Football (soccer) positions

In the sport of football, each of the eleven players in a team are assigned to a particular position on the field of play. A team is made up of one goalkeeper and ten outfield players who fill various defensive, midfield and attacking positions depending on the formation deployed. These positions describe both the player's main role and their area of operation on the pitch. As the game has evolved, tactics and team formations have changed, and the names of the positions and the duties involved have evolved as well.

The fluid nature of the modern game means that positions in football are not as formally defined as in sports such as rugby or American football. Even so, most players will play in a limited range of positions throughout their career, as each position requires a particular set of skills. Footballers who are able to play comfortably in numerous positions are referred to as "utility players".

However, the players are only loosely defined into a position under total football tactics. This tactic required players who were extremely versatile, such as Johan Cruijff, who could play every position on the pitch apart from goalkeeper.

Goalkeeper

The goalkeeper is the most specialized position in football. A goalkeeper's job is mainly defensive: to guard the team's goal from being breached (to not let the other team score). Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to handle the ball with their hands, however they are restricted to doing so only within their penalty area; for this reason, they wear jerseys that distinguish them from other outfielder players and the referee. If a goalkeeper is sent off or injured, and there is no substitute goalkeeper available, an outfield player has to take the goalkeeper's place.

The discipline of goalkeeping is so specialized that it is virtually unheard of in the professional game for a goalkeeper to play in any other position. One notable exception is Jorge Campos of Mexico, who played effectively as a striker when called upon. A goalkeeper with good technical skill may opt to take his team's penalties and free kicks, though this is rare as the goalkeeper would be caught out of position if possession is conceded immediately after the kick. José Luis Chilavert of Paraguay and Rogério Ceni of São Paulo FC (Brazil) are well-known free-kick and penalty specialists with over 60 goals to their names.

Physical strength, height, jumping ability and judgement are valued qualities for goalkeepers to have in order to deal with aerial balls and agility, quick reactions and a good positional sense are all needed for shot stopping. The standard football skills of ball control, tackling, passing and dribbling are not usually required in a goalkeeper, although the introduction of the back-pass rule in the early 1990s has necessitated improvement on such skills.

Defensive positions

Defenders play behind the midfielders and their primary responsibility is to provide support to the goalkeeper, and to prevent the opposition from scoring a goal. They usually remain in the half of the field that contains the goal they are defending. Taller defenders will move forward to the opposing team's penalty box when their team takes corner kicks or free kicks, where scoring with one's head is a possibility.

Centre-back

The job of the centre-back — also called centre-halves or central defenders — is to stop opposing players, particularly the strikers, from scoring, and to bring the ball out from their penalty area. As their name suggests, they play in a central position. Most teams employ two centre backs, stationed in front of the goalkeeper. There are two main defensive strategies used by centre backs: the zonal defence, where each centre back covers a specific area of the pitch, and man-to-man marking, where each centre back has the job of covering a particular opposition player.

Centre-backs are often tall, with good heading and tackling ability. An ability to read the game well is also a distinct advantage. Sometimes, particularly in lower leagues, centre-backs concentrate less on ball control and passing, preferring simply to clear the ball in a "safety-first" fashion. However, there is a long tradition of centre-backs having more than just rudimentary footballing skill, enabling a more possession-oriented playing style.

The position was formerly referred to as "centre-half." In the early part of the 20th century, when most teams employed the 2-3-5 formation, the row of three players were called halfbacks. As formations evolved, the central player in this trio (the centre-half), moved into a more defensive position on the field, taking the name of the position with them.

Some of best centre-backs in the modern game include Alessandro Nesta, Paolo Maldini, Ricardo Carvalho, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Lucio, Carles Puyol, Fabio Cannavaro, Alan Hansen and Jamie Carragher

Sweeper

The sweeper is a more versatile type of centre back that "sweeps up" the ball if the opponent manages to breach the defensive line. Their position is rather more fluid than other defenders who mark their designated opponents. Because of this, the position is often referred to as libero (Italian: free). The sweeper's ability to read the game is even more vital than for a centre-back. A sweeper is sometimes expected to build counter-attacking moves, and as such requires better ball control and passing ability than a typical centre back. However, sweepers are often merely defensive players. For example, the catenaccio system of play, used in Italian football in the 1960s, employed a purely defensive sweeper.

