FM 24 Player Roles Guide

Player roles in Football Manager 2024 can look a bit confusing at first — here's your guide to organizing your team tactically. FM 24 player roles guide with Turkish and English explanations!

All FM 24 Player Roles and Explanations

FM 24 has this many different player roles (45 in total!), so assigning roles to your players can sometimes be tricky. Some of the role names even come from Italian, Spanish, and German. Here we break down exactly what each role means, with explanations of Football Manager 2024 (FM 24) player roles and how they're used.

You can also find the FM 25 player roles here!

FM 24 Goalkeeper Roles

Goalkeeper

If Football Manager has a "traditional" goalkeeper role that keeps the ball out of the net and rarely strays off their line (while also being good with their feet), this is it.

Sweeper-keeper

For modern managers, though, there's also the sweeper-keeper, who looks a bit different from a "standard" keeper despite sharing the same core responsibilities. They come off their line (i.e. sweep) to deal with balls played over the top and try to start a counter-attack or a quick build-up.

FM 24 Centre-Back Roles

Wide Centre-Back

As the most recently added player role in Football Manager, it's best to think of the wide centre-back as a player on either side of a back three. They can also be part of a centre-back pairing played this way, but their forward instincts, passing quality, ability to support midfield, and build-up skills make a back three their most natural use.

Central Defender

A central defender's main job is to clear dangerous balls and snuff out threats before they develop. This role suits centre-backs who are very strong defensively but weaker technically.

Libero

Although it hasn't been common in modern football for a long time, this playing style has made a comeback recently as teams build more from the back. The libero positions themselves even behind the regular centre-backs, closing and sweeping up the space behind. However, they're not there purely to act as a last-ditch sweeper. The libero's biggest strength is their composure on the ball, their ability to build play, and directing the team from deep like a ship's captain.

Ball-Playing Defender

This is the playing style expected of a modern central defender. Alongside being strong defensively, they also need to be excellent in possession. A ball-playing defender is usually where your team's attacks begin.

No-Nonsense Centre-Back

This type of player doesn't waste time: for them, there's only one thing that matters above all else — clearing the danger.

FM24 Full-Back and Wing-Back Roles

Full-Back

Usually used on either side of a back four (though it can also fit into a back five), the full-back's priority is defending wide areas, while also contributing to attacks without going overboard.

Wing-Back

By contrast, the wing-back prioritizes offensive contribution over defending. We're used to seeing them used with a back three in the real world, but in the world of Football Manager they can also fit into a back four.

No-Nonsense Full-Back

Unlike the wing-back, the no-nonsense full-back's main goal is clearing danger and keeping things simple. This role tends to be more effective in an old-school "classic back four." They make for the tough, hard-to-get-past full-backs of a weaker, defense-minded team.

Complete Wing-Back

Essentially an attacking full-back, the complete wing-back is willing to push forward and play a key role in their team's attacks even though they're also capable defensively.

Inverted Wing-Back

The inverted wing-back tucks in toward central midfield instead of staying near the touchline (i.e. wide) when the team has the ball, acting a bit like an auxiliary midfielder.

Inverted Full-Back -New-

The inverted full-back is one of the more modern roles found in today's football. In this role, a full-back acts like a centre-back within the shape and plays a more conservative style. Inspired by Pep Guardiola, this role allows a libero to be used within a back four. This boosts your numbers centrally, making it easier to build play.

Argi's Best FM 24 Mobile Tactic

In this video, where we look for an answer to the question of which is the best FM 24 Mobile tactic, we blended together and presented the best tactic while also making sure it can score plenty of goals ;)

FM 24 Set-Piece Coaches and More FM News Here!

FM24 Central Midfielder Roles

Defensive Midfielder

The defensive midfielder's main job is protecting the back line, sitting in front of the defense almost like a sumo wrestler. However, when the team has the ball, they'll support the players ahead of them and set the tempo.

Deep-Lying Playmaker

Essentially a more creative version of the defensive midfielder, the deep-lying playmaker usually plays in a similar area of the pitch, and takes center stage in build-up play especially for teams that aren't as comfortable on the ball further back, or for exceptionally talented squads.

Ball-Winning Midfielder

A true fighter in the center of midfield, the ball-winning midfielder is all about pressing the opposition and winning the ball back for their team.

Anchor Man

Perhaps the least dynamic of the deeper playmaking roles, the anchor man's role is very defense-focused: they're mostly there to win the ball and then pass it to a more creative teammate.

Half-Back

Fulfilling a hybrid role, the half-back takes on the duties of an extra centre-back along with some defensive midfield responsibilities. Their attacking responsibility is minimal, and they usually stay deep, both closing the center and filling the half-spaces.

Regista

A more aggressive version of the deep-lying playmaker with more freedom, the regista is allowed to roam all over the pitch and provide a creative spark. The peak example of this player type is Pirlo.

