Index
Central Defender
Modern Centre-back
A modern central defender should be a tactically and technically complete player, capable of both defending thanks to his defensive skills (marking, tackling) and of setting up the game thanks to his good technical skills.
Stopper
Stoppers were defenders who relied on their strength and man-marking abilities to stop the opposition's attacking play by making strong tackles. They were usually paired with ball-playing defender or sweepers with solid passing skills.
Sweeper
Playmaking Sweeper
The first playmaker of the team, responsible for setting up the game from the bottom. In addition to good defensive skills (anticipation, tackling), he should also have good vision, precision in passing and concentration.
Sweeper
The old-fashioned libero played behind the rest of the back line, and was responsible for covering and sweeping across the spaces behind other defenders. He had no marking duties, but he had to have quick thinking and responsiveness.
Attacking Sweeper
It is an evolution of the libero/sweeper role. No longer just a last defender, but a real midfielder and added striker, able to advance and help the team when in possession. Vision and good technique are required.
Fullback
Modern Fullback
A balanced full-back, able to defend and attack in equal measure. He must therefore have good defensive skills (concentration, tackling), athletic skills (speed, stamina) and technical skills (ball control, accuracy in crosses).
Defensive Fullback
A defensive fullback is mainly responsible for defending, often staying in defence or marking the respective opponent. He must therefore have excellent defensive skills (positioning, marking, tackling, concentration).
Attacking Fullback (Wingback)
A player whose main task is to help the team in possession of the ball by pushing forward on the wing. He must have very good athletic skills (speed, endurance, physical fitness) and good technical skills (ball control, accuracy in crosses)
Defensive Midfielders
Ball-Winning Midfielder
A dynamic defensive midfielder with an aggressive style of play and whose main task is to take the ball away from opponents. He must have great physical stamina, tenacity, responsiveness and good defensive skills.
Anchorman
A predominantly defensive midfielder who rarely goes forward and operates in front of the defence. He must have excellent positioning skills, calm under pressure and good technical skills to dictates tempo.
Deep-lying Playmaker
A midfielder who operates in front of the defence and whose main task is to dictates tempo from behind. It is essential to have good technical skills (technique, vision, passing accuracy) and decent defensive skills (positioning, reaction).
Central Midfielder
Central Playmaker
A central playmaker operates in heart of the game and is the player who dictates tempo thanks to his excellent technical skills (passing accuracy, vision). Compared to the deep-lying playmaker, less defensive skills are required.
Box-to-box Midfielder
A box to box midfielder is a complete, dynamic and versatile player, who is good in both the defensive and offensive phases thanks to his great physical endurance, good defensive skills and solid technical skills.
Mezzala
In a three or five-man midfield, the "mezzala" is a midfielder who is mainly involved in setting up attacking actions, with the task of linking the defenders and the forwards. Technical skills and tactical intelligence are primarily required.
Attacking Midfielder
Advanced Playmaker
His job is to get between the opposition defense and midfield to pull string, tries killer balls and come back when out of possession. Technical skills (vision, passing accuracy) and tactical awareness are required.
Trequartista
A trequartista should be the team's key player. Not only he should dictates tempo or try killer balls often but he's required to score goals on his own thanks to his finalization and shooting skills as well.
Enganche
An Argentinian word - meaning hook - used to describe a traditional number 10. Required to play killer balls to either his teammates or a target man. The role requires technical ability and lacks of defensive work.
Winger
Modern Winger
Modern football is dominated by inverted wingers – a left-footed right-winger or a right-footed left-winger. They traditionally prefer to collect the ball, cut inside and get away from their marking full-back to take a shot or deliver in-swinging crosses
Traditional Winger
Wingers were the epitome of entertainment in football for decade. They were the widest position on the field and were mainly focused on getting near the backline and providing their strikers with crosses the entire match.
Wide Midfielder
A wide midfielder is a player nominally stationed in a wide role but charged with an equal distribution of attacking and defensive duties. The wide midfielder is tucked in, whereas classic “wingers” start wide and tend to stay outside.
Forward
Complete Forward
As the name suggest, a complete forward is a player who excels in all aspects of the game. He should be someone who is strong enough to hold-up play, drop deep to link up play, make runs to stretch the opposition's defence, but most importantly score goals. He should have technical skills and vision of the game.
Fantasista
Usually paired with a traditional centre-forward the fantasista could also be an attacking midfielder, usually wearing no 10. As the name suggests the fantasista (from an italian word meaning fantasy) is a creative and skilled player, good at 1-on-1 and even better at providing assists to the centre forward.
Second Striker
For a long time the second striker was a left winger 'masquerading' as a centre forward. He was a player who started out wide, usually from the left flank, to cut into the box and finish in front of goal. He was usually paired with a more classic number 9 who, thanks to his movements, freed up space in the penalty area.
Striker
Complete Striker
As the name suggests a complete striker must be a versatile striker, able both to play with the team thanks to his vision and to score thanks to his finishing skills. He must have good athletic, tactical and technical skills.
Poacher
A striker which is naturally gifted with the ability to score goals from inside of the penalty box. He doesn't have to be athletic or have technical skills, but he has to be very responsive and be in the right place at the right time.
Deep-lying Forward
A deep-lying forward is a striker who drops deep to hold up the ball, then after playing it to a teammate, rejoins the attack in a central role. He should have great tactical awareness, vision of the game, passing abilities, flair.
