If you want to become good at soccer and be like the pro’s then you will need to practice a lot. Ever wonder how those professional’s get those great skills with their feet? They practice all day long! So, if you’re thinking about a career in soccer then grab a ball and get to work! Continue ahead and learn about some great tips to that will make you a better soccer player.
Practice protecting the soccer ball from opponents. Use your body as a barrier between the ball and your opponent. Keep control of the ball by kicking it with the inside of your foot. While practicing, try dribbling the ball in a square while your opponent tries to get it away from you.
You should always be trying to find ways you can surprise the opposing team. Good players are going to recognize and predict all of your plays if you are someone who doesn’t do anything new. If a defender is approaching, do something unexpected, like moving the ball back or crossing it to the other side of the playing area.
Always have a plan for what you will do with the ball when it is passed to you. Anticipate the best move, whether it is a short or long pass, or a shot at the goal. Do not be obvious about the moves you will make. The element of surprise is important to keeping the ball protected.
Get together with your team and work on specific strategies. Let them know when you intent on crossing the ball, enabling them the opportunity to position themselves to receive it. If you are doing the same moves, switch them up to confuse your opponents.
Try using the sides of the field. If there are lots of people in the center of the field, it makes it harder to play in that area. Using the wing-men on your team can exploit the sides. Penetrate these areas and send the ball to the center so that your teammate can finish the play. Make sure to avoid knocking the ball out of bounds.
Watch soccer games on TV. You can learn a lot by paying attention to the way professional players play. Pay attention for patterns, strategies and team work. Professional players usually display a few tricks if they get an occasion but you should not try reproducing these tricks until you are more comfortable with the game.
Don’t fall for flocking near the ball when everyone does. Many teams and players make this mistake. If your opponent has the ball, there only needs to be one other person there. If your teammate has it, let them have some space. Just make sure you have a player behind the person with the ball or the person that’s going to try to steal it.
Learn that you must use all of your foot surface area in soccer. Use the instep and the front of your foot if you need to dribble quickly. To better your dribbling, learn how to properly use the outside and inside of both of our feet. This is a good way to reduce pressure so you can easily keep the ball under control.
As stated in the above article, if you want to succeed in soccer then you need to practice, a lot! All it takes is a soccer ball and these great tips that you learned here and you too, can master the art of playing soccer. The best players in the world practice this craft every day, and with the information learned here you can play like them, too!