For us younger folks, Brazil soccer is great because that's how it's meant to be...we take that as a natural order of things, having grown up with the Brazilian soccer team's successes in the World Cups of the 1990s.
But the myth of Brazilian soccer was born a lot earlier, in times when soccer started to become a worldwide "plague" and there are a lot of people who attribute this internalization of soccer to the Brazilian team of the 50s, a team that was lead to success by one of the most preeminent figures in sports, the famous soccer player Pele.
Born Edson Arantes do Nascimento, Pele climbed a steep mountain from living his youth in a poor Brazilian family, to becoming one of the most beloved figures in the modern history of sports. His father was a footballer himself, playing for Fluminense in the Brazilian league and it was only natural that young Pele would follow his father's footsteps in the game.
He wasn't always known as Pele though. Rumor has it that this nickname was given to him in primary school, as he kept misspelling the name of one of his favorite players at that time, Vasco Da Gama's goalkeeper Bile.
His schoolmates gave him this new nickname and mostly made fun of him, so he obviously disliked it; so much that he punched the fellow classmate that coined the nicknamed. However, in time, he gradually became used to it and even started liking it and it wasn't long before everyone knew the soccer wonderkid as Pele.
Living in poverty, he couldn't afford soccer equipment, nor a soccer ball. He shined shoes for an extra coin that would help him and his friends stitch up a newspaper-filled sock to use as a football. He formed a team with his neighbors from the Sete de Setembro street and even participated in a youth tournament, where the team earned the nickname "the shoeless ones" because none of the kids could afford to waste their walking shoes (if any) on playing soccer.
A few years later, each member of the team worked hard for the extra money to get a proper pair of shoes and renamed their team to Ameriquinha. Participating in numerous youth tournaments with Ameriquinha, Pele made a name for himself at a tender age for his prowess in front of goal, becoming top scorer in almost all of these tournaments.
At the tender age of 15, he caught the eyes of one of the biggest teams in Brazil, FC Santos, who offered him a contract and by 16 he was already a member of the senior squad. He spent almost his entire career at Santos, since European transfers weren't that popular back, although the final 2 years of his career were spent at New York Cosmos, before Pele finally hanged his boots.
Pele made his debut in the Brazilian soccer team in the same year he debuted at Santos' senior squad, when he was just 16 years old. Amazingly, he was taken on to the 1958 World Cup squad, at age 17, becoming the youngest player in the competition. He even scored a crucial goal in the quarterfinals against Wales, a goal which took Brazil past that stage and into the semis.
But Pele was saving the best for the final: meeting Sweden, he scored a magnificent goal, lobbing the ball past a defender and volleying it into the net, eventually winning the final for Brazil. After the match ended, the effort and the joy bundled up and the 17-year old Pele couldn't take it, passing out on the field and needing medical attention.
As a soccer player, Pele attended 3 more World Cups, between 1962 and 1970, winning the first and latter. He was the first player ever to score in 4 different World Cups and in 1970 he achieved a unique performance that boosted him to the heights of international soccer: he scored 1,000 official goals for club and country.
Although many dispute this record or try to bring it down, saying that soccer wasn't as defensive or tactical back than as it is today (which is partially true), his merit of being a major stand pole on the international soccer stage between the mid 50s all the way to the late 70s should not be undermined. Named best soccer player in the World and athlete of the 20th century, Pele now acts as an ambassador for soccer and fair play.
http://www.goarticles.com
10/25/07
How To - Step By Step Soccer Moves
Ever wondered what makes great soccer moves actually great? Is it their quickness, is it the outstanding ball control that the dribbler needs to possess in order to pull them off, or is it simply seeing the look on the poor defender's face when he gets his ankles twisted by the move?
I'll tell you what makes them great: it's the countless hours that those outstanding dribblers out there put in their practice that allow them to perform seemingly impossible moves with the ease of a rabbit hopping uphill. If you ever dreamt of being able to perform such great soccer moves, you'll have to work hard to get them. And you can do so with the help of the following step by step soccer moves guide.
