How to Become an Advanced Soccer Player
Play as much as possible with friends or local club teams., Pick up your pace of play., Practice with your non-dominant foot as much as possible., Learn to defend., Use practice to improve your weak spots, not show off your talents., Watch the pros...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Play as much as possible with friends or local club teams.
Get your friends together for a pick-up game, or join your local club team to get touches each week.
You will never get better if you aren't playing soccer as often as possible.
At the end of the day there are no shortcuts to becoming an advanced player except playing and practicing frequently.Try out for the best teams in your areas.
Better coaches and competition will help you improve at a much faster rate.
If you have no one to play with, go outside and shoot 100 shots against a wall, or pass back and forth.
Juggle or work on your tricks in the yard.
All you need to become a better soccer player is a ball and the will to work. -
Step 2: Pick up your pace of play.
Advance players see someone, make a decision, and execute the pass, shot, or move in milliseconds.
The best way to become an advanced player is to work on these quick decisions.
To do so-- Don't hold onto the ball for too long. 1-3 quick touches and a pass or shot is usually enough.
The longer you have the ball, the longer defenders have to get ready.
If you want to dribble, attack with pace.
Make the defender react to you quickly instead of giving them time to get in position.
Let the ball do the work.
You can never run faster than the ball can travel.
So move the ball often, changing the field with a cross or through-pass can throw the other team into disarray.
If you lose the ball or get beaten, immediately turn and try and win the ball back, or get into position., The best players aren't limited to only one foot.
If you are, other advanced players will quickly realize this and force you to use your weak foot, greatly diminishing your ability to pass, shoot, and defend.
Whenever possible, focus on your non-dominant foot, even if it is terrible when you first start out.
A two-footed soccer player is an incredible threat anywhere on the field. , It doesn't matter where you are on the field, the ability to win the ball back is essential for advanced players.
Individual defending (1v1) is one of the core skills of soccer players along with passing and shooting, and should not be defended.
To practice, simply play against a friend, taking turns attacking and defending.
Good individual defenders:
Stay low.
You're on the balls of your feet, knees bent slightly, in an athletic position.
Force a direction.
Put one foot forward and angle your body so that you're inviting the player to go one direction.
Usually, this is towards another defender or the touch line, but it could be towards someone's weak foot if you know, for example, that they never use their left foot.
Don't stab unless necessary.
Stabbing is when you lunge out to the ball.
A good defender waits until they have a good opportunity
-- like the ball pops a little too far forward or the attacker gets too close.
Watch the hips.
The belt-buckle almost always telegraphs where a player is going.
Feet will move rapidly (especially for tricks) and bobbing or shifting heads and shoulders are often used for fake outs.
The belt buckle, however, is roughly a player's center of gravity and is very hard to change on the fly., Practice is where you get better, not where you keep repeating the skills you've already got down.
You should be making mistakes in practice, trying out your opposite foot, playing a role you don't normally play (such as working on individual defending as a striker), and working out new combinations and passes with teammates.
The best players aren't afraid of embarrassing themselves at practice
-- they want to embarrass the other team during the game. , A great way to learn is to watch someone who is more advanced than you, do it.
If you play a specific position, you should focus on the player who is playing your position and take note of the things that they do.
Where are they when they don't have the ball? How often do they push forward or drop back on defense.
What kind of passes are the looking for?The European leagues, like La Liga, the English Premier League, and the Bundesliga are often the best places to start, as well as international tournaments like the World Cup.
You can also buy or borrow soccer tapes.
These tapes break-down different drills and tactics that will help you become an elite player.
They are very easy to follow and have proved to be extremely helpful to soccer players all over the world. , Your coach is there for a reason, and they can often see things that you cannot while you're playing.
Learning to take and use the advice given to you by your coach will prevent you from repeating the same mistakes over and over again, and will help you find your weak spots.Once or twice a season, ask your coach what you can do to improve.
Where does she/he think you can get better, and what sorts of drills or ideas can your practice on your own.
This is a great way to constantly find new ways to improve.
Hire an individual trainer or coach if you have different goals than that of the team(s) you are on.
Many very well qualified coaches or college soccer players train individuals by the hour and are relatively cheap.
This direct attention on the player and their needs is an excellent way to become a great player much faster. -
Step 3: Practice with your non-dominant foot as much as possible.
