The world is getting ready for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the biggest sporting tournament on the globe. Every goal can shake an entire nation. Every result can bring joy and heartbreak.
So much is riding on the shoulders of the 11 starters on each team. And it’s up to the manager to make sure he has the right combination of outfield players (plus one goalkeeper) to ensure victory.
Before the action ensues, let’s break down each type of position on the field. From the goalkeeper and defenders, to midfielders and forwards, below we have you covered.
Goalkeeper
Alisson Becker of Brazil (Photo by Heuler Andrey/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Goalkeepers are in a tier of their own. There’s only two on the field at a time, one for each team. Think of the goalkeeper, also called goalie, as a free safety in American football. They’re the last line of defense, can’t let anything past them, and need to have range to cover a wide area. Their whole purpose is to block any shots into the net from the opposing team. More duties include calling defenses and setting up offensive attacks.
Defenders
Defenders are the first line of defense and stop opposing teams from scoring and getting the ball back for offensive attacks. Their main role is, as the name suggests, to defend other teams from attacking and scoring.
Center Back:
Virgil van Dijk of the Netherlands (Photo by Koji Watanabe/Getty Images)
This position is the anchor of the defense and their role is to slow down opposing strikers and keep the defensive formation. Think of center backs as the middle linebacker in American football. They do all the ‘dirty’ work from intercepting passes, going up for aerial duels and shutting down opposing forwards. All of their duties tend to trying to stop opposing forwards from scoring and one mistake can lead to a goal.
Fullback (Left Back or Right Back):
Nuno Mendes of Portugal (Photo by Mauricio Salas/Jam Media/Getty Images)
These defenders line up on the wide side of the field near the center back and the goalkeeper. Covering the flanks of the pitch, they have two main duties— help defend against opposing wingers and push the attack for their team’s wingers. They defend all crosses from coming in.
Wing Back:
Achraf Hakimi of Morocco (Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)
Very similar roles as the fullback, but used in a formation with three center backs. They usually line up in a higher position than the fullbacks to primarily focus on the attacking and assisting role, pushing the ball up field. They are a mix of wingers and fullbacks, controlling and keeping the width of the formation and attack.
Midfielders
Midfielders are like the glue that keeps everything together. These players need to be dynamic, aware and well-conditioned. They need to play both sides of the game— making tackles, intercepting passes, and setting up attackers for scoring opportunities and sometimes even scoring themselves.
Defensive Midfielder
Declan Rice of England (Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
They are the shield for the back line with the main role of breaking up opposition attacks. Focusing on tackles, intercepting and stopping counter-attacks. These midfielders control the tempo and provide safe passing options and allow their teams to build attacks from deep.
Center Midfielder
Pedri of Spain (Photo by David Aliaga/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
This is one of the hardest positions in soccer. These players are the glue to the team, connecting everything on the pitch. They need to be adept at tackling and intercepting, but also skillful passing and dribbling. The central midfielder needs to have great awareness of the game and know how to set up teammates to score while defending the middle part of the field.
Attacking Midfielder
Florian Wirtz of Germany (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
The playmaker on the field, usually playing right behind the striker, the attacking midfielder does exactly what the title suggests. They are the main creators for scoring opportunities for their teams’ forwards and themselves.
Forwards
This tier of players does all the scoring and attacking, putting pressure on the opposing teams’ defenders and goalkeeper while igniting the passion of their supporters each time a goal is scored.
Winger
Christian Pulisic of the United States (Photo by Perry McIntyre/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Playing on the wide sides of the field, these players are the opposition to the full backs. They are also the ones putting pressure on opposing wing backs trying to attack and score. They sometimes cut inside to take shots or deliver crosses.
Striker
Erling Haaland of Norway (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
This is usually the highest scorer on the team due to them playing closest to the goal. They are the players that teams can count on to finish or set up other forwards for scoring opportunities. Teams can also feature two strikers, one being a target man. The target man usually plays with a physical approach, is strong enough to win aerial duels and control the ball between defenders.
False Nine
Lionel Messi of Argentina (Getty Images)
This position is mostly used as a decoy, made famous by Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola, who popularized the “false nine” role, most notably with Argentina’s Lionel Messi while coaching at Barcelona in 2009. A false nine will pull defenders out of position and create space for other forwards to score. Acting like another playmaker on the field, the false nine needs to understand where teammates and defenders are set up and where the weaknesses are in the defense.