Step by Step Soccer Moves - The Stepover and Double Stepover
This move has an affinity for players named Ronaldo (or is it vice-versa, I can't remember), since both of today's popular Ronaldos, the Brazilian striker - Nazario da Lima - and the Portuguese winger - Cristiano - tend to use it as their trademark move. It's one of the advanced soccer moves you'll be practicing, so don't expect it to be snap-easy to master. Here's how to perform the stepover, step by step (don't worry, it takes fewer steps to perform it than the amount of steps in this sentence):
Step 1 - Get the ball close to your feet and have it slowly move forward, towards the direction you're facing.
Step 2 - With your left foot, hover over the ball in a circular motion and plant it on the left side of the ball.
Step 3 - With the other foot, cut the ball to the right and go past your opponent.
Notes: Obviously, you can switch feet, I just used left first and right for the cut for clearer explanation purposes. If you want to perform a double stepover, or a triple stepover, instead of cutting with the base foot, you can use it to hover over the ball again and so forth.
Step by Step Soccer Moves - The Sweep
Another advanced soccer move that won't be easy to master, but then again you're not here for your average stop and go. This move is extremely spectacular and at the same time effective. It can be used to great effect on the wings, or in the center of the park, to get past your direct opponent. It's harder to perform on the edge of the penalty area, or inside it, because it's a lot more crowed there.
This great soccer move doesn't really have a player that you could say branded it, although Robbie Van Persie of Arsenal recently scored a magnificent goal in a match against Internazionale Milano with the help of a sweep dribble. But here's the step by step on it:
Step 1 - Position yourself as you would pass the ball or shoot, with your base foot closer to the ball.
Step 2 - With your other foot, simulate a pass or shot.
Step 3 - When your faking foot reaches the ball, drag it along sideways, opposite of your base foot.
Notes: This is so efficient because the opponent will not know if you pass, shoot or dribble until you have already performed the dribble. For this to be completely effective, make sure you sweep the ball across in Step 3, not kick it in that direction, as dragging it gives you some precious time.
These advanced soccer moves are still quite situational, because you'll need to have your opponents at a certain distance and position. For general purposes, a few easier dribbles such as the V-move, the stop and go or the fake shot will probably work better, but if you can pull off any of the advanced soccer moves above, you're bound to get a standing ovation and possibly an assist or a goal, because they're very surprising.
http://www.goarticles.com
I'll tell you what makes them great: it's the countless hours that those outstanding dribblers out there put in their practice that allow them to perform seemingly impossible moves with the ease of a rabbit hopping uphill. If you ever dreamt of being able to perform such great soccer moves, you'll have to work hard to get them. And you can do so with the help of the following step by step soccer moves guide.
Step by Step Soccer Moves - The Stepover and Double Stepover
This move has an affinity for players named Ronaldo (or is it vice-versa, I can't remember), since both of today's popular Ronaldos, the Brazilian striker - Nazario da Lima - and the Portuguese winger - Cristiano - tend to use it as their trademark move. It's one of the advanced soccer moves you'll be practicing, so don't expect it to be snap-easy to master. Here's how to perform the stepover, step by step (don't worry, it takes fewer steps to perform it than the amount of steps in this sentence):
Step 1 - Get the ball close to your feet and have it slowly move forward, towards the direction you're facing.
Step 2 - With your left foot, hover over the ball in a circular motion and plant it on the left side of the ball.
Step 3 - With the other foot, cut the ball to the right and go past your opponent.
Notes: Obviously, you can switch feet, I just used left first and right for the cut for clearer explanation purposes. If you want to perform a double stepover, or a triple stepover, instead of cutting with the base foot, you can use it to hover over the ball again and so forth.
