Each position in football has its own characteristics, which the players must optimally fulfil in competition. In addition to physical prerequisites, different technical attributes are also required. In the following sections, we will take a closer look at the tasks and sporting requirements of goalkeepers, defenders & co.
The goalkeeper
Until the 1990s, the goalkeeper position in football was very simple to describe: Parry the opponent's attempts on goal and allow as few goals as possible to be conceded. With the introduction of the back-pass rule in 1992, goalkeeping became increasingly complex due to a rule change. Because goalkeepers were no longer allowed to pick up the ball with their hands after a deliberate pass from teammates, they inevitably had to learn how to pass the ball. In the late 1990s, the Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar (Ajax and Manchester United, among others) was one of the first so-called "playing goalkeepers" to be fully integrated into their own team's possession game. From then on, the technical components of goalkeepers were continuously improved, so that in modern football they can be interpreted as a kind of libero (last man). When playing against the ball, goalkeepers stand very high to intercept long balls from the opponent. In the game with the ball, they are actively involved in the build-up of the game in order to overplay the opponent's pressing attempts.
Definition of the back-pass rule: The goalkeeper may not touch or receive the ball with his hand or arm after an intentional pass from a teammate. A violation of the rule is punished with an indirect free kick in the penalty area.
Famous goalkeepers
- Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United and others) achieved fame in the late 1990s as the first goalkeeper to play in the game. He actively supported his own team's build-up play and raised goalkeeping to a higher level.
- Manuel Neuer (FC Bayern München, among others) has perfected goalkeeping, especially in the game against the ball, because he plays along like a libero and intercepts targeted passes behind his own defensive line far away from his own penalty area.
- Marc-André Ter Stegen (FC Barcelona, among others) is unsurpassed in the game with the ball to date because he is one of the first goalkeepers to be trained with both feet. Ter Stegen plays targeted chip balls (anti-pressing balls) on the outer lanes and always finds a teammate even under enormous pressure from the opponent.
Centre back
In modern football, centre-backs take on the role of central defenders in the defensive chain. Depending on the basic tactical orientation, two (four-man) or three (three-man or five-man) centre-backs are deployed. In the game with the ball, the central defender should open up the attacking play or actively support the build-up of the own team. A modern central defender needs intelligence and a skilled passing game. In offensive standard situations such as corner kicks and free kicks, central defenders are very much in demand due to their heading strength.
In the game against the ball, communication skills and tactical understanding of the game are important. Centre-backs protect the centre and have a view over the entire pitch. Directing the midfielders and strikers is also one of the centre-backs' tasks.
Famous centre backs
- Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund, among others): Hummels has shaped the central defender's game with his targeted deep passes behind the opponent's back line.
- Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid, among others): The Spaniard is considered one of the best central defenders with his heading strength and positional play. His communication skills with regard to directing the offensive players are also considered to be particularly strong.
- Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus, among others): Bonucci is a two-footed central defender and is known for his strength in building up play or initiating his own attack.
Wingback
A modern full-back has both offensive and defensive tasks to fulfil. Defensively, the full-back must play against the opposing winger and prevent him from crossing or dribbling into the penalty area. According to this, the full-back has a good positional game and high dynamics to defend the basically faster and more technically skilled wingers. But wing-backs are also in great demand offensively. Depending on the tactical orientation, they attack on the flank to support their own wingers and thus tie up additional opponents defensively. The full-back can run behind the winger to deliver dangerous crosses into the penalty area. Regardless of the playing system, two wing-backs (left and right) are always deployed.
Famous Wingbacks
- Roberto Carlos (among others Real Madrid): The Brazilian is famous for his throw-in and shooting technique and is considered one of the most attacking left-backs of all time. He has scored 97 goals and made 125 assists in 756 matches for all clubs.
- Dani Alves (a. o. FC Barcelona): Dani Alves is the brilliant counterpart on the right side of defence. The former Brazilian international is also known for his offensive qualities. He scored 60 goals in 859 matches and contributed 178 assists.
Central defensive midfield
The six-man plays in front of the defence and basically has the task of closing the centre in defence. Depending on the basic order, one (4-1-4-1) or two sixes (4-2-3-1) are used. In the game with the ball, the six-man is a central starting station and plays a decisive role in the build-up of the game and the attack. The six distributes the ball to the other players and provides the link between the defence and the midfield. Central defensive midfielders have enormous running and passing power. In addition, they have a high level of anticipation so that they can intercept balls in midfield. Especially in the game against the ball, six-pointers are challenged in duels. Excellent tackling is therefore of enormous importance in this position.
Famous Central defensive midfielder
- Sergio Busquets (FC Barcelona): The Spanish World Champion of 2010 is the prototype of a modern six. A precise passing game, enormous tackling strength, a perfect sense of space and a distinct ability to communicate make Busquets one of the best sixes of all time.
