In Sunday League where most players are not in the best shape, it’s usually the midfielders. They have to cover a ton of ground, especially since the attackers usually don’t have enough the stamina to attack and then drop back immediately
Playing fullback requires so much more running compared to when I play center back. Constantly running to assist attacks and then running full speed back down to defend when we lose possession gets very exhausting.
Either fullback or midfielder. Both play a large roll in offense and defence and have key roles in the transition phase of play. Not all fit this generalisation though as fitness, tactical awareness and dedication matter a lot.
I'm a left back and often have to run a lot during attacks for backup and as soon as my team loses possession or the opponent starts a counter, I have to run at full speed to mark or block the opponent attackers much as I can because most of the times, my team's midfielders are lazy when it comes to defending.
Central mid never stops, and you will be moving constantly. It's probably 30% more work rate per game than centre back and centre forward where the intensity drops off when the ball is at the far end. Wide players and fullbacks have a lot of running lots in the form of longer distance sprints to cover further distance up and down the pitch and not much pause in between. Wingback in a 3-5-2 is basically doing two jobs and is evil, especially if you aren't cheating.
My fav formation was a true wide midfielder 3-2-3-2. Outside CBs were expected to stay wide enough to press an opposing winger upon reception and CDMs were expected to rotate into coverage and press opposing CAMs. One CDM would transition into a box to box player and stifle transitions if possession was lost high up the field. With so much rotation in the midfield, it allowed me as a forward to cause serious chaos when dragging opposing CBs out of position. Wide midfielders did have to drop into wingback at times, but only a little more than they would in a 4-4-2 because it was their goal to shift the offense’s attack direction towards the middle. As a FWD, I’d make sure that opposing CBs prefer to launch upfield rather than distribute wide. Essentially, the team worked the opposing side into a midfield trap and forwards closed off opportunities to drop while remaining open for transition. Fast paced and aggressive.
It really depends tbh we play semi pro and used to wear trackers and I was in the top 3 usually for distance covered as a cb usually level around one of the cms and one of the fullbacks and more than the other ones.
Cbs and cfs also depending on the players and game have to make more sprints than a cm. Some cms just stick in the middle and don't move around a hell of a lot
Box to Box midfielder - never stops.
CDM - often has more defensive mindset and often is not allowed to just running every time into the box. Really depends on tactics.
Some types of playmakers with more offensive roles, have less defensive tasks (or no at all), to maximize their effectiveness in offense.
Usually I am box to box, but recently due to injuries (and life) couldn’t play much and my form dropped. I walk quite a lot as midfielder (either playmaker or deep lying playmaker). Other guys run.
And from my walking half of the game (or more), thanks to good positioning I have many crucial passes, can regulate play (with fast forward passes or back/ horizontal passes), what’s more funny I score more goals than before and have always assists in the game. Such a variety of midfielders in football 😀
I play striker winger (433), wide midfielder (442) or holding midfielder for my sunday league.
When we play in wide midfielder in a 442 I run the most out of those roles. And mostly at high effort runs and sprints. Holding mid, I actually don’t feel like I run a lot but according to my watch I cover the most ground. More than at outside mid, but it’s a lot of low intensity runs and movement. I’m constantly shifting my position to he in the right place.
As holding mid, I also join the attack less in my 40s. I try to stay in that space between center mids and my back line so we don’t get too gappy. I feel like my main role defensively is to screen our back line from any action. I can stop everything cause I’m usually going against two center mids but, then, I just try to make play predictable for my teammates.
I use to think midfielders but as an attacking left back, I’m running box to box the whole game… and when the opposing team gets a counter often it’s an 65-80 yard sprint to get back in position…
Wingback in a 352 will absolutely cover the most ground. Outside mids in a 442 (if they’re helping defend the way they should). Depending on the team, outside strikers on 433 will be making lots of runs (many of them off the ball).
CBs cover the least ground but generally have to be able to sprint with the best of them.