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Step 4: Learn to defend.
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Step 5: Use practice to improve your weak spots
-
Step 6: not show off your talents.
-
Step 7: Watch the pros play.
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Step 8: Take advice and guidance gracefully.
Detailed Guide
Get your friends together for a pick-up game, or join your local club team to get touches each week.
You will never get better if you aren't playing soccer as often as possible.
At the end of the day there are no shortcuts to becoming an advanced player except playing and practicing frequently.Try out for the best teams in your areas.
Better coaches and competition will help you improve at a much faster rate.
If you have no one to play with, go outside and shoot 100 shots against a wall, or pass back and forth.
Juggle or work on your tricks in the yard.
All you need to become a better soccer player is a ball and the will to work.
Advance players see someone, make a decision, and execute the pass, shot, or move in milliseconds.
The best way to become an advanced player is to work on these quick decisions.
To do so-- Don't hold onto the ball for too long. 1-3 quick touches and a pass or shot is usually enough.
The longer you have the ball, the longer defenders have to get ready.
If you want to dribble, attack with pace.
Make the defender react to you quickly instead of giving them time to get in position.
Let the ball do the work.
You can never run faster than the ball can travel.
So move the ball often, changing the field with a cross or through-pass can throw the other team into disarray.
If you lose the ball or get beaten, immediately turn and try and win the ball back, or get into position., The best players aren't limited to only one foot.
If you are, other advanced players will quickly realize this and force you to use your weak foot, greatly diminishing your ability to pass, shoot, and defend.
Whenever possible, focus on your non-dominant foot, even if it is terrible when you first start out.
A two-footed soccer player is an incredible threat anywhere on the field. , It doesn't matter where you are on the field, the ability to win the ball back is essential for advanced players.
Individual defending (1v1) is one of the core skills of soccer players along with passing and shooting, and should not be defended.
To practice, simply play against a friend, taking turns attacking and defending.
Good individual defenders:
Stay low.
You're on the balls of your feet, knees bent slightly, in an athletic position.
Force a direction.
Put one foot forward and angle your body so that you're inviting the player to go one direction.
Usually, this is towards another defender or the touch line, but it could be towards someone's weak foot if you know, for example, that they never use their left foot.
Don't stab unless necessary.
Stabbing is when you lunge out to the ball.
A good defender waits until they have a good opportunity
-- like the ball pops a little too far forward or the attacker gets too close.
Watch the hips.
The belt-buckle almost always telegraphs where a player is going.
Feet will move rapidly (especially for tricks) and bobbing or shifting heads and shoulders are often used for fake outs.
The belt buckle, however, is roughly a player's center of gravity and is very hard to change on the fly., Practice is where you get better, not where you keep repeating the skills you've already got down.
You should be making mistakes in practice, trying out your opposite foot, playing a role you don't normally play (such as working on individual defending as a striker), and working out new combinations and passes with teammates.
The best players aren't afraid of embarrassing themselves at practice
-- they want to embarrass the other team during the game. , A great way to learn is to watch someone who is more advanced than you, do it.
If you play a specific position, you should focus on the player who is playing your position and take note of the things that they do.
Where are they when they don't have the ball? How often do they push forward or drop back on defense.
What kind of passes are the looking for?The European leagues, like La Liga, the English Premier League, and the Bundesliga are often the best places to start, as well as international tournaments like the World Cup.
You can also buy or borrow soccer tapes.
These tapes break-down different drills and tactics that will help you become an elite player.
They are very easy to follow and have proved to be extremely helpful to soccer players all over the world. , Your coach is there for a reason, and they can often see things that you cannot while you're playing.
Learning to take and use the advice given to you by your coach will prevent you from repeating the same mistakes over and over again, and will help you find your weak spots.Once or twice a season, ask your coach what you can do to improve.
Where does she/he think you can get better, and what sorts of drills or ideas can your practice on your own.
This is a great way to constantly find new ways to improve.
Hire an individual trainer or coach if you have different goals than that of the team(s) you are on.
Many very well qualified coaches or college soccer players train individuals by the hour and are relatively cheap.
This direct attention on the player and their needs is an excellent way to become a great player much faster.
About the Author
Laura Lopez
With a background in lifestyle and practical guides, Laura Lopez brings 4 years of hands-on experience to every article. Laura believes in making complex topics accessible to everyone.
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