Has anyone out there encountered a full list of words used to describe player types? In English it is easy, we know all the obvious names based on positions: fullback, halfback, center-half, wing-half, winger, inside forward, striker, etc, etc. We also know some of the less traditional or more creative ones: destroyer, playmaker, retainer, etc. This second group is what I want to focus on, but what about the ones originating in different cultures or languages? * regista? * tornante? * ponta da lanca? I've read and know most of these, but they escape my memory from time to time. How can we make a good list of these "terms"? Does anyone already have a good list?
In Italy there are a few, heres a couple: regista: this is the midfield general. a number 10 type. regista is "director" as in, movie director. this is the player that controls everything. trequartista (also known as "mezzapunta")- literally means a player who plays 3/4 of the way up the field. Usually in support of the strikers or forwards. Think of Totti, DelPiero, Baggio...when playing their natural positions.
regista: "director" (Ita) - deep-lying midfield playmaker trequartista: "three-quarter" (Ita) - playmaker that operates between the forwards and midfielders enganche: "hook" (Arg) - similar to the 3/4, operates between the midfield and attack
ponta da lanca: "point of the lance" (Bra) - one of two central forwards that falls back towards midfield to link play volante: "Volante" (Bra) - actual name of 30s/40s Brasilian (Flamengo) half-back which later became a popular label of the defensive midfielder position quarto zagueiro: "4th defender" (Bra) - WM era half-back that drops deeper to play as an auxillary central back or deep stopper All three of these terms were around in the 40s and 50s as the "W-M" shifted to "the diagonal" and then later the "4-2-4" - outlined here by Comme.
A couple of terms that from catenaccio... battitore libero: "free hitter" (Ita) - free player or "sweeper" that played behind any defensive marking backs and freely cleared the ball into touch; later developed into the libero that became accustomed to. tornante: "returner" (Ita) - a winger that tracks back; sometimes the plural tornanti will be seen
carilleros: "shuttlers" (Arg) - midfield players that move forward or back to link deep playmakers with more advanced ones and keep team the "numbers up" when transitioning between defense and attack Example: "...two shuttling players – carilleros, as they are known in Argentina..." ~ Jonathan Wilson
mediano: "holding midfielder" (Ita) - someone who is very defensive-minded in the centre of midfield, yet is more of an all-action player than a simple holding midfielder [ex: Rino Gattuso] mezzala: "classic inside forward" (Ita) - a player who is deployed on the wing who doesn't necessarily belong there; a second striker, forward, or central midfielder who is shifted wide [ex: Dirk Kuyt, Nicolas Anelka, or Steven Gerrard] prima punta: "first striker" (Ita) - out-and-out striker; their main job is score goals; often technically limited; can be a poacher or target man [ex: Pippo Inzaghi or Luca Toni] seconda punta: "second striker" (Ita) - someone who plays alongside a central striker or targetman but is comfortable dropping deep or wide [ex: Allessandro del Piero]
The English speakers have their own set of idiosyncratic terms... "destroyer" "winger" "striker" "stopper" "sweeper"
regista: "director" (Ita) - deep-lying midfield playmaker trequartista: "three-quarter" (Ita) - playmaker that operates between the forwards and midfielders enganche: "hook" (Arg) - similar to the 3/4, operates between the midfield and attack -------------- All three of these terms were around in the 40s and 50s as the "W-M" shifted to "the diagonal" and then later the "4-2-4" - outlined here by Comme. ponta da lanca: "spearhead" (Bra) - one of two central forwards that falls back towards midfield to link play volante: "Volante" (Bra/Arg) - actual name of 30s/40s Brasilian league (Flamengo) half-back which later became a popular label of the defensive midfielder position quarto zagueiro: "4th defender" (Bra) - WM era half-back that drops deeper to play as an auxillary central back or deep stopper -------------- A couple of terms that from catenaccio... battitore libero: "free hitter" (Ita) - free player or "sweeper" that played behind any defensive marking backs and freely cleared the ball into touch; later developed into the libero that became accustomed to. tornante: "returner" (Ita) - a winger that tracks back; sometimes the plural tornanti will be seen[/QUOTE] -------------- carilleros: "shuttlers" (Arg) - midfield players that move forward or back to link deep playmakers with more advanced ones and keep team the "numbers up" when transitioning between defense and attack Example: "...two shuttling players – carilleros, as they are known in Argentina..." ~ Jonathan Wilson -------------- mediano: "holding midfielder" (Ita) - someone who is very defensive-minded in the centre of midfield, yet is more of an all-action player than a simple holding midfielder [ex: Rino Gattuso] mezzala: used to describe the "old inside forward" position (Ita) - now it is used to describe a player deployed on the wing who doesn't necessarily belong there; a second striker, forward, or central midfielder who is shifted wide [ex: Dirk Kuyt, Nicolas Anelka, or Steven Gerrard] prima punta: "first striker" (Ita) - out-and-out striker; their main job is score goals; often technically limited; can be a poacher or target man [ex: Pippo Inzaghi or Luca Toni] seconda punta: "second striker" (Ita) - someone who plays alongside a central striker or targetman but is comfortable dropping deep or wide [ex: Alessandro del Piero]
interiores: "interior" (Bra) - midfielders that operate inside the central channel of the pitch; sometimes two attacking midfielders stationed in front of a holding and/or defensive midfielder [ex: Xavi/Deco for Barcelona in '04-'06]
doble pivote: "double pivot" (Spa) - two midfielders that operate as a defensive screen in front of a back four [ex: Alonso/Busquets for Spain circa '10]
mediapunta: "half forward" (Spa) - a midfield playmaker that has little defensive responsibility; they can be employed in wide areas or in the center - the latter are called mediapuntas interiores [ex: Kaka] Meia de ligacao or quarto homem do meiocampo are two terms in Brazil that refer to a similar role.
