A Beginner's Guide on How to Play Soccer

So you want to play soccer? Is it for recreation or are you playing a game of organized soccer. Because if you play soccer for recreation, all you need is some empty space to kick a ball around and a soccer ball. But if you’re playing on the more organized level then you need to have the essential equipment that the game requires. To outline these essential things you need, first essential would be of course the soccer ball. Without it, it’s not much of soccer, right? Next is a soccer cleats to protect your feet. It also allows you to kick the ball correctly. Then a soccer field would be the last.

22 players and 11 members per team play soccer. Positions can be variable depending on the soccer formation and strategy employed, but usually a team roster includes a goalkeeper and a couple of defenders, midfielders and attackers.

Dribbling the Ball
To dribble the ball, you should wear a proper soccer cleats. Without it you risk injury. Start this demonstration by putting down the ball near you feet. Now begin your forward advance taking the ball with you. How to do that? Push the ball forward with your foot as you make a step forward. Begin the dribble with a weak kick and maintain the ball rolling by kicking the ball alternately.

By the way, for those intermediate dribblers, here’s a video link showing a standard fake dribble. It is used to mislead your opponents to a certain direction while you actually go for another, just like a crossover. Actually, in soccer parlance, this is a crossover, by faking to move the ball to another direction then do the actual move after the fake.

Passing the Ball
Passing the ball is very easy, though the hardest part of passing accuracy. This is the starter player’s handicap. To do a standard rolling pass, you should kick the ball with the inside of your foot (instep and toe part). Your kick should hit the lateral part of the ball for it to travel in a roll. Kicking with the inside part of the foot also allows accuracy, wherein the arch is used to provide the ball direction. Ok, try it. Kick the ball with modest force with the arch providing direction.

Intermediate Passing and Shooting
The link also featured how to do a high pass. Notice how his foot made contact with the ball. For the ball to fly, the bottom of the ball should be hit while kicking. And to provide direction, the inside part (the toe part) of your foot should be the main contact of the bottom (of the ball)

Shooting the ball is the same as passing by a high ball. Even a rolling pass is considered shooting if it is used to score a goal. So now you see the importance of passing.

Playing soccer is easy; being good at soccer takes a bit more effort. To be competent on the sport, the only way is to practice and play. To be better, yet more practice and playing. But to be the best, again practice and play.
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