How to play Lineup
Lineup is the daily team-building game: every day eleven countries line up — the same for the whole world — and you field one player from each into the eleven slots of a 4-3-3. It is free, needs no sign-up and runs in the browser.
The rules, in 30 seconds
- Check the queue. The eleven countries show up in the order they will be played, and all of them are visible from the start.
- Name a player from the country up — type and pick a name from the list.
- The slot comes from the position. A centre-back takes a centre-back slot; a goalkeeper, the only goalkeeper slot.
- Fill all eleven. If the slots left do not fit the countries left, the day ends right there.
The formation, slot by slot
It is 1 goalkeeper, 2 centre-backs, 2 full-backs, 3 midfielders, 2 wingers and 1 forward. Notice what is scarce: goalkeeper and forward have one slot each. Use the forward on the first country and the last one in the queue may only have forwards on your list — then the side closes with ten.
Why the order matters
The queue is drawn at random but visible: you can look ahead and decide which position to spend on each country. A country full of players across positions is flexible — leave it for later. A country you can only name in one position is rigid — solve it early, while its slot still exists. That calculation is the game, not luck.
What counts as a guess
Players from our list who played for the country up — hundreds every day. A guess from another country is refused and costs nothing: what costs is the position you spend. Managers are out, because a manager's career is from the bench, and here the question is who played.
Three strategies that work
- Start with the goalkeeper you are sure about. There is only one slot, and it is usually the first to run out.
- Save the big countries for last. Brazil, Spain or Germany can fill whatever slot is left; a small country cannot.
- Count the slots before you field anyone. Two full-backs, three midfielders: when the last one of a position goes, every country that only fits there is left out.
When the day ends
Fill the eleven slots and you win the day. If the remaining slots fit no country left in the queue, the game says so right away — and shows a lineup that worked, so you can see where the maths turned. And if you get stuck you can raise the white flag: it ends the day, counts as a loss and reveals the answer.
Frequently asked questions
What time does the side of the day change?
At midnight, in your device local time. Everyone plays the same eleven countries on the same day.
Is my progress saved?
It is, in your own browser — and separate from the other games: each one has its own stats and streak.
Does sharing give the answer away?
No. The text is only the side in coloured squares and the score, with no country and no name.
Are there other games?
There are: Craque Oculto, where you find the player of the day from his career, club by club, in 8 guesses.