Step by Step Soccer Moves - The Sweep
Another advanced soccer move that won't be easy to master, but then again you're not here for your average stop and go. This move is extremely spectacular and at the same time effective. It can be used to great effect on the wings, or in the center of the park, to get past your direct opponent. It's harder to perform on the edge of the penalty area, or inside it, because it's a lot more crowed there.
This great soccer move doesn't really have a player that you could say branded it, although Robbie Van Persie of Arsenal recently scored a magnificent goal in a match against Internazionale Milano with the help of a sweep dribble. But here's the step by step on it:
Step 1 - Position yourself as you would pass the ball or shoot, with your base foot closer to the ball.
Step 2 - With your other foot, simulate a pass or shot.
Step 3 - When your faking foot reaches the ball, drag it along sideways, opposite of your base foot.
Notes: This is so efficient because the opponent will not know if you pass, shoot or dribble until you have already performed the dribble. For this to be completely effective, make sure you sweep the ball across in Step 3, not kick it in that direction, as dragging it gives you some precious time.
These advanced soccer moves are still quite situational, because you'll need to have your opponents at a certain distance and position. For general purposes, a few easier dribbles such as the V-move, the stop and go or the fake shot will probably work better, but if you can pull off any of the advanced soccer moves above, you're bound to get a standing ovation and possibly an assist or a goal, because they're very surprising.
http://www.goarticles.com
Pilots soccer program thriving
When it comes to school soccer programs, Portland University - a private catholic university found in Portland, Oregon - has one of the best. Founded in 1901, Portland University is the sister school to the better-known University of Notre Dame, and has been actively promoting its soccer program for 21 years.
In the time the soccer program has been in operation it has produced some notable players. One of the Alumni, 37-year-old Kasey Keller - the USA national team's all-time leader for the position of goalkeeper - is currently active within the English Premier League, playing for fashionable London club Fulham. Another former Pilot, 22-year-old Heath Pearce signed for German Bundesliga team Hansa Rostock before the start of the 2007 season; following in the footsteps of two other former Pilots Conor Casey and Steve Cherundolo who also played in Germany. Other players have made their mark in professional teams in the USA, Denmark and Greece.
But it's not just the Portland players who have made an impact; Clive Charles was appointed Pilots head coach in 1986, and after ten years of leading the team and earning the respect of the soccer world became the US Olympic team coach in 1996.
Prior to the start of the current season, the Pilots men's team was polled to finish tied-fourth in the season in the West Coast Conference in the 2007 WCC preseason coaches poll, and their performances during the season so far suggest that they will at least achieve that position.
There is also an active women's soccer program at Portland, which was established in 1989, when men's coach Clive Charles was appointed to run the women's team. In 1992 Charles pulled off a rare feat when he got both his men's and women's teams to the NCAA play-offs. His teams finished the season as number one ranked men's team and number three ranked women's team, helping to cement Charles reputation as a top-class coach. The women's team were winners of the NCAA Women's soccer championship in 2005 and are currently ranked third in the four major soccer polls; The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSSAA), Soccer America, Soccer Buzz and SoccerTimes all place the Pilots behind Santa Clara and Stanford.
If you are a soccer fan and you are tempted to come to watch either of the Pilots soccer teams in action, look to secure a room at a hotel in Portland well in advance as around game days they tend to get full of family, friends and fans!
http://www.goarticles.com
In the time the soccer program has been in operation it has produced some notable players. One of the Alumni, 37-year-old Kasey Keller - the USA national team's all-time leader for the position of goalkeeper - is currently active within the English Premier League, playing for fashionable London club Fulham. Another former Pilot, 22-year-old Heath Pearce signed for German Bundesliga team Hansa Rostock before the start of the 2007 season; following in the footsteps of two other former Pilots Conor Casey and Steve Cherundolo who also played in Germany. Other players have made their mark in professional teams in the USA, Denmark and Greece.
But it's not just the Portland players who have made an impact; Clive Charles was appointed Pilots head coach in 1986, and after ten years of leading the team and earning the respect of the soccer world became the US Olympic team coach in 1996.
