The purpose of this study was to describe the morphological characteristics in German amateur soccer players based upon their ranking in the championship table and the position of the players. Seventy-two male Fifth Division soccer players from four clubs volunteered for this study. The examination of the teams was conducted within 10 days of the preparation period for the second half of the season when teams A through D were ranked 6 th , 5 th , 2 nd and 11 th in the Division. Anthropometric

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... asurements included body weight and height, skinfold thickness (biceps, triceps, subscapular, suprailiac, calf), biepicondylar humerus and femur breadths, upper arm (flexed and tensed), thigh and calf girths. Somatotypes were calculated using the Heath-Carter equations.No differences were found between the means of the different anthropometric variables of the four teams (p <.05). In all groups, the somatotype means of the soccer players were mesomorph-endomorph. Compared to field players, goalkeepers showed higher values for body height, body weight and arm girth (p <.05).This study showed that there were no anthropometric and somatotype differences between the soccer teams of different club ranking. Compared to field players, goalkeepers showed higher body height and weight, higher biepicondylar femur and humerus breadths, hig8her arm, thigh and calf girths, and higher mesomorphy. Discriminant function analyses were unable to separate the players' position on the basis of body composition or somatotype. No differences were found between the means of the different anthropometric variables of the four teams (p < .05). 1) gan