Types Of Fullback In Football Explained

‎Back in the days, the fullback's job was simply to guard the flanks and block opposing wingers. Now? They're the creators of attacks, tempo controllers, and even deadlock breakers. Let's examine the types of modern fullbacks and examples of players.

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‎1. Attacking/Overlapping Fullback

‎This type of fullback is diligent about overlapping, advancing forward to support attacks, and frequently delivering crosses. Their characteristics include insane stamina, accurate crossing, and perfect timing.

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‎Example players:

‎Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)

‎Jordi Alba (Barcelona)

‎Andy Robertson (Liverpool)

‎Theo Hernández (AC Milan)

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‎2.  Inverted Fullback

‎Instead of staying wide, they move into the middle when attacking to increase the number of midfielders and control the ball. This type of fullback is characterized by neat, short passes and comfortably in tight spaces.

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‎Example players:

‎João Cancelo (Manchester City/Barcelona)

‎Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal)

‎Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)

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‎3. Defensive Fullback

‎A classic fullback who focuses on defending and closing down space. He only moves forward when absolutely safe, with characteristics such as strong one-on-one duels and positional discipline.

‎Example players:

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‎Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United)

‎César Azpilicueta (Chelsea/Atletico)

‎Paolo Maldini (AC Milan – 90s)

‎Gary Neville (Manchester United – 2000s)

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‎4. Wing-Back (Hybrid)

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‎Used in a 3-5-2/3-4-3 formation. They must be both wingers and defenders—running along the line from start to finish, possessing the following characteristics: high speed and incredible stamina.  

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‎Example players:

‎Achraf Hakimi (PSG)

‎Marcos Alonso (Barcelona/ex-Chelsea)

‎Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan)

‎Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich, sometimes plays wing-back)

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‎5. Playmaking Fullback

‎Creators of attacks from the flanks. They have the vision of a midfielder, sending long balls frequently that open up the play, using their trademark characteristics: top-notch passing technique and sharp vision.

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‎Example players:

‎Dani Alves (Barcelona – Pep era)

‎Marcelo (Real Madrid)

‎David Alaba (while at Bayern in the LB position)

‎Philip Lahm (Bayern Munich)

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‎Conclusion

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‎Fullbacks are no longer just complements to center-backs. They are versatile machines that can defend, attack, and even play as playmakers. When watching your next match, pay attention to the movements of fullback. It is common for golden opportunities to arise from within them.

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