43 Tactical Roles.
One for every player.

Commands the area, settles the line, leads by presence

e.g. Buffon, Schmeichel, Maignan

Sweeps behind high line, comes off line

e.g. Neuer, Alisson, Van der Sar

Distribution specialist, passing outlet

e.g. Ederson, Valdés

Reflexes, dominates the box

e.g. Courtois, Pope, Begović

Commanding CB — organises, leads, sets the line

e.g. Van Dijk, Terry, Puyol, Morgan

Ball-progressing CB — advances play beyond the first line

e.g. Saliba, Guéhi, Pau Torres, Bastoni, Stones, Konaté, Aké

Aggressive, front-foot, wins duels

e.g. Chiellini, Vidić, Stam, Konaté

Last man — reads play, covers space

e.g. Beckenbauer, Varane, Hummels, Picchi

Dominant aerial CB — physical presence, imposing

e.g. Lucio, Thiago Silva, Konaté, Maguire

Gets forward, supports attacks

e.g. Neville, Irwin, Carvajal, Evra

IS the width — covers entire flank

e.g. Dani Alves, Hakimi, Maicon, Robertson

Defensive full-back who behaves like an extra centre-back

e.g. Walker, Pavard, Ben White, Aké, Azpilicueta, Dan Burn

Tucks inside, becomes midfielder

e.g. Lahm 2013, Cancelo, TAA, Krol

Creative holding mid — controls, distributes

e.g. Busquets, Rodri, Rijkaard

Sits, screens, protects the back line

e.g. Makélélé, Kanté, Fabinho

Aggressive destroyer-DM — mows down attacks at the source

e.g. Gattuso, Kanté, Caicedo, De Jong, Van Bommel

DM who drives forward, scores from deep

e.g. Touré, Pogba, Caicedo, Keïta

Runs the game with vision and range

e.g. Scholes, Modric, Didi, Van Hanegem

Metronome — controls rhythm, never wastes a ball

e.g. Xavi, Kroos, Carrick, Thiago

Half-space creator, arrives in the box

e.g. Iniesta, Bellingham, Mazzola, Litmanen

All-action, instinctive box-to-box

e.g. Keane, Vidal, Neeskens, Davids

Engine-first ball-winner in midfield

e.g. Kanté, Gattuso, Vidal

Channel screener — considered, covers the lanes

e.g. Matuidi, Herrera, Khedira

Deeper width-holder who beats the full-back and supplies service

e.g. Beckham, Giggs, Valencia, Jesús Navas, Kostić

Tracks back, full-flank both phases

e.g. Zagallo, Park, Gosens, Valverde

Starts wide, drifts inside

e.g. Bernardo Silva, Forsberg

Creates from wide — vision, passing, dictates

e.g. Beckham, Mata, James Rodríguez, Bernardo Silva, Eriksen wide

Free-roaming creator in the final third

e.g. Götze, Muniain, De Bruyne, Pelé 1970

The hook — receives between lines, decisive pass

e.g. Sneijder, Tostão, Riquelme

Arriving AM — reads space, arrives in the box

e.g. Müller, Lampard, Bruno Fernandes, Havertz

Combinational 10 — links through short passing

e.g. David Silva, Isco, Pedri, Odegaard

Late runs from deep into the box, second-wave finisher

e.g. Dele Alli, Frank Lampard, Cole Palmer, Dominik Szoboszlai

High wide attacker who pins the full-back and attacks the box

e.g. Saka, Vinícius, Dembélé, Sané, Luis Díaz

Advanced wide creator who starts outside and creates inside

e.g. Messi right, Neymar left, Foden, Mahrez, Dybala right

Physical presence from wide — holds up, wins aerials

e.g. Mandžukić (LW), Weghorst (wide), Arnautović

Clinical finisher with aerial presence

e.g. Inzaghi, Haaland, Gerd Müller, Toni

Aerial, holds up, physical reference point

e.g. Giroud, Crouch, Mandžukić, Llorente

Second striker — creative, plays off the main striker

e.g. Yorke, Forlán, Del Piero, Griezmann