Soccer positions

These are the positions for football (soccer).
goalkeeper (GK) The Goalkeeper (or GK for short) is the most specialised position in football. A goalkeeper's job is mainly defensive: to guard the team's goal from being breached (to not let the other team score). Goalkeeper is the only position defined in the Laws of the Game. Goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with their hands and arms, however, they are restricted to doing so only within their penalty area; for this reason, they must wear jerseys that distinguish them from other outfield players and the referee. If a goalkeeper is sent off or injured, and there is no substitute goalkeeper available, an outfield player must take the goalkeeper's place and put on the inappropriate identifying uniform.

Sweeper (SW)
The Sweeper is a more versatile type of centre back that, as the name suggests, "sweeps up" the ball if the opponent manages to breach the defensive line. Their position is rather more fluid than other defenders who mark their designated opponents. The sweeper's ability to read the game is even more vital than for a centre-back. The catenaccio system of play, used in Italian football in the 1960s, notably employed a defensive libero.

Former German captain Franz Beckenbauer is widely accepted as the inventor of the libero and one of the best players of the role.

Wingbacks (RWB) or (LWB)
The Wingbacks are defenders with heavier emphasis on attack. The name is a portmanteau of "winger". They are usually employed in a 3–5–2 formation, and could therefore be considered part of the midfield. But they may also be used in a 5–3–2 formation and therefore have a more defensive role.

In the evolution of the modern game, wingbacks are the combination of wingers. As such it is one of the most physically demanding positions in modern football. Wingbacks are often more adventurous than Right and Left Backs and are expected to provide width, especially in teams without wingers. A wingback needs to be of exceptional stamina, be able to provide crosses upfield and defend effectively against opponents' attacks down the flanks. A defensive midfielder is usually fielded to cover the advances of wingbacks.

Right (RB) and Left (LB) backs
The Right Back and The Left Back are the side defenders, not like the wingbacks. They are the second common defender (first being Centre-Backs). These backs would defend the sides but don't really go up on attack like the wingbacks.

Centre Backs (CB)
The job of the Centre-back is to stop opposing players, particularly the strikers, from scoring, and bring the ball out from their penalty area. As their name suggests, they play in a central position. Most teams employ two centre backs, stationed in front of the goalkeeper. There are two main defensive strategies used by centre backs: the zonal defence, where each centre back covers a specific area of the pitch, and man-to-man marking, where each centre back has the job of covering a particular opposition player.

Centre-backs are often tall, strong and have a good jumping, heading and tackling ability. Successful centre-backs also need to be able to concentrate, read the game well, and be brave and decisive in making last-ditch tackles on attacking players who might otherwise be through on goal. Sometimes, particularly in lower leagues, centre-backs concentrate less on ball control and passing, preferring simply to clear the ball in a "safety-first" fashion. However, there is a long tradition of centre-backs having more than just rudimentary footballing skill, enabling a more possession-oriented playing style.

The position was formerly referred to as "centre-half". In the early part of the 20th century, when most teams employed the 2–3–5 formation, the row of three players were called halfbacks. As formations evolved, the central player in this trio (the centre-half), moved into a more defensive position on the field, taking the name of the position with them.

Defensive Midfielder (DM)
A Defensive midfielder is a central midfielder who is stationed in front of the defenders to provide a more secure defence, thus "holding back" the freedom of the opponents to attack. The defensive midfielder screens the defence by harrying and tackling the opposition teams' attackers and defenders. They also help tactically, for instance, by directing central attacking players out to the wing where they have more limited influence, and by covering the positions of full-backs, midfielders and even the centre-backs as they charge up into attack.

The Wings (RW) or (LW)
The Wingers (or Wing Midfielders) are the attacking player who is stationed in a wide position near the touchlines. They can be classified as forwards, considering their origin as the old "outside-forward" position, and continue to be termed as such in most parts of the world, especially in Latin and Dutch footballing cultures. However, in the Anglo-Saxon world,[clarification needed] they are usually counted as part of the midfield.

