Football positions and which attributes matter in each one

GK, CB, RB, CDM, CAM, RW, ST... If you've ever got lost among the abbreviations on the cards, this guide is for you. We explain each position, what is expected of the player and which attributes weigh most in his rating.

The six attributes

Outfield players in GolDraft have six attributes, from 1 to 99:

• PAC (pace): top speed and acceleration.
• SHO (shooting): finishing, power and long shots.
• PAS (passing): vision, short passing, long passing and crossing.
• DRI (dribbling): control, ball carrying, agility and one-on-ones.
• DEF (defending): marking, interceptions, tackling and defensive heading.
• PHY (physical): strength, stamina and jumping.

Goalkeepers use their own attributes: diving, handling, kicking, reflexes, speed and positioning.

Defence

GK · Goalkeeper

The last defender. He saves, comes out for crosses, organises the defence and increasingly starts play with his feet. Diving, reflexes and positioning matter most for a goalkeeper.

CB · Centre-back

The heart of the defence. He wins duels, reads passes and clears high balls. His rating depends mostly on DEF and PHY; a centre-back who passes well is gold for teams that build from the back.

RB and LB · Full-backs

They defend the flank and push up to cross. Modern football asks almost as much of them in attack as in defence, so PAC, DEF and PAS carry similar weight.

Midfield

CDM · Defensive midfielder

The team's balance: he wins the ball back, stops counter-attacks and plays the first pass. DEF, PAS and PHY are his foundation.

CM · Central midfielder

The engine. He goes box to box, links defence and attack and gets into the opponent's area. Passing is the most important attribute, followed by dribbling and physical.

CAM · Attacking midfielder

The creative player behind the striker. He looks for the final pass and the shot from the edge of the box. Passing and dribbling are key, with shooting third.

Attack

LW and RW · Wingers

Speed and taking on defenders down the flanks. Many wingers play on the opposite foot to cut inside and shoot. Pace and dribbling are the dominant attributes.

ST · Striker

The goalscorer. He lives in the box and finishes with both feet and his head. SHO is by far the heaviest attribute, followed by dribbling and physical.

Compatible positions

Some positions are similar enough that a player performs almost the same: a CM can play as a CDM or CAM, a winger can play on the other side, a full-back can play as a wing-back. In GolDraft's Draft Mode, a player in a compatible position loses 2 rating points; in an unrelated position, he loses 6.

How to use this when you play

In the Live Match, when you have to decide a play, the options depend on the player's attributes: a striker with high SHO has a bigger green zone to shoot, a midfielder with high PAS has more time to choose the pass and a defender with high DEF reads the attacker better. Knowing the positions helps you choose well.