#FOOTBALL SOCCER POSITIONS BY NUMBER FULL#

Watching the players’ movement during the game is the best indication of where exactly they are playing. Soccer is a forever changing sport, and with the changing dynamics of the game comes the addition of new positions. All have earned their number 1 spot for a reason, and should be considered as dynamic as the rest of the players on the field. While there is only one position a goalkeeper will play, there are many different types of keepers in the modern-game. With the rapidity that the sport is progressing, this position is usually covered by a regular center-back when needed, or by the goalkeeper. The sweeper would play behind the back-four, right in front of the goalie. The sweeper position has been almost fully phased out in the modern game, but you will see slight variations of this role in certain strategical instances.

#FOOTBALL SOCCER POSITIONS BY NUMBER FULL#

The wing-back is a combination of the winger and the full back and only those with the highest level of stamina can pull this position off.

The difference with the wing-backs is that you’ll only see this position occupied when a team is playing with three center-backs and a narrow midfield. The wing-backs are very similar to the full backs in the sense that they control the width of the defense. While players of this position like to attack, their main objective is to always sprint back and defend. A lot of the time you will see the full-backs bombing forward when attacking in order to add optional width to their team’s play. They protect any attacks from the opposing team’s wingers when they try to spread out wide. The full-backs, also known as left-back and right-back, are the width of the defense. They tend to be an aerial threat when attacking, but find themselves sitting back most of the time. In a standard formation there are two center-backs that maintain the last line of defense. Their main job is to protect the ball from getting close to the goalkeeper. The center-back is a strong statured player. These players are usually very comfortable on the ball, and like to feed passes to any of the multiple positions in front of them.Ĭenter back, Full Back (Left Back, Right Back), Wing Backs, Sweeper (RARE)

This role requires strength and a lot of positional awareness. The defensive-midfielder sits just in front of the defense and a little deeper than the left and right midfielders.

They sit right behind the striker and act as a link-up between the midfield and the forward. The attacking-midfielder can almost be considered a forward, but their defensive duties are needed from time to time as well. Stamina is a must for the central midfielder. These players are forward when their team is attacking and back when their team is defending. The center mid is typically a box-to-box player. A lot of players who play in these positions like to stay tight to the touch-line, and they control the width of their team. The left-mid and right-mid will usually remain on their respective sides of the field. The dynamics of the position have changed drastically over the years creating a multitude of different sub-positions. The midfield contains the widest array of positions, and the role of the midfielder is a constantly changing one. Left Mid, Right Mid, Center Mid, Attacking Mid, Defensive Mid The wingers will maintain the width on the left and the right side and will constantly push on the opposing team’s full-backs while feeding the ball into the center forward. This type of forward will sometimes be confused with an attacking midfielder, but the difference is that the center forward is still usually the furthest man forward, with the occasional exception of the wingers.

The center forward plays a little deeper than the striker would, and will usually play in lieu of the striker when the manager opts for a front 3. The striker plays straight down the middle ahead of the mid field and can be anything from a tall-target man, to a pacey attacker. Let’s take a look at the different variations of these three types below.Īs a forward, there are multiple roles each player can maintain. The terms Forward, Midfielder, and Defender seem fairly basic, but they do not confine players to specific thirds of the field. While there are common formations that are used by each soccer team, the positions within remain fluid and dynamic.

Football soccer positions by number