#NUMBER POSITIONS IN SOCCER FULL#

If a team opts for a more defensive formation, a center forward may find themselves attacking a goal alone or holding onto a ball while their team comes in for a play. They are typically the main focus of offensive plays. These types of forwards, also known as the main striker, specifically have scoring goals as their main objective. They are usually the players responsible for kicking off at the beginning of the game and at halftime. They need to be ready to attempt to score when the ball comes back their way.įorwards are often the players that take penalty kicks and corner kicks when the opposing team kicks the ball out of bounds. When the ball is in play near their own goal, forwards are expected to stay around the midfield line so that the defensive players can do their job.

They do not usually get much closer to their own goal than the midfield line. During the game, these players typically go as far forward as the opponent's goal line (the end of the field). They start the game on the midfield line (the line that divides the field in half). They are often the players who get the most attention since their role is designed to be in a scoring position. This has four defenders, three midfielders, two wingers, and one forward.įorwards, also known as strikers, have the main objective of scoring goals. This includes 10 outfielders and a goalkeeper. How Many Soccer Players Are There on a Team?Įach team has 11 players on a field. Forward (Centre forward, Second striker, Winger).Midfielder (Centre midfield, Defensive midfield, Attacking midfield, Wide midfield).Defender (Centre-back, Sweeper, Full-back, Wing-back).The difference on how far forward or back each position covers is determined by the specific position, which we will cover next. Forwards, midfielders, and defenders are split into more specific positions based on their coverage of the left, center, or right sides of the field. This includes how far back or forward and how far left or right their territory spans. Each position has a specific area of the field that they cover.

The general positions are forward, midfielder, defender, and goalkeeper. Zamorano was given number 18 instead.The positions in soccer are one of the basic fundamentals to know, whether you are a seasoned player or just starting out. When Inter Milan signed the Brazilian striker Ronaldo, they gave him the jersey number 9, which was Chilean forward Ivan Zamorano’s number. And the rules of which number a player chooses have become less strict leading to some unique numbers! Now squad numbers are used, where players are assigned numbers for the entire season. For example, the now popular 4-4-2 formation saw defenders wearing 2, 5, 6, and 3, midfieldiers wearing 7, 4,8, and 11, and forwards wearing 9 and 10. Inside Right (Right attacking midfield)Īs formations evolved, jersey numbers moved with the players.Left Half Back (Left side defensive midfield).Center Half Back (Center defensive midfield).Right Half Back (Right side defensive midfield).

#NUMBER POSITIONS IN SOCCER FULL#

Right Full Back (Right side center back).

The following number assignment was typical, especially when the 2-3-5 formation was used: Did you know that jersey numbers were first introduced in 1928? Not only were they used to easily identify players, but they also identified positions on the field. If you’re wearing jersey number 10, you must be good right?! Some famous players have worn the number 10 jersey such as Pele of Brazil, Diego Maradona of Argentina and Zinedine Zidane of France.

Number positions in soccer