Positions and roles on the field: from goalkeeper to striker
It's not just "the one in goal" and "the one who scores goals". Find out what role each position has on the field and how a coach thinks about the team.
To better understand a match, you need to know what each player does on the field. Let's quickly go through the basic positions and their roles.
The goalkeeper - the last defender
The goalkeeper is the only player who is allowed to touch the ball with his hand, but only inside his own penalty area. His role is to stop shots, organize the defense and, in modern football, participate in the construction of the attack through short passes.
Defenders - the wall in front of the goal
Defenders protect the goal and try to stop the opponent's attacks. There are several types:
- Central defender – stands in front of the goalkeeper, wins aerial duels and blocks shots.
- Wing defender (right/left) – defends on the flanks, but often goes up into the attack to cross.
- Modern wing defender – almost a “half-midfielder”, goes up a lot and helps build offensive phases.
Midfielders – the engine of the team
Midfielders link the defense to the attack. Usually, most of a team's players are in this area.
- Defensive midfielder – recovers balls, cuts off counterattacks, stays closer to the defenders.
- Central midfielder – distributes passes, changes the direction of the game, controls the pace of the match.
- Offensive midfielder – makes assists, shoots at goal, appears between the lines.
- Wing midfielder – plays on the wing, dribbles and crosses or runs towards the goal.
Forwarders – the ones who decide the matches
Forwarders have the main mission of scoring goals.
- Classic number 9 – the leading edge of the attack, plays in the center, protects the ball and finishes the chances.
- Wing striker – starts on the flank, dribbles and enters to finish.
- False 9 – drops into the middle to create space for teammates.
Playing systems (4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, etc.)
A playing system shows how the players are distributed on the field. For example, 4-3-3 means 4 defenders, 3 midfielders and 3 forwards. Each coach chooses his system depending on the players he has and the desired style of play.
Learn the positions through play
If you want to see how well you understand them, go to TestFootball.com and look for the quizzes on positions and tactics. It's the easiest way to consolidate your information – through short questions and examples from real matches.