PIFA's guide to football/Archetypes

**This page is still under construction!!!!**

*Hey guys! How's it going? Etros here!*

*We are producing a series of concept football content to help new editors create their OCs and learn a little more about the sport! It is worth mentioning that football is not an exact science and its concepts are very subjective. That said, here we will be working with concepts adapted for our wiki! If you disagree with any idea, feel free to talk to us and suggest changes. Good reading!*

## Archetypes

The archetypes, also called Roles or even Playstyle, are a set of characteristics that define the way the player acts on the pitch.

As football is a very complex and subjective game, these archetypes do not always perfectly indicate what a player does, but they create groups that facilitate our understanding of each player's style. Despite this, it is natural that you confuse an archetype or believe that a player is capable of fitting into several of them. This is due to the fact that in modern football, players are increasingly versatile, being able to fulfill different functions on the pitch.

On the other hand, you should keep in mind information about frequency and timing. So prioritize understanding how the player plays at the moment, in his current team, and that way you will be able to map your player's main archetype, differentiating him from secondary or past ones.

Another thing to take into account are the so-called "duties". Players can be more offensive, supportive or defensive. This doesn't completely change his archetype, but it does indicate a little bit about the type of decision-making he has in that role. It is also true that some archetypes do not have this duty variation, but we will see that later!

And finally, the list below is not exact, but takes into account our interpretation of the main archetypes that we are applying to our fanon! We know that there are other concepts and names, and that some of these archetypes can be divided into 2 by some theorists, so keep in mind that this here will not necessarily be perfectly equal to the content of some sites, although we take them as a reference. That said, let's get down to business!

## Goalkeepers (GK)

**Shot Stopper**: Known for staying under the posts and relying on their cat-like reflexes and positioning to stop the ball from going into the net. They tend to be taller and have a larger wingspan, in addition to being excellent leaders and communicators.

**Sweeper Keeper:** Libero goalkeepers who stand out for their skills with the ball at their feet, actively participating in building the team's moves with passes. In addition, they are oriented to prevent the opponent from kicking, making interceptions and running outside the penalty area.

## Defenders (CB, FB)

**Stopper:** Central defenders whose main function is to prevent the opposing team from entering the penalty area. They usually stand out for their physical strength, endurance, aerial disputes and tackling ability.

* **Warrior:** It is the classic sub-type of Stopper, which in addition to its defensive importance, stands out for being a true offensive weapon in aerial plays, especially corner kicks.

* **Wide Warrior:** Better known as "No-Nonsense Fullbacks", they are a sub-type of Warrior that play in a wider stance, protecting the sides of the field. Their characteristics are the same, although they tend to be less present in aerial plays, in exchange for the freedom to move more in the defensive sector, helping other players by creating 2v1 defensive situations.

**Spreader:** Better known as "Libero" or "Sweeper", they are central defenders whose main function is also to prevent opponents from entering the penalty area. They stand out for their reading of the game, being masters of interceptions. In addition, they have a more active role in building the team's plays, being excellent long-distance passers.

**Overlapper:** Hybrid role players who need to be present in defense, marking the opposing wingers, and supporting the attack with dribbling and centering. Due to this, they make long vertical runs from defense to attack and vice versa. It is common for them to be intense stamina and pace players.

**Constructor:** Players with a huge tactical intelligence, who alternate their role between lateral defender and deep-lying playmaker, who doesn't go so much forward in attack, but joins the midfield to create numerical superiority in the creation of plays. That said, they must be very careful to understand when to center or stay on the sidelines. As well as when to advance, and when to retreat.

## Midfielders (DM, CM, AM, WG)

**Guardian:** Players whose main role is to protect the zone between defense and midfield. They are experts in stealing balls who are always ready to interrupt opposing attacks, even if they need to commit a foul to do so.

* **Destroyer:** It is the Guardian sub-type known for its physical imposition, leadership, bravery and tackling ability. They are synonymous of willpower on the field.

* **Anchor:** It is the Guardian sub-type known for its tactical awareness when covering spaces, making interceptions and helping the defense with the distribution of passes.

**Box-to-Box:** All-round players with lots of physical stamina and brute strength to make vertical runs from offense to defense and vice versa. They help the defense in numbers, being important in individual marking, and tend to carry the ball at speed for the attack and risk powerful long-distance shots. These players can therefore track back to their own box to make tackles and block shots and also carry the ball forward or run to the opponents' box to try to score.

* **Shuttler:** It is the defensive sub-type of Box-to-Box. Known for their immense stamina and pace, they tend to hunt opponents who have the ball, creating pressure and forcing them to make mistakes. When they regain possession of the ball, they tend to pass it to more creative players or risk quick passes that exploit counterattacks.

* **Infiltrator:** They are the offensive sub-type of Box-to-Box. They stand out for their assertive movement off the ball, where they make late runs towards the opponent's area, appearing as a surprise element, in a position to perform their powerful and precise shots towards the goal.

