Figure 1 There is a lot to be learned from watching soccer game – Source: Unsplash
You may have heard the old expression, “If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well”. Essentially, that means that you should always put a lot of effort in to get the best possible result. With many areas of life that can soon become something of a chore. But if part of the end product of becoming a better soccer player is watching more soccer, we think that’s a great idea!
There is never a guarantee that you will one day be winning international trophies or featuring on some of the best soccer betting sites. Only a very select few ever make it to the pinnacle of any profession – especially in sports. But improving your own game and becoming the best player you can be is an achievement in itself.
Soccer players obviously have to put in the hours on the training field and play a lot of games to get better. But you can actually improve just by watching more soccer – here are some of the reasons why.
It Doesn’t Matter What Game
We should start off by saying that it really doesn’t matter what level of soccer you are watching. Obviously, if you choose World Cups and Champions League finals, you will be watching the very best in the game. But you can pick up so much from watching any soccer game – and that can be even more accessible if the game in question is a local team.
The beauty of soccer is that it is essentially the same game whether it is played at the San Siro or at your local park. The laws of the game are the same, there are the same number of players, and the preferred outcome is the same for Lionel Messi or your local players. Take in everything you can from every soccer game you watch and you will feel the benefit.
Positional Play
By studying soccer, rather than merely watching, you are really taking notes for future revision. If you watch an entire game of soccer you can see so much more than the person in charge of producing the highlights package thinks is important. You can gain a better understanding of the whole game – and this is especially true when it comes to positions on the field.
If you are beginning to concentrate on a position in your own gameplay, you can see how players move, with and without the ball, and adapt your own game accordingly. By watching where players move at particular moments in a game, you will be able to position yourself in a more effective way.
Tactics
There has been an explosion of soccer-related data in recent years and now everyone seems to know about different formations and why wing-backs might be more effective than a flat back four, for example. But there is a lot of jargon used as well – and that might sound confusing to someone just starting out in the game.
Try to take in what you can when pundits and coaches talk about tactics and formations and then see how their words have been put into practice on the field. Not only will you gain a greater overall understanding of how teams set up against different opponents, but you will also be able to understand more about your own role in different formations and how you can better help your team.
Communication
One of the very noticeable things about very young soccer players is that there is a distinct lack of communication on the field. This is completely understandable – they are only just starting to understand what is going on. But the contrast with a professional game could not be starker, especially when it comes to effective teamwork.
By watching soccer games, you will notice how the players are continually talking to each other. This might be in the form of encouragement or instruction. This communication – and instructions coming from the coaches – should ensure that there are never any unwanted surprises. Communication is key in soccer and watching it in action is a great way to train yourself to become more vocal on the field.
Try to Focus
By this, we don’t mean that you should be ignoring the wider picture concerning how a team goes about a game. But if you have gotten to the point in your own career where you are settled in on a position, it could be very beneficial to specifically watch individual professionals showing you how to do it to the best ability.
There is no need to do this for every single game you watch, as you will begin to miss out on what makes soccer so good in the first place. But by taking time to concentrate on one player during a game and focusing in on how they move, you will get a better idea of what is required of yourself when you cross the white line.
Figure 2 You can put what you have learned into practice – whatever your level – Source: Unsplash
Enjoy the Game!
As much as soccer has become a game with greater educational tools and learning moments, in the end, it is still just a game that we all love. You can learn so much from just watching soccer games but the main thing to remember is that you should enjoy the sport. Everything else can be secondary. You may be surprised how much you learn when you’re not even thinking about it that way.