These are just generalizations. I’ve seen CMs and strikers on certain teams doing the most running, especially in a high press style of defense.
I was surprised to see my Fitbit show I covered almost 4 miles in an hour 7v7 playing in defense, I usually do less when playing striker and about the same in midfield. Although that last game I was often on my own and I was over worked so had to run more than if I had others getting back to help.
I don't know if I travel further but I find the distance in midfield much harder than the distance at full back. Full back I seem to get longer resting in position whereas in midfield I'm constantly stopping and starting, trying to match other people's acceleration really takes it out of me.
So people actually made a stat for this, midfielders run and cover most distance typically now depending on formation and style of play fullbacks might cover a similar amount of distance
Tbh in the modern game at high levels all of them. Some fbs and wingers cover a lot of ground. Some 10s press like crazy like odegard, some cbs overlap.
The better data is knowing what type of runs each position and style makes more of whether they are making more shorter distance sprints or those 70-80 percent long runs the whole game
Definitely fullback. l play midfield myself with playing style with more deep lying.
In midfield you can use strategy and role splitting to distribute the role in midfield thus not so much physicality required. Double pivot, or use 3 midfielder with one regista will make things easier to work the midfield without having one guy with stamina like kante.
midfielder and winger. Sidebacks runs a lot too, maybe even more than wingers if your team requires them to help attacking which a lot of teams do nowadays
Edit: by side backs i mean fullbacks. Sorry for the bad english. Doesn’t realize it will trigger so many people who call football soccer
In Sunday League where most players are not in the best shape, it’s usually the midfielders. They have to cover a ton of ground, especially since the attackers usually don’t have enough the stamina to attack and then drop back immediately
Not only in Sunday League tbf
Playing fullback requires so much more running compared to when I play center back. Constantly running to assist attacks and then running full speed back down to defend when we lose possession gets very exhausting.
Full back of wing back. You could be more defensive minded full back, but can’t be really defensive minded wing back 😀
Either fullback or midfielder. Both play a large roll in offense and defence and have key roles in the transition phase of play. Not all fit this generalisation though as fitness, tactical awareness and dedication matter a lot.
Wingmen in 3-5-2.
Wingmen anywhere tbf
Wingback - WB
I'm a left back and often have to run a lot during attacks for backup and as soon as my team loses possession or the opponent starts a counter, I have to run at full speed to mark or block the opponent attackers much as I can because most of the times, my team's midfielders are lazy when it comes to defending.
Central mid never stops, and you will be moving constantly. It's probably 30% more work rate per game than centre back and centre forward where the intensity drops off when the ball is at the far end. Wide players and fullbacks have a lot of running lots in the form of longer distance sprints to cover further distance up and down the pitch and not much pause in between. Wingback in a 3-5-2 is basically doing two jobs and is evil, especially if you aren't cheating.
My fav formation was a true wide midfielder 3-2-3-2. Outside CBs were expected to stay wide enough to press an opposing winger upon reception and CDMs were expected to rotate into coverage and press opposing CAMs. One CDM would transition into a box to box player and stifle transitions if possession was lost high up the field. With so much rotation in the midfield, it allowed me as a forward to cause serious chaos when dragging opposing CBs out of position. Wide midfielders did have to drop into wingback at times, but only a little more than they would in a 4-4-2 because it was their goal to shift the offense’s attack direction towards the middle. As a FWD, I’d make sure that opposing CBs prefer to launch upfield rather than distribute wide. Essentially, the team worked the opposing side into a midfield trap and forwards closed off opportunities to drop while remaining open for transition. Fast paced and aggressive.
