To become a goalkeeper, you need a lot of skills. Your role will not only be to motivate your teammates and to represent the last line of defense during matches, but you will also have to start the game in the best way and stop actions that can become dangerous. To play games that last over 90 minutes, you also need to have good physical condition and great mental strength. In football, the goalkeeper often represents the difference between victory and defeat.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Learning the Rules
Step 1. Learn the basic rules of football
Before you can become a goalkeeper, you need to know the rules of the game. These rules and regulations are discussed and decided by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), a committee of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). FIFA governs every international aspect of the game.
- FIFA publishes the official football rules book. It is a regularly updated text, currently 140 pages. You can find a copy (in English) at
- The IAFB has established and recognized 17 standard and universal football laws. This is because FIFA rules often differ between countries and local associations. Furthermore, the FIFA rules may be too complex for a beginner.
- The 17 laws deal with the following topics: the pitch, the ball, the number of players, the equipment that can be used by the athletes, the referee, the assistants, the duration of the matches, the interruption and resumption of the game, situations in which the ball is in play and in which it is not, methods of scoring, offside, fouls and conduct that can be sanctioned by the referee, free kicks, penalty kicks, throw-ins, Goal kicks and corner kicks. You can read the content (in English) of each of the 17 laws at:
- For more information on how to play soccer, read How to Play Soccer.
Step 2. Learn the rules regarding the goalkeeper
Every player on the pitch must respect the rules that concern him and which vary according to his position on the pitch. Knowing these rules will help you become a better goalkeeper and teammate.
Step 3. Learn about goalkeeper equipment
In addition to the standard equipment that all footballers need, including shin guards, spiked shoes and a shirt, the goalkeeper must follow rules for his special equipment. From the gloves to the shirt different from that of his teammates, the equipment of the goalkeeper helps to distinguish him from other players.
- Goalkeepers must wear the game uniform, socks, shin guards and shoes with cleats.
- The FIFA rules require that the goalkeeper's uniform is different from that of other players and that the referee identifies which player holds the role of goalkeeper. For example, almost all goalkeepers have a different color shirt than their team mates.
- Goalkeepers also wear special gloves that help them catch the ball and protect their hands from violent shots. You can find more information on goalkeeper gloves in this article.
Step 4. Get the equipment a goalkeeper needs
Before you start playing and training to become a goalkeeper, you need to purchase the equipment. From gloves to spiked shoes and shin guards, every element of your game outfit will ensure that you are ready to play safely and at your best.
- To play, you need the following equipment: goalkeeper gloves, spiked shoes, shin guards, socks and a shirt.
- Goalkeeper gloves, which are made of thick leather, protect the hands from shots. They also help to have a better grip on the ball.
- Spiked shoes are special footwear for football. They have hard spikes under the sole that allow you to have a better grip on the grass of the pitch.
- The shin guards protect the lower leg from being hit with cleats, which are not only very painful, but can also cause injuries. You must wear socks that completely cover the shin guards and keep them in place.
- The goalkeeper jerseys can be padded in the shoulder and hip area to protect you from the force of shots on goal. Often times, the team you play for will provide it.
- You can buy all the equipment you need in sporting goods stores or even on the internet, on sites such as Soccerpro.com.
Step 5. Learn when and how the goalkeeper is allowed to play the ball
For a goalkeeper, it is important to know where he can play on the pitch, whether he chooses to use his feet or hands. If you know these rules, you will avoid breaking them during a match.
- The goalkeeper can leave his own area and join his teammates both in defensive situations (for example to stop a counterattack), and when his team is desperate for a goal, particularly in the final minutes of a match.
- The goalkeeper can catch the ball with his hands only if he is inside his own penalty area. In some situations, for example in the case of a voluntary pass by a team-mate, the goalkeeper cannot pick up the ball and must play it only with his feet.
- If the goalkeeper catches the ball with his hands following a team-mate's back pass, the referee awards the opposing team an indirect free kick, even inside the penalty area.
- The goalkeeper cannot hold the ball for more than 6 seconds. If he breaks this rule, the referee awards the opposing team an indirect free kick.
- The rules consider the goalkeeper to be in control of the ball if he holds it in his hands or anywhere else on his body above the pitch.
- Goalkeepers can take penalties and take part in penalties that decide the outcome of a match.
- Coaches can replace goalkeepers just like they do with other players.
- If the opposing team is taking a penalty kick, the goalkeeper cannot leave his goal line before the shot. It can move, but only along the line drawn between one pole and another.
- The goalkeeper can be expelled if he commits violations of the rules that provide for that disciplinary sanction. In this case, one of the outfield players can assume the role of goalkeeper, or the reserve goalkeeper can be brought in.
