Anyone who enjoys playing sports wants to excel. Wishing to be better at soccer isn’t enough. You have to do more than just read about it, it’s important to practice it, too. Keep in mind the following tips to help you get better at playing soccer.
Never assume the play is over after you have passed the ball to a team member. Follow the teammate you passed to, and attempt to put yourself in a position to help. A good team member will pass it to you if you’re open.
Touch Outside
Learn how to perform a simple Outside Elastico. This is great for cutting into the center of the field after dribbling up the line. Using a cone to represent an opponent is a good way to practice. Back up about five steps. Start dribbling towards the cone. As you close in on the cone, take a small touch outside and then touch your ball quickly back to the inside. The touch outside will trick your opponents. Remember that the second touch must be bigger than the first one.
Fool your defenders by dribbling in the opposing direction you are seeking to go. The defender will pursue and you can get them discombobulated by quickly changing what you’re doing and going in an entirely new direction. That’s a great way to get around a defender.
Surprise can be a great help when you play soccer. Think about dribbling to the left and quickly doing a pass off on the right. This can open up the field if the defender is caught off guard. Practice these moves in advance so that your teammates are anticipating the pass and aren’t caught off guard.
Don’t be too confident as you play. Although you may possess great skills, you never know what may happen on the field. Playing as if you are untouchable increases the chance of an unexpected event that will throw your game off.
Find players with higher skills than yours and ask to practice with them. This will allow your abilities to become better honed so your skills can improve. Ask any questions you may have and take in as much information as possible. Most players like to teach skills to other players. If you don’t know anyone who is better than you, talk to players at games played nearby.
If the field is going to be muddy, wear shoes that are made to grip under slippery conditions. Soccer pros sometimes prefer cleats that can be removed. When you play in muddy or wet conditions, get wide cleats. Look for something with two heel cleats and four midsole cleats.
Learn how to kick properly. Kicking the ball involves more than just kicking it. Kick the bottom of a soccer ball in order to send it into the air. Your foot can be used as a wedge; get your foot underneath the ball and as you lean backwards, kick up.
Do not stay still. For example, lean left when you are going to move right. Try to distract your opponents with your arms while you are making a play.
If you want to get better at soccer, watching a pro game always helps. This can help you understand the rules better and it lets you see how a game should be played. It doesn’t replace practice, but it can help you learn and reinforce the things you have learned on the field.
You must think you can win in order to actually do so. Believing in your team can help to give you the confidence you need to win the games. A winning demeanor can go a long way toward fostering team success.
The correct way to trap a ball is using the sole of your foot or your instep. Be sure to learn this. This is a necessary skill that must be practiced to help stop the ball. Trapping practice, and making sure you can quickly control and move again, is important.
You have just as much chance being injured in a soccer game as in every other sport, but you can take measures to minimize your chance of getting injured. Probably the best way to minimize injury is getting yourself into top condition. Diet and exercise are the keys to improving your fitness. Exercise needs to include cardio exercises and strength training.
Ask each parent to purchase a soccer ball to be brought to practice. This way, every play has their own ball to practice with at home. Remember to keep a few additional soccer balls around during practice, just in case a child forgets one. Anyone who forgets to bring their ball to practice gets a reminder in the form of a few laps.
Because you have educated yourself more on the game of soccer, it is time to utilize this knowledge. Take the time to practice these new skills, and show them off to your teammates. By doing practices with others, you will have more of a team to work with and you can win games.