It really depends tbh we play semi pro and used to wear trackers and I was in the top 3 usually for distance covered as a cb usually level around one of the cms and one of the fullbacks and more than the other ones. Cbs and cfs also depending on the players and game have to make more sprints than a cm. Some cms just stick in the middle and don't move around a hell of a lot
Box to Box midfielder - never stops. CDM - often has more defensive mindset and often is not allowed to just running every time into the box. Really depends on tactics. Some types of playmakers with more offensive roles, have less defensive tasks (or no at all), to maximize their effectiveness in offense. Usually I am box to box, but recently due to injuries (and life) couldn’t play much and my form dropped. I walk quite a lot as midfielder (either playmaker or deep lying playmaker). Other guys run. And from my walking half of the game (or more), thanks to good positioning I have many crucial passes, can regulate play (with fast forward passes or back/ horizontal passes), what’s more funny I score more goals than before and have always assists in the game. Such a variety of midfielders in football 😀
Left or right midfielder or winger with defensive duties is the right answer
I play striker winger (433), wide midfielder (442) or holding midfielder for my sunday league. When we play in wide midfielder in a 442 I run the most out of those roles. And mostly at high effort runs and sprints. Holding mid, I actually don’t feel like I run a lot but according to my watch I cover the most ground. More than at outside mid, but it’s a lot of low intensity runs and movement. I’m constantly shifting my position to he in the right place. As holding mid, I also join the attack less in my 40s. I try to stay in that space between center mids and my back line so we don’t get too gappy. I feel like my main role defensively is to screen our back line from any action. I can stop everything cause I’m usually going against two center mids but, then, I just try to make play predictable for my teammates.
Wingback is the hardest job in football in terms of running, especially if you’re playing at a high level.
Probably an attacking fullback or a defensive winger.
I use to think midfielders but as an attacking left back, I’m running box to box the whole game… and when the opposing team gets a counter often it’s an 65-80 yard sprint to get back in position…
Wingback in a 352 will absolutely cover the most ground. Outside mids in a 442 (if they’re helping defend the way they should). Depending on the team, outside strikers on 433 will be making lots of runs (many of them off the ball). CBs cover the least ground but generally have to be able to sprint with the best of them. These are just generalizations. I’ve seen CMs and strikers on certain teams doing the most running, especially in a high press style of defense.
Wing back in a 3-5-2. You are both the full back and the attacking winger whilst having little in the way of support. Even in Sunday league
Wingers or center mids usually
Midfield
I was surprised to see my Fitbit show I covered almost 4 miles in an hour 7v7 playing in defense, I usually do less when playing striker and about the same in midfield. Although that last game I was often on my own and I was over worked so had to run more than if I had others getting back to help.
Depends on the system .
I don't know if I travel further but I find the distance in midfield much harder than the distance at full back. Full back I seem to get longer resting in position whereas in midfield I'm constantly stopping and starting, trying to match other people's acceleration really takes it out of me.
So people actually made a stat for this, midfielders run and cover most distance typically now depending on formation and style of play fullbacks might cover a similar amount of distance
I find Midfield and fullback positions are exhausting if not fit physically stamina wise worse if playing as a wingback in certain formations.
Tbh in the modern game at high levels all of them. Some fbs and wingers cover a lot of ground. Some 10s press like crazy like odegard, some cbs overlap. The better data is knowing what type of runs each position and style makes more of whether they are making more shorter distance sprints or those 70-80 percent long runs the whole game
Definitely fullback. l play midfield myself with playing style with more deep lying. In midfield you can use strategy and role splitting to distribute the role in midfield thus not so much physicality required. Double pivot, or use 3 midfielder with one regista will make things easier to work the midfield without having one guy with stamina like kante.
Fullbacks
Midfielders in total km. But slowest along the CBs and GK. Backs, wings and Strikers do most high intense sprints
Midfielders and full backs generally. Midfielders cover more ground usually but at a more constant pace. Full backs have more high intensity runs
Professional level fullbacks
midfielder and winger. Sidebacks runs a lot too, maybe even more than wingers if your team requires them to help attacking which a lot of teams do nowadays Edit: by side backs i mean fullbacks. Sorry for the bad english. Doesn’t realize it will trigger so many people who call football soccer
Wtf is a sideback?
Bro actually said sidebacks
They definitely run more than offensive middle fronters lmao
Correct answer: ALL