Prior to the start of the current season, the Pilots men's team was polled to finish tied-fourth in the season in the West Coast Conference in the 2007 WCC preseason coaches poll, and their performances during the season so far suggest that they will at least achieve that position.
There is also an active women's soccer program at Portland, which was established in 1989, when men's coach Clive Charles was appointed to run the women's team. In 1992 Charles pulled off a rare feat when he got both his men's and women's teams to the NCAA play-offs. His teams finished the season as number one ranked men's team and number three ranked women's team, helping to cement Charles reputation as a top-class coach. The women's team were winners of the NCAA Women's soccer championship in 2005 and are currently ranked third in the four major soccer polls; The National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSSAA), Soccer America, Soccer Buzz and SoccerTimes all place the Pilots behind Santa Clara and Stanford.
If you are a soccer fan and you are tempted to come to watch either of the Pilots soccer teams in action, look to secure a room at a hotel in Portland well in advance as around game days they tend to get full of family, friends and fans!
http://www.goarticles.com
Studying the Soccer Game
If you're struggling to become a better soccer player, the help you need could come from an unlikely place: from study and observation. Now, before you start scoffing about how you'll learn more by doing than by studying, think about it. If you never watch a game on TV, you'll never see all those drills and soccer techniques you do put into practice. If you never ask a question about certain techniques, you may be learning it the wrong way and you'd have no idea.
If you enjoy doing something, you don't just do it. You read about it, talk about it, and drive your friends and family crazy with it, all in an effort to get better. Become a better soccer player sooner by becoming a dedicated student of the game. Here's how to do it.
1) Watch games on television.
One of the best ways to learn something is to watch a professional doing it. Watch the games, but don't just watch them as a spectator. Watch their soccer techniques critically. Observe the attacking and defending strategies the players use. Look at how the team works together, and at what happens when they're less than a well-oiled unit.
Watch the great players. They all have something to give you, whether it's a lesson in how to be a better teammate or how to use those shots you've been practicing in a game situation. Take what they are offering and make it your own.
2) Hit the books.
While reading about soccer probably doesn't sound all that fascinating, that doesn't mean you should discount it. A quick search of Amazon.com with the keywords "soccer techniques" reveals more than 400 non-fiction books about soccer that include information on skills, techniques, fundamentals, tips, strategies, tactics, you name it.
Do a little research to find out which soccer books would be best for you, and actually read them. There's a good chance you'll learn something you didn't know, and you can start putting it into practice.
3) Discuss it.
It's not hard to discuss our passions, but you've got to find the right people to discuss them with. If you're having trouble with a certain soccer technique or want to talk about an offensive strategy that you read about, talk to your coaches or fellow players. Talking to somebody who doesn't love soccer as much as you do means they won't take any issues as seriously as you, which can make for a lame discussion.
Also, go to the Internet to find like-minded people. The World Wide Web allows niche groups of all sorts to meet and discuss on blogs and forums, and it shouldn't be too hard to find a community of people that are just as passionate about soccer as you are.
Talk with them about systems of play, soccer tips and techniques, and offensive and defensive strategies as well. You'll get a broader perspective about what works in which situations, and they may bring up ideas and tactics that you hadn't previously considered.
4) Apply it.
As you well know, all the study and observation in the world won't help you become a better player if you don't actually get out to practice and apply what you've learned. Practice techniques daily with the soccer ball in order to develop ball familiarity: where your body gets so used to the ball that it naturally adjusts to the ball being there. This includes juggling for 30 minutes a day, and kicking the ball 500 times a day - 250 times with each foot.
Practice makes perfect, and it will also give you the opportunity to apply the ideas you've been learning in a real setting. All the studying in the world won't help you become a better player if you never set foot on the field.
