Finding the Best Position on the Soccer Field for You

The great thing about soccer is that there is a position for everyone on the field.  Perhaps you are small and quick, able to dart past most defenders; the wing or fullback positions may be perfect for you. Perhaps you are big and strong but have trouble hitting the target; you sound like an ideal center back.  Or maybe you have great hand-eye coordination but hate running long distances; try playing goalie.  No matter what your likes or personal attributes may be, there is a place on the soccer field for you.  The important thing is that you discover what place on the field is your ideal home.

Naturally, most soccer players have visions of goal-scoring glory and thus have a strong desire to play striker.  However, the striker position usually comprises of just one or two players on the field, and they often don’t get to play that much with the ball as they seek out the running lanes into the goal.  Another tricky problem faced by strikers is that the moment they get the ball they are usually swarmed by defenders and must act quickly.  The ability to think and act quickly is important for any soccer player but must is especially so for a striker.  Perhaps playing striker isn’t all what it’s cracked up to be.


Therefore, try not to have an idealized vision for your position and instead be open to trying out all areas of the field.  Not only will this make you a better all-around player that can help the team in a variety of ways, but you may discover a position that fits perfectly well for you.  Many professional soccer players like Cesc Fabregas or Zinedine Zidane have made a career of their ability to seek out the final pass for their teammates to score upon.  Likewise, solid defenders like David Luiz or Per Mertesacker use their large size to dominate opposing forwards and hold down the fort at the back.

As a youngster, you won’t know the right position best suited to your skills until you play the game for several years.  Try not to lock yourself down to a single position.  You may hit an unknown growth spurt in high school or develop another skill that can be useful elsewhere on the pitch.  Likewise, the more you experiment with new positions and areas of the pitch the more you become a knowledgeable player.  This will help you understand the nature of how your teammates will play. 
Using this knowledge will help you get into the right areas of the pitch to support teammates and make plays.


Therefore, instead of trying to pick the right position on the field, try to become the best all-around soccer player that you can be.  Become a master of the game as a whole, and when the time comes for a coach to call upon you as a striker, winger, or defender, etc., you will be ready to go in and help your team, not be a liability.  Be patient and open to new ideas and focus on helping your team.  Your best position will then find you.