**Unlocker:** Better known as Playmakers, they are players whose main function is to support and dictate the team's offensive flow with creativity, intelligence and technical quality. They tend to be excellent passers, with great technique, vision and ball control.

* **Tempo Setter:** Better known as Maestros or Deep-Lying Playmakers, they are the sub-type of playmaker who work furthest from the goal. They are those who organize the team on the field, directing and maintaining possession of the ball with intelligence and talent for shielding, as well as a huge passing range. They tend to drop into defense to help at the beginning of the play and among the Playmakers they are the ones who help the most in the central defensive sector.

* **Creative Link:** Also known as **Trequartistas, Shadow Strikers, Enganche, False Nine or even Raumdeuter**, they are the sub-type characterized by connecting plays in the last third of the field. They usually position themselves in an advanced central zone called "the hole", like an isolated attacker or second striker, and make roams that create running spaces for teammates, increasing the options for plays in the final third, being able to perform assists, individual plays or medium-long distance shots. In addition to roaming without the ball, the key expression for the play-style would be *1-2 plays*.
	+ As you can see above, there are several different names for the sub-type. Although I believe that they are not enough to create another sub-type, I think it is worth highlighting some characteristics.
		1. **Trequartista** is how the archetype is called in Italy. **Shadow Striker** is how it is called in England. In my view, these are classic examples of what I call *Creative Link*. They have good roaming in the mid-attack sector and actively participate in the build-up by connecting plays, as well as being a good weapon for finishing plays (goals and assists attempts). In the past we had the Argentine/Uruguayan version called **Enganche**, whose only difference was to keep a more centralized position, without so much roaming without the ball, in modern football this function has been adapted to what I call *Creative Link.*
		2. The **False Nine** is a sophisticated version in which the player occupies the position of the team's center-forward, but is actually a midfielder, causing a lot of confusion for opposing central defenders at opportune moments. In other words, it is more of a game strategy than a new sub-type.
		3. **Raumdeuter (aka The Space Interpreter)** is possibly the closest to being a new Sub-type. Because they are the ones who have the most freedom of movement, being able to even position themselves as wingers, and at the same time they are the ones who participate least in the game with the ball, worrying more about finding the most dangerous zone to position themselves for a final pass or a shot. I still consider them as Creative Links, due to the focus on the movement that creates spaces for the team.
		4. It is worth noting that Creative Links that are more focused on driving the ball than moving without the ball or making quick passes , i mean, for Trequartistas or False 9s similar to Messi and Maradona, the Dynamic Dribbler sub-type perhaps makes more sense here.

* **Dynamic Dribbler:** Offensive players known for their vast dribbling and tricks ability to overcome multiple markers with sudden changes in direction, acceleration and speed. It is the Playmakers who carry the ball most quickly and therefore tend to explore the side channels with a certain frequency, which makes the public directly associate them with Winger's position. In addition to dribbling and pace, they usually have a good sense of ​​making key passes to the center of the area.
	+ If they actually fulfill the role of a Winger, they will have a defensive duty to close the space on the wing, following the attacks of the opposing wing-back. Also, In many cases, these players are placed on the opposite side of their dominant foot, enabling infiltration plays in half-spaces for crossed shots. In this example, the player's secondary skill is usually finishing rather than passing/crossing.
	+ In Italy there is a variant called Mezzala (Half-Winger) which is the perfect example of a Dynamic Dribbler that is not a Winger in origin, but rather a midfield dribbler who uses the side channel at opportune moments to create plays.

## Forwards (FW, CF, ST)

**Target-Man:** Also known as centers, they are tall players with a more robust build, being strong and skilled at playing with their backs to goal, executing turns, passes and absorbing pressure with their ability to protect the ball. It is called "target" because it is usually to him that the long balls arrive, either to gain time or to build plays. They are also great at winning aerial disputes.

**Poacher:** Also known as the Fox in the Box, they are those opportunistic strikers with great ball timing, positioning and specialization in close-range finishing. They are usually the team's top scorers and make up for their lack of technique with courage, opportunism and the will to score goals no matter what. They are the masters of the penalty area, knowing very well how to compete for space.

* **Pressing Forwards:** This sub-type indicates a rare breed of complete forwards and can be considered both a Poacher and a Dynamic Dribbler. They form the first line of defense, making a high pressure on the opponent's defensive line, in order to force errors and steal the ball in the offensive sector, maximizing the chance of score. They are usually very strong physically, but equally fast, vigorous and talented in 1v1 plays.

* **Clinical Finisher:** Is a sub-type to both Poacher and Unlocker. It indicates that the player is only focused on finishing, no matter what sector of the field he is in, at the first opportunity he has, he will shoot. With great precision, range, power and curvature, their shots are the most dangerous on the pitch. Clinical finishers have excellent decision-making skills, a keen sense of when to time their shots and a high level of composure in high-pressure situations.