Football is the most loved sport in the world, because everyone can try it and have fun playing. To become an expert player though, you have to start small and work hard. You have to work on your form and learn to imitate the best footballers, but above all you have to have a great passion for the game. Training is the only way to become a stronger player, but only if done correctly.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Improving Your Overall Game
Step 1. Play as much as possible with friends or in local youth teams
Gather a group of friends for a soccer match or join a team to compete every week. You will never get better if you don't play as much as possible. In the end, matches and training are the only activities that can allow you to become an expert footballer.
- Try to get into the best teams in your area. Having a more capable coach and having to confront stronger opponents are advantages that allow you to make progress much faster.
- If you have no one to play with, get out of the house and throw the ball a hundred times against a wall, or make passes into the wall. Practice dribbling or other technical fundamentals in the garden. To become a better player, all you need is a ball and the desire to train.
Step 2. Increase your thinking speed on the pitch
Experienced footballers see something, make a decision and execute a pass, a shot or move in fractions of a second. The best way to become a stronger player is to work on these quick decisions. To do it:
- Don't hold the ball too much. 1-3 ball hits are usually enough before passing or shooting. The longer you hold the ball, the more time the defenders have to prepare.
- If you want to overtake an opponent in dribbling, attack him at full speed. Force him to react quickly to your movements, without giving him time to assume the right position.
- Let the ball sweat. You can never outrun the ball. So switch whenever you can, using game changes from one side to the other or passing through passes that can disorient the defense.
- If you lose the ball or are passed in dribbling, turn immediately and try to regain possession or take the right position on the pitch.
Step 3. Train your non-dominant foot as much as possible
The best players know how to kick with both feet. If you know how to use only one, the most experienced defenders would quickly notice and exploit your weakness, forcing you to use your weak foot and, consequently, to make more mistakes. Whenever you get the chance, focus on your non-dominant foot, even if you really have a hard time using it. Ambidextrous footballers are constant threats everywhere on the pitch.
Step 4. Learn to defend
Whatever your position on the pitch, the ability to retrieve the ball is a key feature of becoming an expert footballer. Defense in one-on-one is one of the fundamentals of this sport, like passing or shooting on goal; you shouldn't neglect it. To train, play with a friend and try to take turns dribbling past each other. Here are some tips on how to improve your defense technique:
- Stay low. Stand on your toes, with your knees slightly bent, ready to shoot.
- Force the opponent to take a direction. Put one foot forward and lean your body in order to invite the attacker to go wherever you want. Usually, you should try to push him towards a teammate or towards the side foul line, but in some cases you may decide to send an opponent towards his weak foot.
- Don't try to retrieve the ball unnecessarily. The best defenders wait for the right moment - when the ball moves away from the attacker's foot or when the attacker gets too close.
- Watch your opponent's hips. The waist zone often hints at which direction a player will take. The feet move quickly while the head and shoulders are used for feints. The pelvis, on the other hand, is the center of gravity of a player and for this reason it is very difficult to change its direction quickly.
Step 5. In training, try to improve your weaknesses instead of showing off your skills
During training you need to improve, not repeat the things you already know how to do. Use the drills to make mistakes, try your weak foot, play a different role from yours (for example acting as a defender, if you play as a striker), discover new combinations and passes with your teammates. The best players are not afraid of failing in training.
Step 6. Observe the pros
The best way to make progress is to study the movements of those who are better than you. If you are in a specific role, you should focus on the players who play in that position and make a note of what they do. Where are they on the pitch when they don't have the ball? How often do they advance or return to defense? What steps are they trying to accomplish?
- Observe the best footballers in Serie A, but don't overlook the Spanish La Liga, the English Premier League and the German Bundesliga, as well as the World Cup of course.
- You can also buy or borrow movies. In them you will find many exercises and tactics that can help you become a better footballer. They are very easy to follow and are great for players of all skill levels.
Step 7. Accept the advice willingly
Your manager is a coach for a reason and often sees things you can't understand in a game. Learning to accept and take advantage of the advice given to you by your coach will help you avoid repeating the same mistakes over and over and find the weaknesses in your game.
- Once or twice a season, ask your coach what you can do to improve. Ask what areas you need to make progress and what exercises you can do on your own. It's a great idea to always find new ways to get stronger.
