Soccer was founded about 2,000 years ago. Over time, the positions of soccer players have experienced a dramatic change. Nowadays, we have immense knowledge about soccer positions that help us understand their placement, importance, training, etc.
We are going to look at what are the 11 positions in soccer and explain in detail everything that you need to know about soccer positions so that you can dominate the game. So let's take a look at the different positions and what they do!
What Are The 11 Positions In Soccer
A number is assigned to all the eleven positions that can be seen on the player’s jersey. These positions consist of ten outfield players as well as one goalkeeper.
The following are the names of the positions along with their numbers:
- Goalkeeper
- Right full back/right center back
- Left full back/left center back
- Right half back/side defensive midfield
- Centre half back/center defensive midfield
- Left half back/side defensive midfield
- Outside right/winger
- Inside right/attacking midfield
- Centre forward
- Inside left/attacking midfield
- Outside left/winger
These positions are divided into three separate groups: defenders, midfielders, and forwards.
Defenders
The defenders do what the term suggests- stop the opponents from attacking and earning scores. They are stationed in their half of the soccer field and coordinate to hinder the progress of the other team.
The four defensive positions you will find on a soccer field are:
Goalkeeper
The goalkeeper plays the role of a defender in front of the other party’s offensive team members. The unique thing about this position is that goalkeepers can use their hands and arms to stop the ball until it is in the penalty box. However, once they are out of the penalty box or one of their teammates passes the ball, they can no longer use their hands to block it.
Right and Left Fullbacks
The fullbacks or the wingbacks are required to defend the backside edges of the field while stopping the opponent party’s wingers. They have to run up and down the field with great speed to assist the play, so it is better for them to be lighter on their feet.
Center Back
The center backs are the defenders who are positioned in the center of the field. They stay in front of the goal to block the opponents from leading the ball to the goals - they are an extra defense for the goalkeeper.
Sweeper
The role of the sweepers is to block the goal and act as defenders between the goalkeepers and other defenders. They are required to cover all the empty spots in the field to protect the goal. The sweepers are used less often in the field, depending on the country and the team.
Midfielders
The midfielders are positioned in the center of the soccer field between the defenders and the forwards. Their role is to contribute to the attack being made and lead the ball in the direction of the goal. They are also referred to as the engine room of a team because they are the ones who add the exciting element to the game by putting in lots of energy and action.
The four midfield positions in soccer are:
Defensive Midfielder
Between the defenders and forwards, the defensive midfielder keeps moving up and down the center of the field to join the team from the back to the front. They are required to move a lot in the game because they have to lead the ball to different areas of the ground. Their main focus is to get the ball from the back and bring it to the forwards so that they can make an attack.
Center Midfielder
They essentially play an offensive as well as a defensive part in the game. The center midfielders connect the team by making some instant game-changing decisions on the ground while helping others. They run in whichever direction the ball is and are popular for kicking the long shots in the field.
Right and Left Midfielders
The wingers stay on the edges of the ground while creating space for the center and attacking midfielder to play in the center. They experience a one-on-one ball game with the other team’s midfielders and fullbacks as they lead the ball to their team members in the middle of the field. Wingers have to play quickly and have fantastic ball skills because they are required to dribble quickly, pass the ball, help make shots, and score for their team.
Attacking Midfielder
These midfielders mostly make the shots and coordinate with the forwards. Similar to the center midfielder, the attacking midfielders should also have strategical skills and incredible precision when playing the game. Their job is to support in making the attack whenever it is doable.
Forwards
The forwards are assigned the attacking role in soccer and are situated to the other team’s goal, making them chief goal scorers. Due to their strategic placement, they are usually able to score more goals than any other group.
The two forwards in the game are:
Striker
The strikers have the responsibility to score goals. They are placed in the front part of the field to receive the passes from their team members in order to score goals. Strikers should be speedy and have the potential to outshine the opponent’s defense. They are considered the main position in the soccer field.
Center Forward
Similar to the striker, the center forwards’ role is to score goals. They are popular for controlling the ball when it is up in the air, being equipped with excellent dribbling skills, and playing a distractive role for the striker.
Conclusion
You need to consider many factors of soccer when talking about every single position. If a player plays his role in the right way while covering the right spots of the soccer field, then the team can ace the game easily. So you need to think about which position you can perform the best, practice it your heart out, and make sure to master all the skills required by that position.
