9 Strategies to Make Yourself a Better Player

Work Smarter, Not Harder

Everyone wants to be a better soccer player, but most don't do what is needed to make it happen. Its a simple sport, so train and get consistent at the simple facets.

Every high-level player, say a professional is able to make the same pass 100 times in a row, or 100 shots on frame. Its doing the small parts repetitively that will allow for further growth of your skills.

Start with the very basics of soccer and build upon them like a puzzle, once you have a few pieces in place you can fill in the missing areas.

Are you willing to work?

#1    Lets look at some portions of the games most players neglect to train consistently:

• passing under pressure
• being aware of the field with the ball
• being aware of the field WITHOUT the ball
• heading technique
• passing/shooting technique
• skill moves

You cant go to a game and expect to play at a high-level if you can't make a 10 yard pass accurately under pressure. For that matter you always have to be aware of the field and play around you! If you need more help with the basics than Click Here!

#2 Soccer is more than just technique and skill, train your body!

You have to be physical able to keep up in the modern game. Training your body is just as important as your technique. Work on your leg strength, flexibility, and upper body strength.

Try using this to help you out ~

The Ultimate Guide To Weight Training For Soccer (Ultimate Guide to Weight Training: Soccer)

#3  Foot speed is crucial, don't neglect it.

Just as important as having strong legs, its also key to make those legs quick. Using a ladder and footwork drills will allow you to keep up with shifty players.

#4  Fitness is key; agility and sprint speed must be trained to its fullest

The footwork drills you do to train your foot speed is apart of the greater sphere of fitness. When looking at your fitness levels ask yourself "am I able to play a full 90 minutes" and just as important "can I sprint the same as the first and last minute of the game".

WORK ON YOUR FITNESS LEVELS AS PARTS  A WHOLE!

I can't stress it enough, being the fastest on the field isn't as important if you cant sprint more than a few times. So don't neglect your endurance, agility and stamina.

#5  Train your mental toughness:

Mental strength and fortitude is a massive part of any sport. You must have confidence in your play, even when you make mistakes. Its about picking yourself up and immediately moving onto the next pass.
If you lose possession, try and gain it back as soon as possible. Pump yourself up before every game or training, and believe in yourself. Try getting into listening to music that gets your blood flowing. Make sure you collect yourself and be calm when on the ball, and not letting that blood get to your head.

Use mental imaging to picture yourself making the correct pass, or scoring a goal before you play and it will help you succeed in that action!

#6  Read up on your position

Tactical information is critical to becoming a more well-rounded player. You do not want to be the one player that runs around like a chicken with its head cut off.You must know what to do in different scenarios before they occur.

If you play a certain position learn it by heart; the runs you have to make, when to call for the ball, what passes to make, etc.! Watch the professionals and learn what they do in the position you play.

#7  Analyze your opponent before and during the game

If you are getting warmed for a game, or just starting one try to review your opponents you will be going up against. Look at their strengths and weaknesses to help yourself against them. If their strong foot is the right foot, force them to use their left by positioning them to their left side.

#8  Train using the right equipment:

A key part is training using equipment that actually will help you. The professionals and higher-level players get access to the best training tools in the world. Using things such as the SKLZ rebounder, help you work on passing, shooting, and volleying in different scenarios!

I am not saying that basic cones differ from what pros have but their are materials to help you. This also mean using the right cleats that wont break down easily, while also offering assistance with your touch.

#9  Last but not least, Eating healthy and getting rest is critical to further gains

What you put into your body is what you become. This is not fully literal, but if you eat junk food your body will become junk! Eat healthy and incorporate the right types of foods like veggies or fruits to give your body the energy and nutrients they require.

Soccer Mindgames

Soccer, like any sport, is a game not just play with the body but also the mind.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes, but be ready to fix them.

A game of two halves, and a game played with the body and mind. Using your mind is just as, if not more important than your athletic nature and body. You can have all the skill in the world but you have to be confident in yourself using it or it will go to waste.