- Toni Kroos (Real Madrid, among others): Toni Kroos is the midfield engine that sets the pace in Real Madrid's game. The 2014 World Champion is characterised by his precise passing and tactical understanding of the game.
Center Attacking Midfielder
The central attacking midfielder feeds the strikers and wingers with sharp passes and supports the entire team in creating scoring chances. In modern football, the role of the tenner is no longer as dominant as it was in the past. Eights and sixes are increasingly taking over the creative tasks of the tenner, so that the former free spirits such as Diego Maradona or Zinedine Zidane are seen less and less often. Advancing back four and strong centre-backs and sixes have taken away the space for the former creative centre to develop.
The football position of the tenner in modern times
Nevertheless, the ten-man is also important in modern football, even if not as the only creative centre. Central attacking midfielders are much more responsible for the penultimate pass, which can possibly move the game out wide and pull the opposing defence line apart. The ten-man can then push into the penalty area and make use of the cross from the flanker. The ten-man also has an important role to play against the ball: he closes the centre behind the striker in order to make it more difficult to play an opponent's six-man. Alternatively, he runs together with the striker in pressing situations in order to provoke play errors in the back four.
Famous Center Attacking Midfielder
- Diego Maradona (among others SSC Napoli): Diego Maradona is probably the best-known ten-man who is still revered all over the world for his offensive and spectacular style of play.
- Kevin de Bruyne (among others Manchester City): The Belgian enjoys worldwide recognition for his outstanding passing game. He is also beyond reproach in his work against the ball. De Bruyne is probably the prototype of a modern ten-man.
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Central midfielder
The eighth player plays in the central midfield and can be described as a liaison player between the offensive and the defensive. Accordingly, the range of tasks of a modern eighth is complex. Against the ball, the eighth often moves in front of the defensive area to reinforce the centre. In attacking pressing, however, the back eight also supports the offensive in order to create space pressure and provoke mistakes by the opponent. In the game with the ball, the eighth is always available for interface passes and game shifts. He also likes to move in front of the opponent's defence in order to move opposing defenders out of the chain during a face-off. The eighth player can be described as an all-rounder who is responsible for both defensive compactness and offensive goal threat.
Famous Central midfielder
- Frank Lampard (a. o. Chelsea FC): Frank Lampard has played a total of 611 games in the English Premier League. He scored 177 goals and contributed 112 assists. He is considered one of the best eights of all time.
- Andrés Iniesta (a. o. FC Barcelona): The Spanish World Cup winner of 2010 revolutionised the game of football in midfield as a brilliant goal-scorer who also provided a scoring threat himself (88 goals and 162 assists).
Winger
In football, this position can also be interpreted both offensively and defensively, whereby the winger is basically supposed to provide a scoring threat. The players operate on the outer lanes and are usually positioned on the left and right side respectively. The wing backs keep the wingers' backs free for defensive tasks, so that the wingers can play their position more offensively. Wingers try to run into intersections of the opponent's back four in order to pick up a pass behind the back line. If they succeed, they can cross into the penalty area or finish themselves. The strengths of a winger are: attack, speed, dribbling and finishing. Defensively, wingers have to cover the opposing full-backs and, if necessary, support their own full-backs.
Famous Winger
- Kylian Mbappé (Paris Saint Germain, among others): Mbappé is one of the fastest players in the world and brings all the qualities to the pitch that a modern winger needs. He is agile, a goal scorer, dribbles well and scores goals.
- Thierry Henry (Arsenal, among others): The quick-as-an-arrow Frenchman ended his career as a centre-forward, but was influential in the 2000s for his enormous scoring threat on the wing. He scored 360 goals and 177 assists in 793 matches.
Striker - the most offensive playing position in football
The centre forward occupies the most offensive position in football. In the past, the striker was exclusively responsible for scoring goals - nowadays the nine-man also has defensive tasks to fulfil. In the offensive game, the striker has to run through openings in order to finish freely in front of the goal. In addition, the striker is also the play-off station in front of the opponent's four-man back line. Here, the striker has to open gaps in the defensive chain and set the scene for his team-mates. In the game against the ball, the striker is the first player to disrupt the opposing defenders in the build-up to the game and put them under pressure. The nine-man has to shift the game so that his own team can create space pressure.
Famous Striker
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic (among others AC Milan): Ibrahimovic was top scorer 5 times (3 times Ligue 1 and 2 times Serie A) and is considered one of the best strikers of all time. In total, Ibrahimovic scored 493 goals in 819 matches.
- Robert Lewandowski (FC Bayern Munich, among others): Lewandowski scored 41 goals in the Bundesliga in the 2020/21 season, breaking the legendary record set by "Bomber" Gerd Müller.
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