Fullback in soccer: Meaning, Role, and Responsibilities

There are so many players with different positions in soccer games. Among these players are the ones called as fullback in soccer. Still, not many people are aware of the roles these players have. So, if you are among the unfamiliar bunch, let this article be your guide. In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about a fullback in soccer. Clearly, we will cover the meaning, their role, and responsibilities. Ultimately, by the end of this article, you will know everything a soccer fanatic needs to know about fullbacks.

What is a fullback in soccer?

There’s an easy word for these players you are sure aware of. And this word is ‘defenders.’ So, yes, fullbackis a defending player in the team. Additionally, these are the most important players in the team. After all, these players are the ones who decide the victory for a team. If a team as good fullbacks in soccer, it has a good defense strategy. Clearly, a team with good defense is sure to win a match.

First off,  a good team with better defense will not let the opponent team goal. And without scoring a goal, there is no chance for the opponent team to win. Therefore, if you are part of a soccer team, know that the fullbacks are its strength. After all, they actively defend the goalpost. In fact, a good fullback never lets the ball pass through. Secondly, there is so much more they do than just defending the ball.

What’s more, fullbacks also play a part in the team’s offense. Needless to say, they mark the opponent and tackle them. In fact, they even stop the opponents from passing the ball to each other. So, you can say that they are the main backbone of the team. They are crucial if you want to win a soccer match.

Soccer fullback needs to be active

Unlike many people think, these players do not just stand around the field. They are constantly on the move. Thus, you can expect them to be agile and fast. After all, their main work is to stop the opponents from passing around the ball. Any good fullback in soccer is always prepared to stop the other team from scoring. Therefore, if you want to ensure a victory in a soccer match, you better make sure you have a valuable and skilled fullback player in your team.

Additionally, these players need to be aware of positioning, tackling, and marking. Undoubtedly, this role comes with a huge set of responsibilities. Most importantly, they must have good communication skills because that’s answer to what does a full back do. That’s right, the need to be communicative. After all, the defense of the team hangs on them. So, better communication helps them talk it with the team. Moreover, they must be confident in body language. Most of the times, they have to communicate the strategy with their body so the opponent team does not hear it.

The phrase full backs soccer started because of the position of these players. Because these players are farthest back of all the players, people started calling them full backs.

Soccer Fullback Positioning

Unlike the old times, the fullback in soccer is not farthest among the players. The position of these players has changed over time. In fact, the whole team formation in soccer has evolved over time. So, even though the name is same, you will not find them fully back in the field. Now-a-days, these players are on the right or left side of the defensive line in the field. Moreover, for your clarity, the image is here. You can see the positions of these players in the image below.

Moreover, there are only two fullback soccer players in the team these days. After all, the defensive line does not need more than a couple to keep the opponent team at bay. In addition, two players can coordinate and perform better together. They are always better in sync, like a couple.

Fullback Soccer Position impacts game

That’s right, where you keep these players is important. As aforementioned, these are the most important players in a team. After all, these players decide the fate of a team in a game. Whether you win or lose a match, it depends mainly on the fullbacks soccer players. So, if you want to keep the opponent team from wining a match, you better keep an active fullback in your team.

As for the effect of position, keeping these players close to the defensive line is an amazing strategy. In fact, this is the best position to keep them. Here, these players can stop the goals of opponent team. Moreover, here, they can easily tackle the opponent team and snatch the ball to pass among their own team. Therefore, the best strategy for defense is to keep these players close to the defensive line.

Fullback positioning helps goal keeper

One of the top benefits of fullback in soccer is a second defense. Needless to say, a goalkeeper is the first defense player. The goalkeeper stops the ball from entering the goal post. Similarly, these fullbacks also do the same thing. Thus, you can say that their position helps them to keep the burden of defense off the goal keeper.

Moreover, a goalkeeper needs the support of these players as well. After all, a goalkeeper alone cannot stop all the goals from the other team. So, these players are nothing short of a blessing. Furthermore, every exceptional football team has the best coordination among the fullbacks and the goalkeepers. Hence, if you want your soccer team to perform exceptionally, make sure that the goalkeepers and full backs soccer players are in sync. The coordination between them can result in a win or lose for your team. After all, these three players are the main defense for your team.

