before you send it

Check all eleven names, shirt numbers and the direction of play. If it is a prediction, call it your predicted XI rather than a confirmed team sheet.