Step 6. Learn the specific rules of your country or federation
Since there are particular rules issued by the different nations and federations that regulate football matches, learn all those that apply in the league where you play. This will help you avoid mistakes that could cost your team victory.
For example, some associations require goalkeepers to wear boxing gloves, while FIFA allows each goalkeeper to choose whether to wear them
Part 2 of 3: Playing with Your Team
Step 1. Pay close attention to game development
The goalkeeper has a unique advantage over his teammates: he can see the entire pitch. By always paying attention to the action taking place, you will not only give your team an advantage, but you will also be ready to defend your goal when the opponents try to overturn an action.
Always keep your eyes on the ball, even when it's on the other side of the court. No shot on goal should ever take you by surprise
Step 2. Communicate with your mates
The goalkeeper can see the entire pitch, so it is important that he effectively communicates what he sees to his teammates. This will help them figure out which opponents to keep an eye on or identify the patterns the other team uses most frequently. The goalkeeper can also encourage the most tired or unmotivated teammates.
- Talk to your teammates about some opponents or play patterns during a game stoppage, or when the ball is far away. It is important that they also notice what you have seen, so that they can defend your area more effectively.
- You can develop and use hand signals to give pointers to opponents and explain what your intentions are.
- Don't yell at your teammates too often. Be specific, short and firm in your suggestions, but speak politely. Remember: you are not the coach.
Step 3. Be aggressive and anticipate players aiming for the goal
If an opponent is running towards your area and preparing to shoot on goal, your job is to predict their intentions and aggressively defend the net. Your reaction to one-on-one situations can make the difference between a save and a goal conceded.
- Run towards the players in the net to reduce their shooting angle and cover more mirror of the goal. Going out aggressively is also a useful tool for intimidating opposing players.
- By moving your legs and staying on your toes, you can react more quickly to your opponent's movements. Even tenths of a second can make a difference on the pitch.
- Cover as much mirror of the goal as possible to intimidate players who approach you. You can do this by raising your hands above your head or spreading them to the sides of your body. This trick also offers a psychological advantage to the goalkeeper, which can make the attacker hesitate.
- Read the body language of the players moving towards the goal. For example, if you notice that an opponent plants the support foot on the ground to kick, you can understand well in advance what trajectory the ball will take. Observing a player's eyes can also give you a clue as to where he intends to kick the ball.
Step 4. Attack any ball that comes towards you
All balls traveling in the direction of the goalkeeper may end up between the goalposts. It is important to actively anticipate the conclusions and attack every ball, in order not to risk conceding easy goals to the opposing team. This means that you should always jump to reach even the shots that seem to you to overcome the crossbar!
Step 5. Para using your hands and feet
There are many ways to defend your goal: block the ball, kick it away, hit it with your fist to send it over the net… The best strategy to adopt depends on the trajectory the ball takes.
- Block the ball when you get the chance. This gives you the opportunity to kick him towards teammates, giving them the chance to score.
- When you block a ball destined for the goal, you can play it in two ways: by handing it to a defender with your hands or by throwing it with your feet to a more distant teammate.
- In some cases, blocking the ball is not the right choice, particularly if the shot is very high or fast. In these situations, it is better to deflect the shot with the palm of your hand or fingertips, or hit the ball with your fist to send it over the crossbar.
- Kick the ball before you have blocked it only in emergency situations, for example if you have to anticipate an attacker who is in good position.
- If the ball is low to the ground or comes to you from one side, throw yourself on the ground and get up immediately.
- Get up quickly if you dive to parry or kick a ball. You never know when you will be called for a second surgery.
Part 3 of 3: Training the Body and Mind
Step 1. Train the cardiovascular system
Soccer is a fast-paced sport that requires a lot of sprints over the course of matches of over 90 minutes. Even if you have to defend the goal and rarely run forward, you still need to be in top physical shape and be ready to run quickly to and from the goal line, or even out of your penalty area.
- Running is one of the most important physical activities for footballers and goalkeepers. Try to be able to run at a good pace for at least 90 minutes to make sure your body can handle a full game.
- You will also need to be able to sprint in and out of the penalty area to protect your goal from shooting and dangerous actions. To train that movement, you can do some sprinting exercises. For example, you could take 10 100-meter sprints to prepare your body to accelerate rapidly towards your destination.
Step 2. Do weight training
The goalkeeper must be able to clear the penalty area with his hands and feet. To do this effectively, you need strong arms and legs, which you can strengthen with weight lifting.
- Cardiovascular workouts, such as running, strengthen your legs, but weight-specific exercises for the lower limbs increase your strength in those parts of the body. Consider movements like squats, lunges, and press exercises, which are capable of working the whole leg.
- Since a goalkeeper must also be able to use his arms and hands, exercises to strengthen the upper body are also important. Try shoulder lifts, bicep curls, bench presses, and wrist curls. Using a tool like the Gripmaster will help you strengthen your fingers and wrists.