Are two players enough for fullback soccer position?

As said above, two players are ideal for full back position in soccer. First, two players can move and think better. That means they can easily defend the goal. In fact, two players will be more in sync. They can each watch each other’s back and keep the enemy team from scoring. Moreover, between them, these players can cover the both sides of the soccer field area. So, if you need someone to guard the defense line in the field, two of these players are the most ideal choice.

Additionally, a full back soccer position with three or more players will disrupt the flow of game. Players will find it hard to coordinate with each other. Plus, the defensive line will become a hub of rush. Ultimately, there will be no space for these players to move freely. Besides, the team needs attacking players as well. So, two of these players are enough if you want to win a match. More than two players will make your team look like a fool. Moreover, you will lose the match very badly if you keep more than the recommended two fullback in soccer team.

Key Takeaway:

The position of fullbacks used to be farthest away from the team. In fact, this is the main reason they are called full backs. But, over time, the positions have changed. Now there are only two fullbacks in a field who stand close to the defensive line. Moreover, this fullback positioning is the most ideal. After all, it allows the team to win. This happens because two players can coordinate and play better than three or four. They keep the defense strategy of the whole team strong.

Roles and Responsibilities of a fullback in soccer

Now that you are aware of fullbacks and how they got their name, let’s move on. Clearly, you must have an idea of what does a fullback do in football from the positioning. If not, no worries. After all, this article is your guide. So, we will leave no stone unturned in explaining you the fullback’s role and responsibilities. Just buckle up, and keep on reading the article.

So, anyway, every fullback has about four main responsibilities and roles. These are the four roles and responsibilities of fullbacks:

• Defending the goal
• Stopping the ball pass
• Supporting attackers
• Helping goalkeepers

Let’s take a detailed look on each of these roles and responsibilities and see what the fullback in soccer has to offer. Let’s begin!

1.      Defending the goal

This role is about stopping the enemy team from scoring. Therefore, you can say that these players protect the goal post. In fact, they do it actively, and let no ball pass the defense line. This is part of the team’s defense strategy. After all, defending the goal is a right way to make sure your team wins the match.

2.      Stopping the ball pass

A fullback in soccer needs to be fast and active. The reason for this is their role of ball stopper. When the opponent team comes close to the defense line, they pass the ball around to each other. So, these fallbacks are the ones who stop this. In fact, it depends on the fall backs to get the ball from enemy team.

3.      Supporting attackers

Full back football position allows them to help attackers as well. Therefore, when attackers needs a backing player to tackle the opponents, the full backs are the ones to step in. They come in the way of enemy players to help their own team. Thus, these players must have strong coordination among them to win the match.

4.      Helping Goalkeepers

Undoubtedly, the main role and responsibility of fallbacks is to help the goalkeepers. Thus, they do this by keeping the defense strategy strong. A fullback in soccer is always alert of the enemy team’s attack. In fact, these players try to stop the ball even before it comes near the goal post. So, the coordination between these three players is important.

World’s Best fullbacks in soccer:

Paolo Maldini
Roberto Carlos
Giacinto Facchetti
Carlos Alberto
Philipp Lahm

Conclusion

Fullbacks in soccer are important. They are the players who keep the opponent team away. After all, they stand on the defense line in the field. This way, they help the goalkeeper and the attackers both. Moreover, there are only two fullbacks in a team. After all, this allows better coordination and gameplay. Any team that has active and alert fullbacks is the team that wins the match. Moreover, the fullbacks used to stand farthest in the field.

Ultimately, this farthest position is the reason they got their name. Moreover, these players also stop the opponent players from passing around the balls. So, in a way, these are the most valuable assets in a team. Anyway, here our article comes to an end. And by now, you are aware of what is a fullback in football. So, now that you know their role and importance, you can improve the rankings and positioning of your own soccer team.