The first question you get asked when joining a new team is “where do you play?”. If you don’t know the answer to that question then the following article will help you decide.
For young players starting out, it is important to have a variety of skills but having a set position will allow you to develop and grow as a player. The following article will take you through the steps to determining which position you are best suited to.
Choosing Your Position
It can be difficult to know where to start when picking a position. Perhaps you’ve played in two or three and are not sure which is best or maybe you are a complete novice and have no idea. If you are helping your child pick their position, the following tips can also be applicable and will help you decide where your strengths lie.
What Are You Best At?
The best place to start when deciding where you’re most suited to playing is determining what you’re good at. Have a think and jot down the first three or four skills that come to mind when thinking about your footballing ability.
If you’re having trouble, these can be things like speed, strength, jumping reach, ball control, passing, and finishing.
Understand Positions
Different positions require different skills. The most obvious illustration of this is the difference between goalkeepers and outfielders. If you play in goal, you will need to have good reflexes and jumping but won’t need to be a great finisher.
Think about the skills you have and what areas you are best at and how they might fit into a position. For example, if you feel like you are fast, good at dribbling, and have an accurate cross, then you might be best suited to the wing. Perhaps you think you are a great all-rounder, in which case, central midfield or full-back would be appropriate choices.
If you would like further details on the positions in football and the skills each requires, have a read of our detailed explanations here.
Give it a Go
Once you’ve identified a position you think you would be suited to, the next step is to try it out. The best way to figure out if you like and are good at playing in a position is obviously to play in it.
Don’t be too quick to abandon the position if things don’t start off well. There is a lot to learn about playing in any position that will only come with experience. However, if you’ve given the position a fair crack and don’t think it suits you, there is no harm in trying another out.
Go back to the drawing board, assess your strengths, and work out where else you may be suited to. Perhaps you’re strong, good at tackling, and have a strong sense of positioning so you tried out playing at centre-back. Maybe when it came to actually play there you found that you struggled in the air due to your height. If that was the case, try giving a full-back role a go to see if it suits you better.
If your child is interested in exploring a new position and wants to have fun learning to play football the Brazilian way, why not try out Samba Soccer Schools? For more information about us, click here.
FAQs:
What soccer position should I play?
The above article will guide you through how to decide on your most suitable soccer position.
What position does the worst soccer player play?
If you don’t believe you have any particular strengths then picking a position that won’t highlight your weaknesses. For example, you can be a good centre-back whilst also being a poor dribbler, with inaccurate shooting that isn’t particularly fast.
What soccer position runs the most?
This will depend on the formation and tactics of a team but generally, centre mids and full-backs/wing-backs often run the most.
What soccer position on average runs the least?
The position that runs the least is a goalkeeper. In terms of outfielders, you may find that centre-backs or strikers run the least but that is very much dependent on their role.
What is the hardest position in soccer?
The hardest position in soccer is the position you are least suited to playing. Goalkeepers have a hard position in that a mistake will often result in a goal.
What is the easiest position in soccer?
The easiest position is based on your qualities as a footballer. No position is inherently easy.
Which position is the best in soccer?
This depends on your attributes. Strikers and wingers who score goals get a lot of the plaudits but this doesn’t make those positions any better than a more defensive one.
