The broad groups
Goalkeepers organise the area behind the defence. Defenders include centre-backs and full-backs; midfielders range from defensive to attacking roles; forwards include wingers, centre-forwards and strikers. Starting with the broad group is usually enough to rule out most names.
Central and wide roles
Centre-backs, central midfielders and centre-forwards play predominantly through the middle. Left- and right-sided players often leave a recognisable career pattern: clubs may recruit them for a specific system, while a winger can later become a wide midfielder or attacking full-back.
Defensive and attacking midfield
A defensive midfielder protects the defence and helps start attacks. A central midfielder connects phases of play, while an attacking midfielder operates closer to the forwards. These roles overlap in real football, so treat the label as a useful clue鈥攏ot an absolute limitation.
Centre-forward, striker and second striker
A centre-forward commonly leads the line and links play; a striker may focus more directly on finishing; a second striker supports from behind or alongside. In a quiz, these labels can separate players who have similar clubs but very different responsibilities.
Use positions with the timeline
The best deduction combines role and era. A left-back at a club in 2012 is a much smaller search space than every player ever connected to that club. If several positions are shown, consider them in context: a player may have started wide and moved centrally later in the career.