- You can also consider strength and flexibility workouts such as yoga. Some of the best teams in the world, such as Bayern Munich, practice yoga, not only to complement strength training, but also to improve the flexibility and fine motor skills of footballers. Also, yoga can train you to focus and relax more effectively.
Step 3. Work on your motor skills
To become a successful goalkeeper it is not enough to know how to kick or throw the ball. Remember, a goalkeeper is simply a player who can use his hands within his own penalty area. You will need to train your motor skills to handle the ball with your hands and feet with maximum effectiveness.
- To improve motor skills of the feet and legs, do dribbling exercises in different directions and try to kick the ball at precise distances from the goal line. When kicking the ball out of the penalty area, practice pointing your body and supporting foot in the direction of the throw's trajectory.
- You should also practice the two main steps used by the goalkeeper: the side slide and the crossover step. Jump sideways to improve your glide and turn your legs away from your hips for the crossover step.
- The goalkeeper must have great skill in controlling the ball with his hands. Throwing and catching exercises with partners or the trainer will help you improve your hand skills.
Step 4. Improve your reaction times
The goalkeeper must be able to anticipate the movements of the opponents and react accordingly. Some drills can help you improve reaction times, allowing you to make more timely saves.
One of the best exercises for reflexes is to kick a ball against a wall with different parts of the foot, then try to stop it before it passes your body
Step 5. Learn to predict the movements of the opponents
One of the main tasks of a goalkeeper is to get inside the attackers' heads and anticipate their moves. By learning to read opponents' movements, you will be able to better understand what they are about to do and position yourself more effectively to parry conclusions or block offensive actions.
- By playing a lot of games you will develop the experience needed to read the movements of the opponents. Often, thanks to observation, you will be able to identify recurring game patterns.
- Watch videos of other goalkeepers and players, to identify all the strategies that can help you predict the movements of the attackers and defenders, to always choose the best course of action.
- A useful exercise in learning to predict a player's movements is to train with a friend in penalty kicks and free kicks. Just replace the door with a couple of pins to improve your skills.
- Practice diving parades on a bed or soft mat.
Step 6. Learn how the principles of geometry can improve your technique
To be a good goalkeeper you need to anticipate shots on goal, which can come at different speeds from various angles. By developing a basic understanding of how the principles of mathematics and geometry determine the trajectory of a ball, you will be able to better anticipate opponents' conclusions.
- Always try to close the mirror on the goal, to give the shooter as few options as possible. For example, if a player approaches from the right, do not stay in the center of the goal. Instead, approach the right post and turn your body towards the ball.
- A good rule of thumb for positioning is to imagine that a string starts from the ball and lands in the center of the goal. Always try to find yourself in the path of that rope.
- If you get a low shot, don't just bring your hands down. Instead, lower your whole body for a chance to dive forward if necessary.
- If an opponent is taking a penalty, even then you must block the angle of the shot. Look for clues in the player's gaze and foot position to find out which corner of the goal to defend.
Step 7. Improve your mental stamina
Football requires mental strength to overcome difficult moments in matches. By working on your mental stamina you will be able to overcome all obstacles that arise on the pitch, as well as those that arise within your own team.
- It is important to understand that during a match, or even in training, nothing will ever go perfectly. You need to be emotionally flexible and resilient to quickly recover from negative experiences and not turn them into obstacles for your team.
- Having faith in your means will help you improve mental stamina. You can gain confidence by giving your best in training or thanks to the support of your team that makes you feel accepted and allows you to achieve good results.
- Cognitive exercises, such as motivational speeches and positive thinking, build your mental strength and prepare you for the games. Visualization is also an effective exercise. To do it, imagine an action without physically carrying it out.
- Talking to a sports psychologist can help you improve. For example, you may feel guilty when your team loses. But football is a team sport and understanding that not all defeats are your fault or the defensive's fault can help you become a stronger player.
Advice
- Remember that no player is born perfect. If you want to become a great goalkeeper, arm yourself with patience, confidence and do a lot of training. Keep trying and don't give up!
- Don't let teammates blame you for losing. Remember, even if you made some mistakes, the ball passed 10 other players before it got to you.
- Listen to your team and communicate with your teammates. Football requires collaboration, so interact with them to stop opponents from acting.
- Don't be afraid to dive in. If necessary, purchase knee pads.
- Diving is very important for a goalkeeper. Learn to predict opponents' movements, keep your eyes on the ball and follow the action.
Warnings
- Even the best goalkeepers make serious mistakes. When it happens to you, learn from your mistakes and move on, without breaking down too much.
- When playing, pay attention to the head. Many goalkeepers have suffered injuries in one-on-one exits or in head shots.
