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The libero is a defensive specialist in two different sports.
Football (soccer)
In football (soccer), the libero, also known as a sweeper, is a defender who typically plays behind the other defenders. The libero serves as a last line of defense, and also will often trigger attacks.
The position was first developed in Italy, but the modern role was largely defined by German legend Franz Beckenbauer.
Volleyball
In volleyball, the libero is a defensive specialist. The position was created in 1998, and derives its name from the football position. Each team is allowed to have one libero. The rules of volleyball treat the libero in several special ways:
- The libero must wear a distinctively colored uniform.
- He or she cannot serve, block, attempt a block, or play in the front row of the initial formation.
- Substitutions involving the libero are unlimited, not counting against any limits on reentry of other players or on the total number of substitutions in a set. The main limitations are that the libero must be replaced by the same player that he or she replaced, and must remain out of the game for one rally before reentering.
- A libero cannot play an "attacking hit", defined specifically in the rules (see link below).
- An overhead set by the libero from the attacking zone (in front of the three-meter line) cannot be spiked by a teammate. The same set can be spiked if the libero is behind the three-meter line.
See Libero at www.volleyball.org (http://www.volleyball.org/rules/libero.html) for more details.
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