Stretching increases flexibility, prevents injuries, and improves performance.
Most players stretch wrong.
They stretch before playing (use soccer warmup drills instead), hold stretches for the wrong length of time, and do the wrong stretches for soccer.
A good active warmup prevents injuries and gets players in the right mindset.
We highly recommend an active warmup over static stretching. Static stretching may increase injuries.
We know you want to start playing as soon as possible, but warming up is worthwhile. Your chances of getting injured will decrease and you will play better.
When you tryout for a team the coach will often ask “what’s your position?”
It’s possible to play many positions, but as you grow as a player you should specialize in one or two.
Choosing one or two positions will make you more effective on the pitch for two reasons:
You beat three players and dribble towards goal.
Adrenaline surges through your body. You know scoring would impress the scouts that are here to see you play.
You look up and see the goalkeeper charging your position.
Want to learn how to play soccer as quickly as possible?
If so you’ve found the right article. Follow these 8 steps to learn how to play the beautiful game:
Passing is a skill that has to be repeated over and over. By repeating passing with the correct technique using these drills, you are creating muscle memory.
I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to practice passing over and over. It’s the skill you will use the most on the pitch.
These drills will help you practice your passing. Utilize them:
Dribbling with skill requires hours of constant practice.
It’s well worth it though. Dribbling well is one of the most satisfying aspects of soccer.
Use these drills to become a better dribbler of a soccer ball:
Technique isn’t the only aspect of shooting you should focus on.
I constantly see players with good shots that could score more goals if they made simply tweaks to their play.
This article will cover everything important about shooting that isn’t covered in our articles How to Shoot a Soccer Ball With Power and Accuracy, How to Kick a Soccer Ball, and 7 Types of Soccer Shots.
It’s important to learn how to dribble properly. While the other page on The Complete Soccer Guide focuses on technique, this page provides general dribbling tips.
These tips will help you improve your dribbling ability. Make sure to apply them the next time you’re on the pitch.
Here’s 12 soccer dribbling tips:
Ball control isn’t a flashy skill, but it’s very important. In my opinion it’s the most important skill in soccer. Without it, you’re nearly useless on the pitch.
Use these tips to improve your ball control. Work at it daily and you will notice improvements fast.
Here’s 9 soccer ball control tips: