Do you think you have what it takes to play for an amateur or professional football team? Do you dream of playing regular competitive football in front of a die-hard crowd? If your answer is yes, take a look at our top tips for aspiring footballers.
Boost Your Cardiovascular Exercises
If you want to bag yourself one of few soccer scholarships to become a professional footballer, you must be physically fit. As you will probably already know, football is more than just dribbling or kicking a football. You must be in tip-top physical condition to withstand 90 minutes of a match.
One way to boost your cardiovascular endurance is by running up to 3 miles per day. Try to vary your routine by running up hill, walking back down and then running back up. Perform between five to ten sets and you will soon find you’re much quicker on the pitch.
Use Both Your Feet
Surprisingly, many footballers rely on one foot over the other. You can therefore get ahead of the game by learning to use both your feet. Try to identify the weakest foot so you can make it a force to be reckoned with. One way to do so is by kicking a ball against a wall using only your weakest foot, training it to not only kick, but to control the ball, too.
To create a stronger team, you should gather your players together to participate in a scratch game, which means you all only play with your weakest foot. It will help each player identify their strengths or weakness and they could even see a difference towards the end of the game – so they’ll be ready for a real game next time.
Perfect a Trick
Football tricks can help you deceive your opponents during a game. Just when they think they have the ball, you perform a trick that throws them off their game and helps your team score a goal. Watch online videos to watch the masters do it best, and re-watch the footage until you have a good grasp on what you need to do. Practice the trick and only use it once you’re confident – but don’t overuse it or your opponent could see the trick coming and gain an advantage.
Be Inspired
Whether you are inspired by a local sporting hero or the great Maradona, watch the professionals’ skills closely so you can mirror their talent and achievements. It’s best to pick a player who has the same position as you, which will allow you to learn how to perform his tricks and identify how he acts when he doesn’t have the ball. You might be surprised by how many professional players take inspiration from other players, because imitation is the best form of flattery.
If you have the passion and are willing to work hard, you might just become a professional footballer and even exceed your hero’s achievements. So, stay fit, perfect your skills and banish every weakness, and you could soon be playing the beautiful game in front of a crowd of thousands of people.
