Learning how to play soccer can be both an interesting and very rewarding experience. If you have decided to get into the sport just recently, or you have been a fan for quite some time now but never really got around to studying the game itself, or if you’ve had a number of pickup games at the local soccer field and are considering trying out for a school or amateur league team, you must first orient yourself on the basics of the game. Often, the first step that you would need to take is to understand the different positions in soccer. Knowing the roles and responsibilities of each position will help you better gauge your existing skills and see if you would do well in that position. Knowing what position you can play will also serve as a guide or template for future training sessions, so you can gear your workout regimen towards being a better player.
The first thing you will need to understand is that positions in soccer may vary depending on where the other players are. In such a fast-paced sport, your teammates will be running all over the field, jockeying for position on the field. Depending on where you are at the time, you may be called on to play a number of different roles. One of the more constant roles is that of the goalie. The goalie plays in the area around the goal, and it is his job to keep the opposing team from scoring goals in your team’s goal. The goalie is the only player on the field who can touch the ball with his hands, and is often wearing different colors from his teammates to help distinguish him from the others.
The job of the fullback is to protect the goal from opposing players. They make sure that the opponent doesn’t get close enough to score an easy goal. There may be up to three fullbacks at a time on the playing field. When a team is on defense, every player on the field must work to keep the ball from going into their goal. Fullbacks, however, are the designated defenders, and so they remain on the defensive end for most of the game.
The forward position is usually given to players who can run fast, evade the opponent’s defense and strike hard. They are the main scorers in the game, and play closest to the opponent’s goal. The midfielder is the player who stays mostly in the center of the field. These are the more balanced and agile players, who must be able to switch between offense and defense at a moment’s notice. When the opportunity arises, midfielders must be able to quickly switch from offense to defense, and either take the shot themselves or quickly give the ball up to the forwards.
Also, forwards, midfielders and fullbacks can be designated as either left-side or right-side players. This helps keep order when playing on a field that large. These three main positions can also be called a variety of names. Forwards are sometimes referred to as strikers, while midfielders may be referred to as sweepers or wingers. Fullbacks are also usually referred to as stoppers in the game of soccer.
