There are many articles that tell you the benefits of playing soccer, but we must recognize that your requirements as a player are also important. This suggestion is based on my previous college experience before my injury and my experience as a Soccer Coach. We don’t have to agree on everything but this theory is how I was able to be one of the exceptional players on every team I ever worked for before my trauma.
Enjoyment and Self-motivation
I believe that the key to success in anything is to enjoy what you do and maintain self-control. I love this saying, and this is something I created and say to myself: “You must relish it, want to have it before thinking about how you can deliver it.”
If you are not sure if you want to play soccer, suffice yourself a favor and simply don’t extend into it because you will dislike it at the conclusion of your test. Now, if you are 5 years or 12 years old, you can practice what you want, because you have plenty of time to mess up. Most (if not all) professional soccer players enjoy what they do, so they work harder, compete at higher levels, stay motivated, and enjoy the money they earn lol. Soccer is a competitive sport and it is frequently hard to get somebody to incite you. No one has the time to waste and because there are thousands of good soccer players, coaches don’t waste time motivating someone who is not concerned in the first place.
Fitness & Dedications
Fitness is important in every sport, but soccer sets a pitch on a different level of fitness. Fitness is a good life practice, it is beneficial to get to the gym, bike, jug, and you make it, but soccer fitness is a lot more than you can conceive of. To be successful in soccer, your fitness and work ethic must be considered one, you can’t separate the two; imagine running for ninety minutes (1 hour 30 minutes) on and off the soccer ball. Successful players work overtime, do extra when no one is looking and to do this, you must be self-disciplined. I am not just speaking about working out in the gym or running, however, I am talking about playing with the soccer ball on your bases, flowing to the ball, sleeping with the ball (you know what I mean), making the soccer ball your best friend. I am talking about not going to bed each day without touching the soccer ball. Now, many people will say you must know beautiful tracks to play Professional soccer. Let’s be honest, skills are good, but I will tell you this, NO coach appreciates a lazy player. If you are a good player, but you don’t lay in the work or you don’t work hard enough, you will soon realize your skills along the bench watching players with the work ethic and fitness required for the game.
Skills & Work Ethic
For example, Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, commonly known as Ronaldinho. This guy was a soccer superman, lots of skills, he could do anything with the soccer ball, he was referred to as the soccer witch and the soccer ball was glued to his feet. Ronaldinho could embarrass any player on the soccer field and you will have to double team him when he is in possession of the ball, but one thing most people didn’t notice was his work ethic because he made soccer look simple. He was very determined, he prepared a lot both on and off the soccer ball, the soccer ball was his best friend, he kisses the ball to prove his affection and love of the game.
Let’s feel at another guy who is not as skillful as Ronaldinho, but is still one of the best in the world today and he is Lionel Andres Messi. Messi can’t be described in two words, because his achievements are countless. Messi is not a very skillful player, but you can clearly see the hard work and time he dedicates to his game. His passion is what I mean when I said “the love of the game.” This guy is strong, he understands the game, he is unpredictable, he is clinical in front of goals, he is a team player, and he never gives up. Skills and work ethic are good, but I strongly encourage Work ethics over skills, and if you work hard, you can have both Skills and Work ethics in your game. One big piece of advice: No drugs and unhealthy food
Sportsmanship
Oh Oh, this is it! I have another formula that I created: Teamwork + Individual Hard work = Success!
I think Cristiano Ronaldo is a king of soccer sportsmanship! However, this is just my opinion, it should not take your attention off the main idea in this session. You need to be a team player; soccer is a sport that requires a lot of coordination, and you need the help of your teammates to win the game. When playing as a team, you must work together on and off the ball, work to maintain possession of the soccer ball, because it allows you to control the game, and controlling the game gives you the chance of winning a game. Teamwork is important in order to be a successful person. You will accomplish a great deal working as a team, therefore, you need to act collectively as a team. As the saying goes; “no human is an island,” so it is when playing soccer. The only situation, where I encourage a player to be selfish, is in front of the goal when he/she is one-on-one with the opposition goalkeeper and is in the best situation to score a goal. Take a look at some of the world’s greatest soccer players, just to mention a few, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, David Beckham, Kaka’, Steven Gerrard, Cafu, Xavi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi. One thing all of these players have in common is sportsmanship and individual hard work.
This video will possibly take tears from your eye!
Discipline and Respect
This is another one and it is something that can get hard for players, especially if you, the player, think you are better than the other players in the team. A respected person is a disciplined and respectful person. To succeed in soccer and any sport, you must first follow the instructions of coaches and respect your peers. It is much easier to honor people in higher offices because you know there is a consequence if you don’t, but valuing the people you play with is as important as respecting the people in higher offices. One thing I tell people is “you never know what the future holds and you don’t know your position tomorrow”. The teammate you disrespect today may stop playing, go to school for coaching and you (the disrespectful superstar) can perhaps come across the teammate you disrespected (who is now a coach) when you are trying for your next big soccer contract. Respect doesn’t end with your teammates so, you must extend your respect to your opponents; soccer is a friendly sport and everyone is a member of a big family.
Respecting others should be one of your soccer commandments!
Learn your position (watch videos)
This is something that most young players don’t take the time to study and it is mostly because they have no idea of how to do that or “they just don’t know about learning your position”. When you are playing soccer, you have eleven (11) players on each team and each of those players have different responsibilities, role, and positions. It is advisable that you learn and study your position very well. You don’t have to be skillful like other players, however, if you know what your responsibilities are and how to accomplish them, you are on the road to a successful career. Most players ask, “how can I study my position” and the answer is “watch videos of a professional soccer player who plays the same position”. Spend some time every day before going to bed or before soccer practice and watch some soccer videos on YouTube or past games, and keep your focus only on the person playing your position. Make sure to watch the attacking and defending team and you will better understand your responsibilities as a player when your team is attacking with the ball or defending the ball.
If you understand your position, you will become unstoppable and you will become easily noticed among others.
Serve
In that respect, there is not much to say here because I am not a Pastor or a Bishop but I can declare that I do serve God. A lot of people don’t like to hear this because they believe “there is no God” but I know there is God and He has been there for me countless times during difficult moments. So whatever you serve or believe in, you must serve it with all your heart and your soul.
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