Studying, observation, discussion and actual practice are all important elements of becoming a better soccer player. By learning more about the game by studying it, watching it and talking to others, you'll discover new ways of practicing that you may not have considered before. And when you combine those elements, you'll become a better, more well-rounded player.
http://www.goarticles.com
If you enjoy doing something, you don't just do it. You read about it, talk about it, and drive your friends and family crazy with it, all in an effort to get better. Become a better soccer player sooner by becoming a dedicated student of the game. Here's how to do it.
1) Watch games on television.
One of the best ways to learn something is to watch a professional doing it. Watch the games, but don't just watch them as a spectator. Watch their soccer techniques critically. Observe the attacking and defending strategies the players use. Look at how the team works together, and at what happens when they're less than a well-oiled unit.
Watch the great players. They all have something to give you, whether it's a lesson in how to be a better teammate or how to use those shots you've been practicing in a game situation. Take what they are offering and make it your own.
2) Hit the books.
While reading about soccer probably doesn't sound all that fascinating, that doesn't mean you should discount it. A quick search of Amazon.com with the keywords "soccer techniques" reveals more than 400 non-fiction books about soccer that include information on skills, techniques, fundamentals, tips, strategies, tactics, you name it.
Do a little research to find out which soccer books would be best for you, and actually read them. There's a good chance you'll learn something you didn't know, and you can start putting it into practice.
3) Discuss it.
It's not hard to discuss our passions, but you've got to find the right people to discuss them with. If you're having trouble with a certain soccer technique or want to talk about an offensive strategy that you read about, talk to your coaches or fellow players. Talking to somebody who doesn't love soccer as much as you do means they won't take any issues as seriously as you, which can make for a lame discussion.
Also, go to the Internet to find like-minded people. The World Wide Web allows niche groups of all sorts to meet and discuss on blogs and forums, and it shouldn't be too hard to find a community of people that are just as passionate about soccer as you are.
Talk with them about systems of play, soccer tips and techniques, and offensive and defensive strategies as well. You'll get a broader perspective about what works in which situations, and they may bring up ideas and tactics that you hadn't previously considered.
4) Apply it.
As you well know, all the study and observation in the world won't help you become a better player if you don't actually get out to practice and apply what you've learned. Practice techniques daily with the soccer ball in order to develop ball familiarity: where your body gets so used to the ball that it naturally adjusts to the ball being there. This includes juggling for 30 minutes a day, and kicking the ball 500 times a day - 250 times with each foot.
Practice makes perfect, and it will also give you the opportunity to apply the ideas you've been learning in a real setting. All the studying in the world won't help you become a better player if you never set foot on the field.
Studying, observation, discussion and actual practice are all important elements of becoming a better soccer player. By learning more about the game by studying it, watching it and talking to others, you'll discover new ways of practicing that you may not have considered before. And when you combine those elements, you'll become a better, more well-rounded player.
http://www.goarticles.com
How To Warm Up For A Soccer Match
How To Warm Up For A Soccer Match
Are your stretching techniques in preparation for a soccer game right for you? There may be a better way for you to avoid injury.
There are many ways to stretch before a soccer game for the purpose of loosening the muscles to avoid pain and injury during rigorous play. There seems to be a set of stretching techniques offered by the sports medicine community to condition the body for physical exertion. But are these techniques right for everyone?
Having played and coached soccer for over thirty years now, I have witnessed all sorts of ways that amateur athletes go through stretching before a game and I have tried some myself at the urging of others. I have never continued with these stretching methods, however, because they caused a certain discomfort that seemed to hamper my game. Warming up for a game by stretching was not for me.
Most players stretch before a game, but there are some of us who forgo this practice for our own warm-up techniques. It seems to me, based on my observations over the years, that the most staunch supporters of long pre-game stretching periods were also those players who suffered from all kinds of problems with their legs and their knees and pulling muscles and getting cramps. There is some great information on conditioning, by the way, at http://www.SoccerCountry.com that may be helpful to you.