Roaming Playmaker

In effect, the roaming playmaker is a more restricted version of the regista in terms of freedom to roam the pitch (don't let the name fool you).

Segundo Volante

"Segundo volante" means "second steering wheel" in Spanish — but what does that mean for your team? This player usually works best in systems with two anchor men, and while their role is defense-focused, they also join attacks in support and look to score, especially from aerial balls.

Central Midfielder

Like a Swiss Army knife in the middle of the park, the central midfielder adapts their own role depending on what the team needs.

Box-to-Box Midfielder

A true workhorse in the engine room of midfield, the box-to-box midfielder is needed wherever the action is, both in attack and defense. They need to be strong defensively, technically gifted, and pose a reasonable goal threat from distance.

Advanced Playmaker

As the name suggests, the advanced playmaker plays in a more advanced position, usually close to the striker. Looking for space without the ball, this player is meant to combine with good build-up play to set up clear-cut attacks or counters.

Mezzala

Existing between a central midfielder and a winger ("mezzala" means "half-wing" in Italian), a player in this role likes to operate in wide areas and largely doesn't carry much defensive responsibility.

Carrilero

Translated directly from Spanish as "railway man," the carrilero is a "shuttler" tasked with linking their team's midfield lines and connecting midfield with defense. Player types we'd describe in Turkish as tireless workhorses should be used with this mindset, shuttling back and forth in both attack and defense.

FM 24 Winger Roles

Wide Midfielder

Usually right at home in a 4-4-2, the wide midfielder carries defensive, midfield, and attacking responsibilities out wide (as the name suggests...).

Winger

For the winger role, look at the "wide midfielder," but strip away the defensive responsibility and some of the midfield responsibility. There's really not much more to say, honestly!

Defensive Winger

A less flashy wide role, playing as a defensive winger involves pressuring the opposing player and helping keep the game in more advanced areas.

Wide Playmaker

Essentially an attacking role, the wide playmaker will drift across the pitch between wide and central areas, but may also be asked to provide extra defensive cover.

Inverted Winger

Ideally featuring a right-footed player on the left wing or a left-footed player on the right wing, the inverted winger helps create space for their full-back to push forward by cutting inside. Naturally, they cut the ball inward.

Inside Forward

Similar to the inverted winger but far more attack-minded, the inside forward will move toward the center of the opponent's box and serve as a goal threat as well as a creative outlet.

Wide Target Man

The wide target man carries out the exact same role a typical central target man performs, but out wide — here, they can use their height and physical presence to overpower less physical wide players on the other side.

Raumdeuter

"Raumdeuter" means "space interpreter" in German, a term that described a role that didn't really exist until Thomas Muller came along. While not necessarily a strong finisher in one-on-one situations, the raumdeuter masterfully finds space in every area during the final action.

FM 24 Attack/Striker Roles

Attacking Midfielder

Positioned further forward than their midfield teammates, the attacking midfielder is the creative force behind their team's key passes. They also provide an extra goal threat in the opposition box.

Advanced Playmaker

Positioned similarly to the attacking midfielder, the advanced playmaker needs to be ready for their teammates and start counter-attacks with a killer pass.

Trequartista

Positioned between the midfield line and their team's most advanced attacker, the trequartista needs to be constantly ready to receive the ball in dangerous positions, and players in this role usually carry no defensive responsibility. This is FM's take on the classic number 10.

Enganche

Similar to a trequartista, the enganche takes on a more "fixed" role, serving as a focal point and pivot for linking play in the final third.

Shadow Striker

Working well alongside a strike partner, the shadow striker looks for scoring positions independently of them while also pressuring opposing players in advanced areas.

Deep-Lying Forward

Overlapping with the trequartista and enganche roles, the deep-lying forward exists to link play between midfield and attack, but unlike those other two roles, they usually work best as part of an attacking pair. Think of the Martinez-Lukaku partnership that carried Inter to the Champions League final.

Advanced Forward

The focal point of the attack, the advanced forward both provides a goal threat and serves as a creative outlet, and is usually not expected to provide defensive or defensive-supporting work. Be careful about assigning this role only when your player has very high ability.

Target Man

The classic "big man" striker, the target man aims to give defenders a hard time with their physical presence. They hold up the ball to bring teammates into play and also pose a serious goal threat themselves. Dzeko is the embodiment of this description.

Poacher

An instinctive goalscorer, the poacher's priority is being in the right place to score. They're also creative in finding ways to get into the box. Former Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain is one of the best examples of this role.

Complete Forward

Combining the best traits of the deep-lying playmaker, advanced forward, target man, and poacher roles, the complete forward is ideal on their own but can also be used in a two-striker setup.

Pressing Forward

The most defense-minded of all the attacking roles, the pressing forward constantly harasses opposing players to win the ball back, prioritizing this over their own goalscoring responsibility.

False Nine

Perhaps the biggest positional innovation in the modern game, the false nine drops into midfield to draw opposing defenders out of position and escape marking, creating space for attacking teammates.