When they first pick up the sport of soccer, small kids often run about the field just in hopes of getting a foot on the ball. There's little attention paid to strategy or definition of their assigned positions. But as they advance in the sport, structure becomes required, and each player is expected to play a specific position, replete with various duties. As they get older, players' positions become more specialized.
Goaltenders
The goalie is the final line of defense on a soccer team. While the rest of the team runs around the field all game, the goalie stays back, guarding the goal against scoring attempts by the opposition. Goalies are the only players on the field allowed to use their hands on the ball, and when they gain possession of it, they're allowed to kick or throw it to teammates. Goalies must be able to anticipate where the next shot is headed and quickly spring, dive or jump to block or catch an incoming drive.
Fullbacks
The fullbacks earn their name by playing all the way back on their team's end of the field, protecting the goal and trying to keep the goalie from being challenged. Teams usually have two or three fullbacks, also known as defenders, on the field at one time. They mix aggressiveness with patience, sometimes trying to steal the ball from inbound opponents and other times standing their ground in an effort to force the player to pass the ball. When the opponent has an advantageous situation, a fullback my intentionally kick the ball out of bounds in order to allow his teammates to regroup.
Midfielders
The midfielder is soccer's jack of all trades. The most versatile players on the field, they're expect to be defenders at times, facilitators at others, and scorers at others yet. The midfielder roams the middle section of the field, and works in large part to be the team's middleman, collecting the ball from a fullback and getting it to a forward. But they also drop back on defense to help defend against scoring attempts by the opposition, as well as charge ahead on offense for scoring drives.
Forwards
The forward is the glamor position of soccer. When you see a professional soccer player doing an elaborate post-goal celebration, odds are he's a forward. This is because the forward spends most of his time trying to capitalize on scoring opportunities by drilling the ball past the goalie. The forward may drop back to the midfield to try and gain his team possession when the ball is up for grabs, but doesn't play on the defensive end.
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