Excellent thread. I see you've added doble pivote, mediapunta and punta de lanza in Spanish. Notice that the Portuguese "volante" and "interior" are also Spanish terms. "Volante", however, is used is used in Spanish for midfielders in general and of different types, whereas in Brazil it normally refers to a defensive midfielder, e.g. Zito, Clodoaldo. Here are other Spanish ones: Ariete Centre forward. Not heard as much these days. Artillero Striker Cancerbero Goalkeeper. From Cerberus, the mythological guard of the gates of Hades. Carrilero Wingback Central Central defender Cinco (5). Central defensive midfielder, e.g. Redondo Diez (10). Creative midfielder, playmaker Enganche Trequartista. Widely used in the Southern Cone. Enlace Mediapunta Extremo Winger Falso puntero Attacking midfielder or even back (in some systems) that can act as a winger, constantly sending crosses. Sometimes also interpreted as interior. Called ventilador in Argentina. Goleador Top scorer, in fact or in theory, of a team Lateral Right or left defender; wingback Marcador ("...central" or "...de punta") Defender Mediocentro Centre-half Nueve (9). Centre forward Once Left winger (see also Siete) Organizador Regista Portero Goalkeeper. Other names for goalkeeper are: arquero, meta, guardameta, cancerbero, guardavallas. Portero de área Goalkeeper with great domination of the penalty area and/or that comes out and play as an additional defender. Term coined when Lev Yashin pioneered the style. Punta Prima punta Puntero Extremo Siete Right winger (see also Once) Volante creativo playmaker Volante de llegada Midfielder that comes from behind to join the attack Volante de marca Defensive midfielder Volante tapón Defensive midfielder Zaguero Defender. Old term that started in the era of 2-3-5 --- Many English terms such as "back", "half", "stopper", and "sweeper" used to be and in occasion still are commonly used by Spanish-speaking football people.
[The English/European version of this position was known as a deep-lying wing-half. Billy Wright lined up here for both Wolves & England before he was moved to the centre-half position.]
What a coincidence to find RoyOfTheRovers as the last poster here as I came to bump the thread to share a bit of his vast knowledge from another thread (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1878682&page=2), where he tells us about the different types of classic inside forwards, a more in depth classification of the nominal position. In that conversation, I bring up a question about the Spanish term interior constructor which, as I gather from his explanations, corresponds to the traditional "ocho" (8) or deep-lying inside forward.
[Thank you once again for the kind words, mate, & I'll try to post some links about both "W-M" inside-forwards and wing-halves if I can get around to it.]
Since this was requested by "Twenty" via PM, here are some profiles of Danny Blanchflower and tragic early loss Eddie Colman, two excellent examples of the "attacking"- or "constructive"-type of wing-half in the "W-M" and its variants: This is an eyewitness account from a Spurs fan who saw Blanchflower in action @ "WHL" during the Spurs v. Norwich City 5th Rd. FA Cup tie in Feb. of '59. The author makes note of both the attacking and the defensive wing-half positions: http://www.mehstg.com/i_was3.htm This is a sample chapter from the book "The Spurs Double" where Blanchflower is mentioned as lining up as the "attacking"-type of W-H. You have to squint a bit to read the print when you're as old as I am : http://www.visionsp.co.uk/pdfs/61-The-Spurs-Double-Sample-Chapter.pdf This is a write-up of the Spurs '60-'61 double-winning side where Blanchflower is mentioned as playing the attacking wing-half position: http://www.spursodyssey.com/double/double1.html I've posted this before, but these are excerpts from a book by Jimmy Murphy where he specifically terms Colman as an attacking wing-half and gives a fair bit of information about what he thought of the position: http://community.manutd.com/forums/p/175180/1622501.aspx This is Colman's profile fr. the official Man. Utd. site w/some detail about his playing style: http://www.manutd.com/en/Players-And-Staff/Legends/Eddie-Colman.aspx This is a profile of Colman written by BigSoccer member and fellow eyewitness to seeing Colman in action on a pitch, "TomClaire": http://www.manutdtalk.com/snake-hips-eddie-coleman/175/ If anyone still needs the attacking wing-half position explained in further detail just LMK.
Great thread, Twenty26Six One minor correction: It's ponta-de-lança (read lansa), the language is actually portuguese (nitpicking), and it actually refers to the player who is playing in the utmost forward position, like the forward playing in the centre on a 4-3-3
I think that Ariete would fit better at the striker role, since the name remains the most advanced position in a forward line, similar to Ponta de lança Artillero refered to goalscorer, specially if he played w/#9 shirt.