Unlock The Most Important Football Skills For Young Players

Football is a fantastic sport that has the potential to change people’s lives for the better. It’s no surprise that parents want their children to participate in the beautiful game. Having said that, there is a lot of competition in football, with thousands of players trying to follow their dreams every day.

So, if you want to make it big in football or if you have a child who has the potential to become a professional, there are a few football skills that must be mastered.

These football skills provide young footballers with a foundation upon which to build their game, as well as basic knowledge that will benefit them both on and off the field. So, let us look at some of the most important football skills to teach young players.

Passing

Knowing what to do with the ball once a young footballer has it under control is critical. When should you keep it, and when should you pass it to a teammate? It is, without a doubt, a good practice to encourage young players to pass the ball to their teammates rather than holding it for too long. This promotes team spirit and gives each player a sense of involvement, which keeps them engaged in the game.

the technique:

The basic passing technique is to use the inside of the foot, aim for the center of the ball, and open up the hips to ensure precision. It is also worth noting that once players learn to pass, they must also learn to move. At the highest level, that is the name of the game.

You must be in an advantageous position to receive the ball. Passing and moving to a good position is thus a fundamental skill that benefits any footballer at any stage of development. It is one of the best ways to get around defenses and cause havoc because no defender wants to face off against players who can pass and change positions to receive the ball again. If you can do that, there’s no need to dribble!

Pace And Athleticism

While it may not be the most important skill that any footballer needs, it is becoming increasingly important. Nowadays, the best footballers are often also the best athletes. They turn faster, have more stamina, and accelerate faster than their competitors.

Being quick on the turn early in a player’s career makes them a prolific dribbler later in their career. They gain an extra second on the defenders and can make that count with their increased speed.

no space for those who lack athleticism

Those lacking in athleticism and speed often have to do a lot more with the ball, and few coaches like having them on their teams. Quicker and more flexible players, on the other hand, can fit into a variety of roles and are far more tactically adaptable than their slower counterparts.

Gone are the days when unfit footballers only played for the occasional flash of brilliance. Nowadays, every player defends as well as attacks. So athleticism and pace should be emphasized from a young age because they will be extremely beneficial later in life.

Vision

Once young players understand how to pass the ball and how positions and defense work, they must progress to learning about vision. There is always an easy pass available on the field, but it rarely results in a goal on its own.

To beat a good defense, you must frequently ignore that pass in favor of a tough progressive pass that can lead to more goal-scoring opportunities
Learning the skill of vision is extremely valuable as a young player develops and learns the fundamentals. However, basic ball control and passing ability are required for this.

a benchmark for youngsters:

A player must look down to control a pass after receiving it. Players grow accustomed to having the ball at their feet over time. They can now raise their heads, look around, and practice their vision.

This skill is especially important for young players aspiring to be midfielders, as the value a midfielder brings to a team is often based on the vision they can provide. Haven’t we all witnessed the magical visions of Xavi, Iniesta, Modric, and Busquets? With their supernatural vision, these players were able to rip apart any defense.

Defense

Most footballers begin by playing in a rugby-like fashion, with everyone chasing the ball and forming an indistinguishable mob. However, as young footballers progress, they begin to learn about team positions and roles. Some eventually become defenders, while others become attackers.

Of course, most players do not prioritize defense. But, with time, the realization sets in, and defenders seize control of the situation. At this point, it is necessary to teach them the fundamentals of defense. The fundamentals of defense include spatial awareness and a sense of position.

discipline in defending:

The majority of defending is done by carefully reading the game and anticipating opposition moves. Of course, there’s the famous Paolo Maldini quote in which he says that if he has to make a tackle, it means he’s already made a mistake. At this point, children learn about discipline as they discover that if they abandon their position in an adventurous run for glory, they may be punished on the counterattack.

This discipline can be found in some of the world’s most illustrious defenders and is a fundamental skill that every defender must master. Physical attributes appear as time passes, but they are reserved for a much later stage in development.

Sportsmanship

Last but not least, sportsmanship must be mentioned. One of the most important functions of sport is to instill sportsmanship in its participants. These are values such as accountability, decision-making, leadership, dealing with failure, and patience. As a result, any young football player who goes through the trials and tribulations of the game learns about these values as he deals with a variety of situations.

Experiencing defeat teaches children humility, which teaches them to celebrate with dignity. Leaders are the best performers on the field, and every pass is a decision that must be made quickly but precisely.

These abilities are important not only on the field but also off it. So any athlete who adheres to these values becomes an honorable citizen and a credit to society.

Other Skills

The football skills listed above are the fundamentals that any young player should learn. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list because different roles may have different needs.

shooting:

The ability to shoot is not mentioned above. It is every young player’s favorite skill and something they enjoy doing all day. In a team sport like football, however, shooting ability alone is insufficient. When you are close to the goal, you only shoot.

So, first and foremost, you must be able to get close to the goal from the halfway point. And for that, skills such as ball control, passing, vision, and pace are critical.

the idea behind these skills:

These fundamental skills also assist players in becoming good dribblers. The pace and exceptional ball control are the foundations of any good professional dribbler. So whatever skills you see on the professional level are extensions of the fundamental skills that young footballer learns in their early days.

Because these are the most important, it made sense to focus on them specifically. All other soccer skills are either derivatives or extensions of the previously discussed skills. Mastering these will eventually improve your performance in other areas of the game. Also, these may appear to be basic and fundamental, with no flamboyance, but you get the idea now!

Conclusion

To make it big on the professional stage, a young footballer must first master a few basic skills. Ball control, passing to a teammate and moving to receive it back, pace and athleticism, vision to see the perfect pass, defensive awareness, and sportsmanship are some of these fundamental skills.

Once a young footballer has mastered these fundamental, yet pivotal skills, progressing to more advanced football skills such as dribbling and shooting becomes much easier.

Every skill in football is an extension of these basic skills, and learning them becomes much easier if the foundation of football knowledge is strong. These abilities also help to instill in young children a sense of responsibility and team spirit, which benefits them not only on the field but also off it.

Here are Some of our Favourite Football (Soccer) Cleats

Here we will be giving more of an opinion, rather than facts. Are the cleats worth the price that they are being sold at? Should you upgrade from your current cleats, depending on what boots you own? What features stand out in these cleats? If any. Does it do the job? Speed, control, stability etc.

Depending on your needs/preferences. We can also mention its durability, if we have collected enough data on the specific cleats.

What did we expect vs. what we got. Is it maybe overrated/underrated?

Elite

Here’s our pick from the very best of the bunch.

Pro

On your way to the pro leagues? Here’s our pick.

Academy

Want something to start with? Have a look at our pick.