- Hire a private manager if you have goals other than those of your team. Many experienced coaches offer private lessons for an inexpensive hourly rate. This type of training is very effective and allows you to improve in a short time.
Part 2 of 3: Improving Your Skills with Your Feet
Step 1. Learn to dribble with every part of the foot
Practice dribbling in an area of thirty meters, varying the speed and the part of the foot you use to move the ball. The sphere must become a natural extension of your foot: you must be able to stop it, move it and change its direction as you please. Here are some exercises to improve this fundamental:
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Obstacle course:
have pins or small objects in a zigzag, then cross them ball and chain at the maximum speed you can reach without losing control of the ball. Your goal is to complete the path between the cones without hitting or jumping over them. As you get more skilled, increase your speed.
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Dribble:
Although it is not a fundamental used often in football matches, knowing how to dribble helps you to have better control of the ball. The term dribbling refers to the use of all parts of the body (except hands and arms) to keep the ball in the air for as long as possible. Start by trying 10 dribbles in a row, then move on to 20, 50, and finally 100.
Step 2. Carry the ball with your head held high
This technique requires excellent ball control, but you should work on it as soon as possible. Experienced players always know where the ball is when they are in possession, they can raise their heads and study the field around them for passing or shooting opportunities. Even if you will still look down from time to time, the more you can keep your head up, the better you will get.
Always practice keeping your head up when trying to dribble, especially in training
Step 3. Work on the ball control exercises
These quick and easy drills are a great way to improve your foot skills, even if you'll never use those moves in a real game. Remember that to get the most out of these workouts, you need to move your feet as fast as possible without losing control of the ball.
- Quickly bounce the ball between your legs, as if you were passing it from the inside of the right foot to the inside of the left foot. Use small movements to send the ball back and forth.
- Leave the ball in front of you and alternately touch it with the soles of your feet. To increase speed, try to always land on your toes and keep your knees bent.
- Keep the ball between your legs. Roll the heel of your right foot over the ball, bringing it to the right. Then, return the right foot to center, pass the ball to the left foot and repeat. You can also do this exercise in reverse by rolling the ball inside, pushing it to the right with the outside of your foot, then bringing it back to center. This workout is not easy, but it is very useful for improving ball control.
Step 4. Practice short / quick passes
The best players know that football is a team sport. Holding the ball too long always means losing possession. For this, you need to spend as much time on passing as it takes to improve your ball control skills. You should be able to make quick passes than before (without stopping the ball when it comes into your possession) and be able to cross with just two touches of the ball.
- Send the ball into a wall to perform a simple passing workout. The more you miss the passes, the harder it will be to retrieve the ball and hit it again.
- Ask a friend, perhaps a striker, to work on crosses with you. Stand near the corner flag and ask your teammate to show you where he is going. When he starts running, he crosses the ball so that he can hit it without losing the pace.
- Think about what your flaws are and work every week to correct them. For example, if you want to work on shooting, go out on the court 2-3 times a week and focus on that fundamental. When you think you've improved enough, spend the same time looking after dribbling, crossing, or other advanced skills.
Step 5. Refine your advanced movements
Warm up by spending time alone with the ball - dribble with speed and precision. Keep your head up, so you never lose sight of the field. Here are some of the more common movements you should learn:
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Rubber band
- Move the ball with the outside of the foot to the outside, then quickly send it back with the inside of the foot.
- The foot turns under the ball, pushing it away from you before bringing it back in, tricking the defender.
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Stop and go (Stop and go).
- Run slowly with the ball between your feet.
- Pause for a moment, resting your sole on the ball.
- Then, roll the ball forward to one side of the defender, before kicking it hard and running past the caught off guard.
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Scissors.
- Bring your foot over the ball, pretending to advance or pass it.
- When your foot is on top of the ball, bring it back, touching the ball along the trajectory and heading in the opposite direction of the feint.
- You can perform this movement with the inside or outside of the foot.
Become an Advanced Soccer Player Step 13 Step 6. Follow a training program
You should have a fixed schedule and not choose to do something in a few days or hours. Work out with the ball 3-4 times a week to improve your technical skills. Dribble against a wall or try shooting at goal with both feet. Practice footwork and dribbling. Always remember to use both feet, so as not to have weak points.
