There has also been another modern day breed of wide player that has come through - The wide forward. This player developed due to the rise of one man striker formations, thus leaving the side potentially short of goal threats. This player plays very high up the pitch - often in line with the striker in a 433, often playing on the opposite side to their strongest foot - looking to cut in and shoot. The most prominent examples of these players in modern football are Cristiano Ronaldo and Arjen Robben. The final modern role of the wide player is perhaps the most baffling to casual football fans - the defensive winger. The idea that an attacking position on the pitch can be filled by a player with a defensive duty makes no sense at face value. But when you consider the rise in attacking mentality of full backs it makes perfect sense. In recent years we have seen players such as Park Ji Sung stationed in wide area's to try and stifle the attacking runs of the likes of Dani Alves. It is likely that in the next decade we will again see changes in the role of the wide player, we don't yet know what the changes will be, but they are sure to come.