Given its worldwide popularity, it should come as no surprise that legions of individuals everywhere are interested in learning more about soccer. Reading about soccer and learning about it are very helpful prior to trying to play. Read on to learn some great tips that will better your game.
If a defender is closing in on you, pass the ball. Hold onto the ball as long as possible, but advance steadily and pass when necessary. Other players on your team will have enough time to move before the defenders reach them.
Don’t pass up on times when you can be practicing. Try to keep your ball with you at all times, this way if you find yourself with a few minutes to spare, you can perform a few drills. Just use your feet to keep it under control so it becomes second nature.
Soccer is a sport for teams, and should involve everyone on the field. Never forget that there are other people on the field. Playing just boost your glory can backfire on you, especially if you’re not cooperating with your teammates. It’s important to play for your team, not just yourself. You will need to sacrifice some personal recognition in order to further the goals of the team.
Few players know how to control lofted balls. If you want to pass the ball to your teammate without the other team getting it, your passes should be low so you can whip it. A lofted ball is best when your teammate is in an open area that is free from the opponent.
Practice your penalty kicking on a regular basis after training. You can use this to train yourself to concentrate on making the penalty kick after a foul. Come up with a few standard kicks for use during penalties, and make sure to practice them until you succeed every time.
Surprise can be a great help when you play soccer. Try passing to the left while dribbling to the right. The person defending you will probably not expect this; as a result, you can evade him and quickly find an open route. Even though your teammates might be shocked at first, soon enough they will understand how you play the game.
You need to wear the correct shoes when you’re out on the field. Tennis shoes and cleats for football just won’t cut it. Wearing the wrong shoes increases the chance of you hurting yourself or another player.
Play soccer indoors rather than outdoors on occasion. Indoor soccer uses a smaller field. This will force you to work on decision making and ball control. The practicing of those skills will help you have a better performance when you’re back outside.
Communication is the cornerstone to success with any soccer team. This will ensure you win more games than you lose. When a spot opens up, communicate to the player holding the ball. You need to practice some terms for these situations. For example, yell “through” to let your teammate know you’ll split two defenders and be ready for a pass.
Soccer truly has a global appeal. Even so, this isn’t a sport that everyone can understand or master. Now that you have this information to hand, you can take advantage of the fun and fitness benefits that can be gained during a game of soccer.