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What Are the Different Positions in Soccer?

A Mildfielder? A Forward? Here's What Each Soccer Position Does on the Field

The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup is a huge deal for soccer fanatics everywhere. Then there are those of us who love gathering with friends to eat, drink, and cheer on our team — but we, uh, aren't exactly experts on the ins and outs of the sport, and there's no time like the present to give ourselves a crash course on what to expect from a women's soccer game. It's not much fun to watch a sporting event and have no idea exactly what's going on; trust me, I've been there.

At any given time, each team has 11 players on the field — the goalkeeper and 10 outfielders, typically comprised of four defenders, four midfielders, and two forwards. Here's a guide to the different positions in women's soccer and what each position entails.

Image Source: Getty / Ira L. Black - Corbis

Goalkeeper

This one is pretty self-explanatory: The goalkeeper is responsible for, well, keeping goals out of the net. Needless to say, this position comes with a lot of pressure and it requires a variety of skills including fast reflexes, agility, reading opponents, hand-eye coordination, and the ability to make quick decisions. It's also key that goalkeepers communicate with their teammates throughout the game and direct the defence players to certain spots on the field — when communication is smooth and effective, it's less likely that the ball will even need to be stopped by the goalkeeper at all.

Three goalkeepers will play for the US Team in the World Cup:

  • Adrianna Franch, the 2017 and 2018 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) Goalkeeper of the Year
  • Ashlyn Harris, a member of the victorious 2015 Women's World Cup Team and the 2016 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year
  • Alyssa Naeher, another member of the 2015 World Cup Team and the 2014 NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year
Image Source: Getty / George Frey

Defender

Playing in the outfield, a defender's role is to keep the opposing team as far away from the goalpost as possible and prevent them from scoring. Defenders are considered the backbone of the team; their primary job is to prevent forwards from passing forward (duh), dribbling toward the goal, or shooting. In short, they do whatever it takes to prevent their opponents from taking a shot. Being a successful defender requires grit, speed, strong passing skills, and the ability to push offencive players off the ball.

There are seven defenders on the US World Cup Team:

  • Tierna Davidson, the youngest member of the team at age 20; Abby Dahlkemper, a member of the North Carolina Courage
  • Crystal Dunn, a Jill of all trades who played forward, midfielder, and defender during her time on UNC's soccer team
  • Ali Krieger, who was on the field for all but 10 minutes of the 2015 World Cup Final
  • Kelley O'Hara, who will be competing in her third consecutive World Cup
  • Becky Sauerbrunn, who won NWSL Defender of the Year three times in a row
  • Emily Sonnett, the NWSL first overall draft pick who is making her World Cup debut this year
Image Source: Getty / Katharine Lotze

Forward

The main role of a forward is to score goals, which is why these players frequently get the most attention. You'll first spot them kicking off at the beginning of the game (and again at halftime) and it's almost always forwards who take penalty kicks. At the start of the game, forwards are positioned at the midfield line and move towards the opponents' goal once the game begins. Where you won't typically see a forward is any closer to their team's goalpost than the midfield line — their presence would interfere with defenders' ability to do their jobs, and forwards always need to be prepared for the moment the ball comes back their way so they can seize the opportunity to score.

Seven forwards will play for the US Team in the World Cup:

Image Source: Getty / Brad Smith/ISI Photos

Midfielder

Positioned between the team's defenders and forwards, midfielders excel at ball handling and passing skills — and knowing exactly when to pass and to whom. Midfielders are also responsible for stopping or slowing down opponents and preventing them from reaching their team's last defencive line.

There are six midfielders on the US Team:

  • Morgan Brian, who was the youngest player on the 2015 World Cup Team
  • Julie Ertz, the 2014 NWSL Rookie of the Year who also competed in the 2015 World Cup
  • Lindsey Horan, who made headlines when she skipped collegiate soccer and is currently a star player on the Portland Thorns
  • Rose Lavelle, who is making her World Cup debut this year
  • Allie Long, who established herself as a force to be reckoned with at the 2016 Olympics where she started in three out of four games
  • Samantha Mewis, who lead the North Carolina Courage to victory in 2017 and 2018
Image Source: Getty / Meg Oliphant

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