I have rarely had injury problems from pulled or cramping muscles, only two or three times ever. I do not stretch before a soccer game. I do realize the importance of preparing the body for this type of exercise, but I go through a ritual that has kept me virtually injury free (except those caused by opponents during play) and works more effectively for me. In fact, stretching does not have a positive effect on my performance or injury proneness. The couple of times that I have stretched actually made me less effective.
The way I have warmed-up for every single soccer game that I have ever played, and there were over seven hundred of them, was by simply dribbling the ball a little bit at an easy trot and then passing back and forth with another player and then taking hard shots into the goal. Just going through the motions of kicking the soccer ball back and forth and running and shooting, that type of thing, just nice and easy at first and then more vigorous as game time approached.
Now I am not saying that this is the right way to warm up for any kind of sport. We all have our own thoughts on what is the best way to condition for an upcoming sporting event and I have always believed that whatever works for you is the right thing for you to do. But I have noticed that those soccer players who warmed-up in the same way as I was by just slowly getting into working with the ball without any kind of stretching beforehand were also the ones with the least problems with tight muscles and cramps and that sort of thing. Nothing scientific, just my observation over three decades.
I do agree that there are benefits to light stretching to get the kinks out if you have not been active for sometime, but if you participate in some type of physical exertion on a regular basis, a heavy stretching period may not be your best option. Your body will tell you what's right for you by trying several warm-up techniques. Just like some ways do not work for me, my methods for getting warmed-up may not be for everyone, either. The key is to just do something to get loose, both physically and mentally, before a soccer game without going overboard.
http://www.goarticles.com
Are your stretching techniques in preparation for a soccer game right for you? There may be a better way for you to avoid injury.
There are many ways to stretch before a soccer game for the purpose of loosening the muscles to avoid pain and injury during rigorous play. There seems to be a set of stretching techniques offered by the sports medicine community to condition the body for physical exertion. But are these techniques right for everyone?
Having played and coached soccer for over thirty years now, I have witnessed all sorts of ways that amateur athletes go through stretching before a game and I have tried some myself at the urging of others. I have never continued with these stretching methods, however, because they caused a certain discomfort that seemed to hamper my game. Warming up for a game by stretching was not for me.
Most players stretch before a game, but there are some of us who forgo this practice for our own warm-up techniques. It seems to me, based on my observations over the years, that the most staunch supporters of long pre-game stretching periods were also those players who suffered from all kinds of problems with their legs and their knees and pulling muscles and getting cramps. There is some great information on conditioning, by the way, at http://www.SoccerCountry.com that may be helpful to you.
I have rarely had injury problems from pulled or cramping muscles, only two or three times ever. I do not stretch before a soccer game. I do realize the importance of preparing the body for this type of exercise, but I go through a ritual that has kept me virtually injury free (except those caused by opponents during play) and works more effectively for me. In fact, stretching does not have a positive effect on my performance or injury proneness. The couple of times that I have stretched actually made me less effective.
The way I have warmed-up for every single soccer game that I have ever played, and there were over seven hundred of them, was by simply dribbling the ball a little bit at an easy trot and then passing back and forth with another player and then taking hard shots into the goal. Just going through the motions of kicking the soccer ball back and forth and running and shooting, that type of thing, just nice and easy at first and then more vigorous as game time approached.
Now I am not saying that this is the right way to warm up for any kind of sport. We all have our own thoughts on what is the best way to condition for an upcoming sporting event and I have always believed that whatever works for you is the right thing for you to do. But I have noticed that those soccer players who warmed-up in the same way as I was by just slowly getting into working with the ball without any kind of stretching beforehand were also the ones with the least problems with tight muscles and cramps and that sort of thing. Nothing scientific, just my observation over three decades.