My favorite quote of "hard work beats talent, when talent does not work hard" exemplifies the mind games. It isn't just about being talented in skill and athleticism, its about working hard off the field. This includes pushing your mental toughness to get you to the level you want.

Its about perseverance on the training pitch when no one is looking, that will apply to game day. It is about the facet of being confident in what you are as a player, and developing that confidence to make you as strong as you can be.

These books here can help you on and off the field:

• Bring Your "A" Game: A Young Athlete's Guide to Mental Toughness
• The Mental Game of Soccer: Playing the Game One Touch at a Time (Masters of The Mental Game Series Book) (Volume 14)
• 44 Secrets for Mastering Mental Toughness in Soccer
• or even this general sports guide Mind Gym : An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence

I wish I had used any one of these books, but instead I got other assistance as you'll see below!

Mental fortitude is huge in gaining an upper hand over other players. The biggest players in the world are also the most confident in their own skill. Lets look at a standout of this, Zlatan, a player whose Ego knows no limit.

He makes himself the center stage of any interview and captivates the people around him. He protrudes confidence, and in doing so it shows when he stands out on the field. His skill alone is tremendous don't get me wrong, but it wont give hi all the success he has had without the confidence.

 Lets look at his recent arrival at Manchester United, his skill was not giving him the results he wanted. He struggled in his first couple of weeks, but has now started to pick up his usual scoring with 5 in 4 games. Through his dry spell he has to stay mentally tough, and cant reminisce on mistakes or errors he made, and has to be ready for the next opportunity.

"Dare to Zlatan"- Be confident in yourself

Just as Zlatan has to stay confident in rough patches of form, so doesn't you or me.. Its tough to pick your head up after making a sloppy pass, a poor touch, or a shank of a shot, especially when you know you can do better.

Yet what I have learned is to not worry in the moment, but to immediately move on from the mistake. Look to improve the next pass, shot, or touch. You can critique yourself after the game or practice of the errors you made, but do so in a positive manner.

There's no reason to punish yourself, and make yourself feel like crap. You just have to see what you work on  to fix the errors you made, and that is working and training in consistency.

Soccer can be tough, but you have to be more tough!

I have had tons of mental breakdowns and moments of lack of confidence throughout my career. I still get them time to time, and at the collegiate level it can affect your game more than lower levels, as the competition only gets tighter.

You can be playing great in a few games, then make a few errors, and next your sulking on them and getting down on yourself. This can lead to playing even worst, and creating a deeper hole for yourself. From here you can find yourself playing less and less and eventually on the bench, but there's a way around this. Mental toughness is the answer, and digging yourself out of every hole.

https://exactsports.com/soccer/

The biggest moments in a soccer match are 10 minutes into each half, and 5 minutes after a goal is scored. Be mentally ready for those moments and your skill will do the rest.

The best thing I ever did in my soccer career was an ID camp for colleges, but with a goal to enhance and enrich the players mental game. It was the perfect timing for me as I was needed that extra confidence before heading to play college soccer.

 It was called Exact soccer camp, and to this day I still try and use the methods they taught me. Its simple really, its about positive thoughts leading up to the game day- mental fortitude and imaging the success you want on the field. Picturing yourself doing the actions well and correctly and usually that's relays over to the actual game. Pump yourself with a battle cry, let yourself be infused in the moment but not relying on every play or mistake.

What it comes down to is using mental techniques of positive imaging before the game, and than use it during the game always trying to stay positive and look for the next play. If you make a bad pass or loss possession , immediately work to earn it back! If you miss a shot wide left or right, focus on the next one and get it on frame, one step at a time! If you want a training guide for enhancing those skills than Click Here!.

Professional soccer players make mistakes, the like's of Messi and Ronaldo aren't 100% perfect, yet game in and game out they are consistent. They move past their errors and mishaps to get them self ready for the next play, a huge reason why their talent and hard work are able to be so consistent. Anyone can do it, its just another part of working hard to get where you want to be as a player.

Work on your mental game to increase your playing level!