Fullback

Most football games include a position called fullback or full back.

Association football (soccer)

In association football (soccer), in the traditional 2-3-5 team formation, the two players in the final row of defence before the goalkeeper were referred to as full backs. They were distinguished from the half backs (the "3" in 2-3-5). This formation is little used in the modern game, having been replaced largely by the four-man defence, but the term "full back" lives on — the full backs now occupy the wide positions in the defensive line, with the old centre half doubled-up to fill the central defensive position. The role of the full back often involves an attacking element: to some extent the full backs have replaced the winger and are expected to get forward to deliver crosses from a wide position.

Related Topics:
Association football - Formation - Goalkeeper - Winger

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In recent years there has been a vogue for three central defenders, with the full backs becoming wingbacks and having even more responsibility for wide attacking play.

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The traditional English full back was a large, strong man who would make substantial use of "hacking" - deliberately kicking the shins of opponents, a practice that was acceptable as legal in Britain but not in other countries, and caused major controversy as the game became increasingly internationalised from the 1950s on. It is now effectively banned everywhere, and it is this in part that has given rise to a different set of defensive roles.

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In contrast, today's full backs are almost exclusively nimble and pacy, able to tackle strongly and with good stamina in order to switch rapidly between attack and defence.

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See also: football (soccer) positions

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