Many coaches recommend dedicating at least 30 minutes to technique each day
Part 3 of 3: Improve Your Fitness
Step 1. Focus on achieving "match form"
This term indicates that physical condition that allows you to play for 90 minutes without getting too tired and without your skills being greatly affected. Football is a fast-paced game that does not involve pauses and requires a lot of stamina. So your first goal should be to be able to run for 45 minutes without getting tired. There are many ways to improve your condition:
- To work on endurance, run 3 to 5km twice a week and time yourself. Try to improve every week, running 7, 5 - 10 km.
- Play matches. The best way to get into match form is to take the field. No need to play full games - playing 3 on 3 for an hour is a great way to train your stamina.
- At the end of each workout you should feel very tired. It is thanks to the work in training that you can get the stamina you need for matches. By working hard you will get your body used to playing with little energy, improving your performance in the final stages of the matches.
- Try interval training. These exercises involve alternating sprints with light running, usually spending twice as much time on recovery than in the more intense phase, without taking breaks. They are very useful for simulating the effort required in the game when training alone.
Step 2. Increase your speed with sprint exercises
To get faster, work on the shots. Go down to the soccer field, start at the baseline and sprint to the middle of the pitch, then continue to the other light-running baseline. Repeat these steps, then walk across the field to recover. Continue the exercise for as long as possible until you feel too fatigued or until you reach 15 minutes of training.
Your speed is determined in part by genetics, but your ability to accelerate and keep sprinting depends on your training. The more you train, the faster you will become
Step 3. Try full-body workouts
Some exercises are considered useful for all ages, such as jumps, wheelbarrows and lunges. When performing the jumps, start from the squat position and jump as far as possible, rest for a few seconds, then repeat. When performing a lunge, start standing up, bring one leg forward as far as possible and touch the ground with the back knee. Repeat by reversing the legs. Continue the entire length of the field. You need a partner to perform the wheelbarrow exercise. Ask him to stand and hold your ankles. You should position yourself in front of him with only your hands as a support point on the ground. Walk both at the same time (you with your hands and your partner with your feet) up to half court, then change your position. Do all these exercises 2-3 times throughout the court and you will greatly improve your leg and abdominal strength.
Step 4. Train your core and upper body, not just your legs
Just because you can't use your hands in football doesn't mean you shouldn't be strengthening your arms. Having more strength in the upper body allows you to fight better on loose balls, to resist the contrasts of the defenders and to obtain the best position in aerial duels. While it is not necessary to become the Hulk, slightly strengthening the upper body is essential for big players. Therefore, dedicate yourself to light weight training. Work on the following muscle groups 3-5 times a week.
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Chest and back:
these muscles are essential to resist contrasts. Aim to do 100 push-ups a day and as many pull-ups as possible in sets of 3.
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Tones the arms:
Simple bicep curls, dips, diamond push-ups (hands touching under the chest) and pull-ups are great exercises for strengthening the upper body without going to the gym.
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Abs and Core:
fundamental for all roles. From your core, you transfer the energy of your upper body to your lower body and this allows you to perform tight changes of direction, powerful throws, violent headers and precise stops. Abs, crunches, and planks are essential exercises in your training program, so do them every day until you are too tired to continue.
Advice
- Always work on your weak points. Try each exercise with both feet.
- Practice makes perfect! Sitting on the sofa certainly isn't. Go out and play! Find friends and practice together, using skills learned in training.
- Focus on all areas of the game. Don't neglect technique or fitness.
- Don't train with people of a much lower level than yours. Playing with more experienced players allows you to improve.
- Try to become a leader for your team. Make your voice heard and encourage others to do the same. Coaches greatly appreciate this feature, which often determines the choice of the captain.
- Always drink plenty of water.
- Try to become ambidextrous.
- When trying head shots, practice using all the points on the forehead.
Warnings
- Hydrate yourself every day. Dehydration is one of the most common problems for athletes and is often the cause of cramps. Drink plenty of water and sports drinks in the hours leading up to the game. Be careful not to drink too much though, as running on a full stomach is very difficult. Get in the habit of eating healthy too.
- Take days to rest to allow your muscles to grow.
- If you have prolonged stomach pain after playing football, see your doctor.
- Always stretch properly before and after all training sessions. Ligament tears and muscle injuries can be very serious for a footballer's career. So make sure you warm up before stretching, so you don't risk injuring your "cold" ligaments.