I do agree that there are benefits to light stretching to get the kinks out if you have not been active for sometime, but if you participate in some type of physical exertion on a regular basis, a heavy stretching period may not be your best option. Your body will tell you what's right for you by trying several warm-up techniques. Just like some ways do not work for me, my methods for getting warmed-up may not be for everyone, either. The key is to just do something to get loose, both physically and mentally, before a soccer game without going overboard.
http://www.goarticles.com
How to Learn Soccer Tricks
Let's face it, even if you're not much of a soccer player, knowing how to handle a few soccer tricks can mean a world of difference in your friends circle. Improving on your soccer tricks and skills isn't just for impressing your friends and the ladies though. They can also get your match performance to a higher level, because they're surprising and effective.
I can give you a lot of examples on that part: remember when Ronaldinho first started to perform his famous Elastico move? (flicking the ball with his outside of the foot to the left, then quickly cutting it with his inside) Nowadays, a defender that's facing Ronaldinho in a one versus one duel will surely be careful against this move, but when the Brazilian had just invented it, it was extremely surprising and he managed to create havoc whenever his Elastico would work.
I'm not saying you'll be able to perform as well as Ronaldinho after you learn soccer tricks like that, but it can definitely give you a surprising edge in a match situation.
Another great example of soccer tricks and skills that can make a difference is Zidane's 360 spin. Although it's a very effective and simple move, it wasn't until Zizou popularized it that players all over the World actually used it in matches.
So, if you learn soccer tricks, you'll be able to gain an edge on your opponent, but that probably wasn't that hard to figure out anyway. The real question is HOW to do soccer tricks and how to learn them correctly. Here's what I would suggest.
Try to have a step-by-step approach when you learn soccer tricks, categorizing them on difficulty levels. Start with the basic ones, move on to advanced moves and once you get both these categories well under your boot, try out those special few that are extremely hard to master.
Obviously, if you're practicing these moves by yourself, or with the help of a friend, you'll be able to perform them with no or little resistance, which is rarely the case in a real match (and if there's no resistance, why would you perform them in a match anyway?). So besides practicing the actual move, you'll also have to work on the timing of your soccer tricks and skills.
A couple of basic moves could include: the Zidane 360 spin, the stop and go, the Puskas V-move or the fake shot dribble.
Under the advanced category, you could try the Cruyff move, the stepover and double stepover or the Scotch.
Moves that are quite difficult to master and are better off left for last, include: Ronaldinho's Elastico move, the "Brazilian" rainbow move or the Van Persie sweep.
Start off with the basic ones and practice them thoroughly, until you feel you've mastered these soccer tricks. Of course, when you move on to the advanced moves, these will take a lot longer to get a solid grip over, but you will have had already built some basic ball control skills from the basic dribble.
More difficult dribbles like the Elastico, or the rainbow kick will take a while to get a grip on, but don't get discouraged if you keep failing on executing them! With enough practice, there's no trick that you won't be able to handle. The only thing that kills learning a specific trick is saying "I can't do this" and cutting it off your list.
http://www.goarticles.com
I can give you a lot of examples on that part: remember when Ronaldinho first started to perform his famous Elastico move? (flicking the ball with his outside of the foot to the left, then quickly cutting it with his inside) Nowadays, a defender that's facing Ronaldinho in a one versus one duel will surely be careful against this move, but when the Brazilian had just invented it, it was extremely surprising and he managed to create havoc whenever his Elastico would work.
I'm not saying you'll be able to perform as well as Ronaldinho after you learn soccer tricks like that, but it can definitely give you a surprising edge in a match situation.
Another great example of soccer tricks and skills that can make a difference is Zidane's 360 spin. Although it's a very effective and simple move, it wasn't until Zizou popularized it that players all over the World actually used it in matches.
So, if you learn soccer tricks, you'll be able to gain an edge on your opponent, but that probably wasn't that hard to figure out anyway. The real question is HOW to do soccer tricks and how to learn them correctly. Here's what I would suggest.
Try to have a step-by-step approach when you learn soccer tricks, categorizing them on difficulty levels. Start with the basic ones, move on to advanced moves and once you get both these categories well under your boot, try out those special few that are extremely hard to master.
