Soccer Player Styles

Goalkeeper

Shot stopper
A goalkeeper known as being very good at saving strikes on goal, many at point blank range. They are known for having great reactions, an almost instinctive ability to anticipate where to position themselves and to dive or spread themselves in order to effect a save, often from a shot that may look impossible to prevent going in. They can be recognized by a high saves to shots ratio.
Sweeper-Keeper
With the advent of the offside rule, the role of a sweeping defender or libero has become pretty much obsolete. However, in the last decades it has become popular for goalkeepers to take that role instead. A sweeping goalkeeper is good at reading the game, and prevents scoring opportunities by clearing passes and crosses outside of the goal area without the use of his hands. Manuel Neuer has often been described as a sweeper-keeper.

Defensive

Attacking full-back
An attacking full-back (or wing-back) is a defender stationed on the flank with emphasis on attack as well as defense. The name wing-back is a portmanteau of "winger" (see above) and "full-back". As the role combines that of the winger and the full-back, attacking full-backs need to have good stamina. Where a teams fields three centre-backs, the attacking full-back is expected to concentrate more on providing support for strikers than concentrating on their defensive duties.

Libero
The libero (Italian: free) or sweeper is a more versatile type of defender that "sweeps up" the ball if the opponent manages to break the defensive line. Their position is rather more fluid than other defenders who mark their designated opponents. Sweepers are usually faster than that of the other players on the team, and are built slightly smaller than the others. The sweeper's ability to read the game is even more vital than for a centre-back; they also are usually confident on the ball and possess good passing and vision, as they are often responsible for starting plays from the back-line. The catenaccio system of play, used in Italian football in the 1960s, notably employed a defensive libero. Franz Beckenbauer is often credited as having invented the role of the modern sweeper.

Stopper
Stoppers are skilled defenders who rely on their strength, stamina, and man-marking abilities to stop the opposition's attacking play by making strong tackles. They are usually uncompromising in their tackling and would rather give away a foul than let an opposition player get past them. Stoppers generally play as centre-backs.

Midfield

Ball winner
A ball winner is a player skilled at winning the ball back from the opposition through tackling and interceptions in the midfield area of the pitch. They endeavour to break up the opposition's attacking play by regaining possession. Ball winners are usually defensive midfielders or central midfielders but this can also be an attribute of a defender.

Defensive midfielder
Defensive midfielders are central midfield players that focus more on defense than attack. They need strength to make strong tackles and they also need stamina and some degree of passing skill as they need to support other midfielders.

Creative midfielder
Creative midfielders are midfield players that are able to create goal scoring opportunities for the team often in situations where nothing seems likely. They usually have good ball control, passing ability and movement and will be blessed with vision and on-the-ball intelligence. They are usually attacking midfielders, though second strikers, wingers, and central midfielders can also be known as creative players.

Box to box
Box to box midfielders help with almost every aspect of the game. They need immense stamina as they need to cover most areas of the pitch, as well as some degree of passing skills. They would be up one end of the pitch assisting the attack one moment then back helping to defend around their own penalty area the next. They normally play as central midfielders but any of the midfield players may have this attribute.

Wide midfielders
These are midfielders that have pace and/or dribbling ability to be able to beat defenders along the flank. They will have the habit of running wide whenever they get possession of the ball or when their team is attacking, to receive the ball. Their most important skill is to be able to cross the ball into the penalty box to create opportunities for strikers. Sometimes strikers will pull right or left as a tactic to draw a defender out of position or to get into unmarked space.

Playmaker
Playmakers are midfielders that controls the flow of attacking play, starting off attacking moves. They have good passing ability and also good off-the-ball ability and vision to be able to read the game and to see where goal-scoring opportunities may come from. Playmakers usually play as central midfielders or attacking midfielders, but some play as defensive midfielders (known as deep-lying playmakers).

Midfield general
A central midfield player who absolutely controls the midfield area, directing team play and breaking up the opponent's attacks. They are known for having the biggest influence on their team's overall performances, driving them forward to attack, putting sustained pressure on the opposition and leading by example when the team is defending. They more often than not will be the team captain.

Attacking

Dribbler
Dribblers are players known for their close ball control ability that is used to go past defenders by sudden change of direction and acceleration sometimes combined with great pace. The skill is used to create opportunities for other attackers or to score themselves having broken through the opposition's defense using what is sometimes referred to as "trickery". One of the great spectator sights in football is a player going on a "mazy run" with the ball, twisting and turning to avoid opposition tackles, beating a number of players.

They usually play as wingers, secondary strikers or attacking midfielders, but in some cases, a centre forward may also have these skills.

Counter attacker
Counter attackers are any attacking player that uses their pace to beat defenders and cause unexpected scoring opportunities at any time. They also need some degree of shooting skill. Counter attacking opportunities occur when the opposition are themselves attacking a team with most of their players forward. A counterattack happens when the ball is won back and is quickly played into space for a counterattacking player to run onto or where a player takes the ball themselves and runs with pace into a sparsely defended opposition half.