Many centre-backs and sweepers have the ability to bring the ball out of defence and begin counter-attacks for their own teams, thanks to excellent tactical (game reading, anticipation, positioning, tackling) and technical capabilities (passing, vision on the pitch); players with such an ability include the legendaries Franz Beckenbauer or Gaetano Scirea and more recently players like Ronald Koeman, Lothar Matthaus, and Franco Baresi. Rafael Marquez also plays in a similar fashion.

Fullback

Fullbacks take up the wide defensive positions, one on each side of the field. Their main task is to prevent opposition players crossing or cutting the ball back into the penalty area. In some defensive systems, fullbacks mark opponents. Most full backs are also expected to provide an attacking dimension by getting upfield along the wings and providing crosses.

Traditionally, fullbacks played a role today occupied by the central defenders. As the game evolved, with the old centre half taking over the central defensive role, fullbacks have migrated out to the flanks and the position now requires a slightly different set of skills. The modern full back is usually pacy, strong in the tackle and with good stamina to get up and down the field. Because of the experience gleaned from the use of their chosen foot, full backs often make good free kick or penalty takers, Roberto Carlos and Stuart Pearce being among many examples.

Wingback

The wingback is a modern variation on the fullback with heavier emphasis on attack. The name is a portmanteau of "winger" (see below) and "back". They are usually employed in a 3-5-2 formation, and could therefore be considered part of the midfield. As the role combines that of the winger and the fullback, wingbacks need to be blessed with good stamina. As they have the support of three centre-backs, they are expected to concentrate more on providing support for strikers and less on their defensive duties. Darijo Srna of Shakhtar Donetsk and Croatia is an example of the wingback.

Midfield positions

Midfielders are players whose position of play is midway between the attacking strikers and the defenders. Their main duties are to maintain possession of the ball, taking the ball from defenders and feeding it to the strikers, as well as dispossessing opposing players. Most managers field at least one central midfielder with a marked task of breaking up opposition's attacks while the rest are more adept to creating goals or have equal responsibilities between attack and defence. Midfielders typically exhaust the most energy during a match due to the distance they cover on a pitch, as at times they can be called back into defence or required to attack with the strikers.

Centre midfield

Central midfielders play several roles on the field of play, depending on their particular strengths and weaknesses and the tactics of the team. They are the link between defence and attack, and must also defend when the opposition are in possession. Their central position enables them to have an all-round view of the match, and as most of the action takes place in and around their area of the pitch, midfielders often exert the greatest degree of control over how a match is played. They must be equally skilled at tackling, passing and keeping possession.

Travis Taghavi and Scott Cleary are examples of central midfielders. All are capable of playing from "box to box" and as the norm rather than the exception, use their strength, their passing ability, and their work rate to affect their team's game play. This section of the field is often known as a team's "engine room", because rarely have great teams succeeded without skillful, commanding centre midfielders.Liverpool's Steven Gerrard is considered to be the perfect player in this role.

Defensive midfielder

A defensive midfielder or holding midfielder is a central midfielder who is stationed in front of the back defenders for defensive reasons, thus "holding back" the freedom of the opponents to attack. This specialist midfielder's responsibilities are to tackle the ball away from the opposing team's attackers and midfielders and to safely distribute it to more attacking-minded players. Not only do the players protect their team's defence, they also give their fellow midfielders a license to play with more attacking flair without the worry of defensive work.

The defensive midfielder position is also referred to in Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese as volante ("rudder"). Most Brazilian teams deploy at least one volante in their team, including the Brazilian national team who over the years have fielded some of the world's best defensive midfielders, such as 1994 World Cup winning team captain Dunga. Other notable defensive midfielders include Claude Makelele and Roy Keane.

Attacking midfielder

An attacking midfielder is a central midfielder who is stationed in an advanced midfield position, usually behind the strikers. These players are typically serve as the offensive pivot of the team, and are sometimes said to be "playing in the hole," although this term can also be used to describe the positioning of deep-lying centre-forwards. This specialist midfielder's main role is to create goal-scoring opportunities using superior vision and skill. The attacking midfielder is an important position and requires the player to possess superior technical abilities in terms of passing and most importantly the ability to read the opposing defence in order to deliver defence-splitting passes to the strikers.