Although wingers are a familiar part of football, the use of wingers is by no means universal. There are many successful football teams who operate without wingers. A famous example is AC Milan, who typically play in a narrow midfield diamond formation or in a Christmas tree formation (4–3–2–1), relying on full-backs to provide the necessary width down the wings. Also, in the 1966 World Cup, England manager Alf Ramsey led a team without natural wingers to the championship. This was unusual enough at the time for the team to be nicknamed "The Wingless Wonders".

Left and Right Midfielders (LM) and (RM)
The Left and Right Midfielders (or The side midfielder) is a midfielder who is stationed in a wide position effectively hugging the touchline.

Like all attacking players, wide midfielders need to have 'off-the-ball' intelligence, by being able to read passes from the midfield that give them a clear crossing or scoring opportunity. Traditionally, right-footed players are played on the right flank and left-footed players on the left as a matter of familiarity and comfort. However, in the modern game, coaches usually demand wingers to be able to play on both flanks and to switch flanks during play regularly as a quick change of tactics. For instance, a right-footed wide midfielder who plays on the left flank is more comfortable cutting into the middle, which suits the styles of playmaker forwards who can cause a threat both by shooting from distance, dribbling towards goal, or sliding through passes to other forwards.

Centre Midfielders (CM)
Central midfielders play several roles on the field of play, depending on their particular strengths and the tactics of the team. They are the link between defence and attack, and must also defend when the opposition are in possession. Their central position enables them to have an all-round view of the match, and as most of the action takes place in and around their area of the pitch, midfielders often exert the greatest degree of control over how a match is played.

Attacking Midfielders (AM)
An Attacking midfielder is a central midfielder who is stationed in an advanced midfield position, usually behind the strikers. These players typically serve as the offensive pivot of the team, and are sometimes said to be "playing in the hole", although this term can also be used to describe the positioning of deep-lying centre-forwards. This specialist midfielder's main role is to create goal-scoring opportunities using superior vision and skill. The attacking midfielder is an important position that requires the player to possess superior technical abilities in terms of passing and, perhaps more importantly, the ability to read the opposing defence in order to deliver defence-splitting passes to the strikers.

Centre, Right and Left Forwards (CF), (RF), (LF)
The Right Forward and Left Forward (or the Side Forwards) is a forward that also plays along the wing. This position is similar to a winger but a wide forward plays in the 4–3–3 or 3–4–3 on the front line and emphasizes more on beating defenders than crossing the ball. Wingers and wide forwards share many similarities such as needing crossing, dribbling and pace. This is why most wingers can play as wide forwards. It is very common for teams using the 4-3-2-1 formation where they have the 2 on the formation to use the side forwards to shoot from the side.

The Centre Forward is like the Right and Left Forward only they shoot the ball even more and their common formation is 4-4-1-1.

Strikers (ST)
Coaches will often field one Striker who plays on the shoulder of the last opposing defender and another attacking forward who plays somewhat deeper and assists in creating goals as well as scoring. The former is sometimes a large striker, typically known as a "target man", who is used either to distract opposing defenders to help team mates score, or to score himself; the latter is usually of quicker pace, and is required to have some abilities like finding holes in the opposing defence and, sometimes, dribbling. In other cases, strikers will operate on the wings of the field and work their way goalwards. Yet another variation is the replacement of the target man with a striker who can thread through-balls.

Players who specialise in playing as a target are usually of above-average height with good heading ability and an accurate shot. They tend to be the "outlet" player for both midfielders and defenders, able to "hold the ball up" (retain possession of the ball in an advanced position while teammates run forward to join the attack). They tend to score goals from crosses, often with the head, and can use their body strength to shield the ball while turning to score.

Other forwards may rely on their pace to run onto long balls passed over or through the opposition defence, rather than collecting the ball with their back to goal like a target man. Some forwards can play both of these roles equally well.