Clinical finisher
Clinical finishers are forwards that specialize in their accurate shooting ability. They are "clinical" in that they need few opportunities to score a goal being able to strike and place the ball exactly where it will beat the goalkeeper. They can be identified by their high goal to shots ratio. Clinical strikers usually play as centre forwards though other attacking players can often be said to be clinical finishers.

Target man
Target men are forwards that generally have a high degree of physical strength and are usually tall in height. They are able to make space, score goals, or hold up play with the ball waiting for support no matter how much pressure defenders are putting on them. They specialize in taking and controlling the ball in the air or along the ground often from long passes, strength to hold off defenders when receiving long passes and sometimes volleying the ball. The term "target" refers to the fact that other team players will use them to play long balls or crosses to even though they may be surrounded by opposition defenders. The role is unique to centre forwards.

Goal poacher
Goal poachers are forwards who wait in the six-yard box or the penalty area for a cross, pass or loose ball and pounce to try to score a goal. Their "poaching" refers to the fact that they will often score a goal out of the slightest of opportunities i.e. steal a goal. Goal poachers usually play as centre forwards or second strikers.

False nine
A false nine is a player who appears to be playing as a centre-forward (traditionally a number nine shirt), but drops deeps or pulls wide disrupting the opposing team's marking. Usually the centre forward will be marked by one of the centre-backs but the false nine will often move away into a grey area causing a dilemma on whether the centre-back follows, isolating them from the other centre-back or stays where they are, making themselves redundant.

Outline

SPORTS WORLD

Soccer | Football

The goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms while it is in play and only in their penalty area. Outfield players mostly use their feet to strike or pass the ball, but may also use their head or torso to do so instead. The team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins. The Laws of the Game are the codified rules that help define association football. They are the only rules of association football subscribed to by the sport's governing body FIFA.

Gameplay: Two teams of eleven players each compete to get the ball into the other team's goal (between the posts and under the bar), thereby scoring a goal. The team that has scored more goals at the end of the game is the winner; if both teams have scored an equal number of goals then the game is a draw.

Players: Each team consists of a maximum of eleven players (excluding substitutes), one of whom must be the goalkeeper.

Referee: Is the person responsible for enforcing the Laws of the Game during the course of a match.

Assistant referee: The assistant referee's duties generally consist of judging when the ball has left the field of play.

Equipment: The basic equipment or kit players are required to wear includes a shirt, shorts, socks, footwear and adequate shin guards.

Game duration: A standard adult football match consists of two periods of 45 minutes each, known as halves. Each half runs continuously, meaning that the clock is not stopped when the ball is out of play.

Misconduct (Foul): Fouls and misconduct in football/soccer are acts committed by players which are deemed by the referee to be unfair and are subsequently penalized.

Positions: 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.

Player styles: Most players will play in a limited range of positions throughout their career, as each position requires a particular set of skills and physical attributes.

Formations: The formation describes how the players in a team are positioned on the pitch. Different formations can be used depending on whether a team wishes to play more attacking or defensive football.

Tactics and skills: Well-organized and well-prepared teams are often seen beating teams with supposedly more skillful players, even over time.

Advanced skills: There are various individual skills and team tactics needed to play effective football.
Team Positions

SPORTS WORLD

Team Positions

In the sport, each of the 11 players on a team is 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.

Goalkeeper: Goalkeeper, often shortened to keeper or goalie, is one of the major positions of association football.

Centre-back: The job of the centre-back is to stop opposing players, particularly the strikers, from scoring, and to bring the ball out from their penalty area.

Sweeper: The sweeper is a defensive position in football, so called because their job is to 'sweep up' any attacking moves which pass other defenders.

Full-back: The full-backs take up the holding wide positions and traditionally stayed in defense at all times, until a set-piece.

Wing-back: The wing-back (or attacking full-back) are defenders with heavier emphasis on attack.

Centre midfield: Central midfielders provide a link between defense and attack, fulfilling a number of duties and operating primarily in the middle third of the pitch.

Defensive midfield: A defensive midfielder is a central midfielder who is stationed in front of the defenders to provide more defensive protection, thus "holding back" when the rest of the midfield supports the attack.

Attacking midfield: An attacking midfielder is a midfield player who is positioned in an advanced midfield position, usually between central midfield and the team's forwards, and who has a primarily offensive role.

Wide midfield: Is a midfielder who is stationed to the left or right of central midfield.

Centre forward: A centre forward (main striker) has the key task of scoring goals and for this reason acts as the focal point of the majority of attacking play by a team.

Second striker: They are required to be more "nippy", quick, mobile, and skillful, helping to create goals and scoring opportunities for centre forwards.

Winger: Is an attacking player who is stationed in a wide position near the touchlines.

SPORTS

Soccer | Football

The goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands or arms while it is in play and only in their penalty area. Outfield players mostly use their feet to strike or pass the ball, but may also use their head or torso to do so instead. The team that scores the most goals by the end of the match wins.

The Laws of the Game are the codified rules that help define association football. They are the only rules of association football subscribed to by the sport's governing body FIFA.