Some attacking midfielders and deep-lying forwards are called "number 10" players, due to the popularity of that shirt number among many of the greatest to play that position. Attacking midfielders are playmakers, known for their deft touch, ability to shoot from range, and passing prowess. Oftentimes, a team is constructed as to allow their attacking midfielder to roam free and create as the situation demands. Some current notable attacking midfielders include Ronaldinho, Kaká, Paul Scholes, Michael Ballack, Zinedine Zidane, and Deco.

Winger

A winger is a wide midfielder who is stationed in a wide midfield position near the touchlines. Wingers used to be classified as forwards in traditional W-shaped formations, but as tactics evolved over the last 30 years, wingers have dropped to deeper field positions. Modern wingers are now usually classified as part of the midfield, usually in 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 formations. It is a winger's duty to beat opposing fullbacks and to deliver cut-backs and crosses from wide positions. They are usually some of the most technically gifted players in the team and usually have very good dribbling skills as well as good pace. Traditionally wingers are not expected to track back and defend all that much.

Years ago, wingers were more highly prized, but their importance has dwindled throughout the years. In the 1966 World Cup for example, England manager Alf Ramsey led a team without natural wingers to championship. This was unusual enough at the time for the team to be nicknamed "The Wingless Wonders."

In the modern game, some wide midfielders replace the role of wingers, whose contributions include providing defensive cover for fullbacks. One good example is David Beckham, who played in the position of right wing during his days at Manchester United, but is not commonly regarded as a winger since he functions primarily as a right midfielder and does not use either speed or dribbling ability to support play by floating in diagonal balls into the box with the pinpoint accuracy that has made him such a valuable player. In fact, now that he has moved to Real Madrid he sometimes plays a central midfield role. Other good examples are Luis Figo, Ryan Giggs, George Best and Arjen Robben.

Strikers

Strikers, forwards or attackers are the players on a team in the row nearest to the opposing team's goal. Their primary responsibility is to score goals. Good examples of strikers are Lukas Podolski, Thierry Henry, Filippo Inzaghi, Andriy Shevchenko and Ruud van Nistelrooy, all noted for their goal scoring ability. Other duties can include setting up goals for other players (usually another forward, but sometimes midfielders as well) and holding the ball up so that other players may join the attack. Modern player formations include between one and three strikers; two is most common, as in the 4-4-2 formation. Because they score more goals than other players, forwards are often among the best-known and most expensive players on their teams.

Centre Forward

The centre forward, has one main task: to score goals. Coaches will often field one striker who plays over the shoulder of the last opposing defender and another attacking forward who plays somewhat deeper and assists in creating goals as well as scoring. The former is usually a large striker, typically known as a "target man," who is used either to distract opposing defenders to help teammates score, or to score himself; the latter is usually of quicker pace. In other cases, strikers will operate on the wings of the field and work their way goalward. Yet another variation is the replacement of the target man with a striker who can thread through balls.

Players who specialise in playing as a target are usually of above-average height, with good heading ability and an accurate shot. They tend to be the "outlet" player for both midfielders and defenders, able to hold the ball up and allow other players time to enter the game. They tend to score goals from crosses, often with the head, and can use their body strength to shield the ball while turning to score. Other forwards may rely on their pace to run onto long balls passed over or through the opposition defence, rather than collecting the ball with their back to goal like a target man. The best forwards can play both of these roles equally well, for example the great players Pelé and Marco van Basten.

Deep-lying forwards

Deep-lying forwards have a long history in the game, but the terminology to describe them has varied over the years. Originally such players were termed inside forwards, or deep-lying centre forwards. More recently, the preferred terms have been "withdrawn striker", or playing "in the hole" (i.e., the space between the midfield and defence of the opposing team). The position itself was popularized in Italian football as the Trequartista - 'three-quarters' - the playmaker who plays neither in midfield nor as a forward, but effectively pulls the strings for his team's attack.

Whatever the terminology, the position itself is a loosely-defined one somewhere between the out-and-out striker and the midfield. Such a player is either a skilful, attack-minded midfielder or a striker who can both score and create opportunities for centre forwards. Widely-known deep-lying forwards include Pelé, Alessandro Del Piero , Dennis Bergkamp and Kenny Dalglish.

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