Clean Sheet
A match in which a team or goalkeeper prevents the opposition from scoring at all.
Definition
A clean sheet is recorded when a team concedes no goals in a match, with the credit shared between the goalkeeper and the defence. It is a common measure of defensive performance in football and field hockey, and goalkeepers are often ranked by how many clean sheets they keep across a season.
The equivalent idea in several North American sports is usually called a "shutout," for example in ice hockey where a goaltender concedes no goals. A clean sheet is about goals conceded, not the result: a 0-0 draw gives both teams a clean sheet, while a 3-0 win gives only the winning side one. It says nothing about how many goals the team itself scored.
Where you’ll hear “clean sheet”
Sports that use this term:
Football
The world’s most popular team sport — endless running, teamwork and community in one game.
Field Hockey
An outdoor team sport that uses curved sticks to move a ball, built on agility and teamwork.
Ice Hockey
A fast team sport on ice that combines skating skill with quick passing and goal-scoring.
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Scoring systems
- Football (soccer) scoringFootball is scored by goals, with each goal worth one point and the team scoring the most goals winning the match.
- How golf is scoredGolf counts strokes: the fewest shots taken to complete a hole or a round wins, with par providing the reference every score is described against.
- Tennis scoringTennis is scored in points, games and sets, using the distinctive 15–30–40 point sequence and a win-by-two margin at every level.
- Tennis scoring systemsThe scoring methods the ITF Rules actually authorise — the advantage set, the tie-break set, the standard tie-break game, and the short sets and match tie-breaks in Appendix VI.
- Tiebreak scoringA tiebreak is a short deciding game used in racket sports to settle a set that has reached an even number of games, scored in simple numbers to a fixed target.
Rules
- OffsideA rule that prevents an attacker from gaining an advantage by being positioned too close to the opponents' goal ahead of the ball and the last defenders.
- Penalty kick awardA one-on-one kick against the goalkeeper awarded when a defending player commits a direct-free-kick foul inside their own penalty area.
Tactics
Positions
- GoalkeeperThe goalkeeper is the last line of defence in football and the only player allowed to handle the ball inside their own penalty area.
- Outside hitterThe outside hitter attacks from the left side of the net and is often a volleyball team’s main scoring option.
- Defensive midfielderA defensive midfielder sits in front of the defence, breaking up opposition attacks and shielding the back line.
- StrikerA striker is the main attacking player in football, positioned furthest forward with the primary job of scoring goals.
- PivotThe pivot is a handball attacker who plays close to the opposition defence, setting screens and looking for chances near the goal area.
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- Content type
- Term
- Provenance
- Tier A — evergreen educational
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- Content updated
- 2026-09-01
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