Obviously, if you're practicing these moves by yourself, or with the help of a friend, you'll be able to perform them with no or little resistance, which is rarely the case in a real match (and if there's no resistance, why would you perform them in a match anyway?). So besides practicing the actual move, you'll also have to work on the timing of your soccer tricks and skills.
A couple of basic moves could include: the Zidane 360 spin, the stop and go, the Puskas V-move or the fake shot dribble.
Under the advanced category, you could try the Cruyff move, the stepover and double stepover or the Scotch.
Moves that are quite difficult to master and are better off left for last, include: Ronaldinho's Elastico move, the "Brazilian" rainbow move or the Van Persie sweep.
Start off with the basic ones and practice them thoroughly, until you feel you've mastered these soccer tricks. Of course, when you move on to the advanced moves, these will take a lot longer to get a solid grip over, but you will have had already built some basic ball control skills from the basic dribble.
More difficult dribbles like the Elastico, or the rainbow kick will take a while to get a grip on, but don't get discouraged if you keep failing on executing them! With enough practice, there's no trick that you won't be able to handle. The only thing that kills learning a specific trick is saying "I can't do this" and cutting it off your list.
http://www.goarticles.com
Animated Soccer Drills - Best Coaching Source
There isn't a field out there nowadays that doesn't get its fresh tinge of technological advancement and soccer, or more specifically soccer training, is no different. More and more coaches, especially those working with youngsters, tend to get more in touch with technology and some of their most useful tools (although it's largely underused yet) are animated soccer drills. Let's take a look at how these work and try to decide if they're today's best coaching source or not.
Advantages of Animated Soccer Drills - Visual Memory
When you simply tell a player to do, say some offensive soccer drills, explaining these drills will trigger his audio memory and rationing, allowing him to replicate what you just told him. This is by no means a wrong way of teaching the offensive soccer drills, but you could definitely do better if you would use animated soccer drills.
With their help, your players will actually see the drill being performed before their eyes, without the need for them to rationalize and adapt that drill to their own image of it. Which leads us to the next advantage of animated soccer drills...?
Advantages of Animated Soccer Drills - Time Efficiency
Because animated soccer drills use visual memory as a stimulus, whenever you will ask your players to perform a drill they recently saw in the animated program, it will be a lot quicker for them to perform it right and the adaptation period to the drill will be cut to a minimum. This also spares you of several minutes of explanations and corrections.
Advantages of Animated Soccer Drills - Fun Factor
It's obviously a lot more fun learning your defensive soccer drills with the help of an animated program and this is especially true with kids. Nowadays, computers and computer games stand high in a list of every kid's hobbies, so presenting your drills in an animated program brings a lot of resemblances to their own passions (speaking of which, a lot of these animated soccer drills resemble computer games such as the FIFA or Pro Evolution Series).
Of course, besides these great advantages, you also have several setbacks. For example, if you're trying to show your team the animated soccer drills using a laptop on the pitch, not all of them will be able to see clearly, so they won't understand how the drill needs to be executed.
The best way to work around this is to send each of your players the drills beforehand, so they can watch them at home and get a rough idea on how they need to be done. This little "homework" goes a long way and your team will be very efficient in training, allowing you to get more work done in lesser time.
http://www.goarticles.com
Advantages of Animated Soccer Drills - Visual Memory
When you simply tell a player to do, say some offensive soccer drills, explaining these drills will trigger his audio memory and rationing, allowing him to replicate what you just told him. This is by no means a wrong way of teaching the offensive soccer drills, but you could definitely do better if you would use animated soccer drills.
With their help, your players will actually see the drill being performed before their eyes, without the need for them to rationalize and adapt that drill to their own image of it. Which leads us to the next advantage of animated soccer drills...?
Advantages of Animated Soccer Drills - Time Efficiency
Because animated soccer drills use visual memory as a stimulus, whenever you will ask your players to perform a drill they recently saw in the animated program, it will be a lot quicker for them to perform it right and the adaptation period to the drill will be cut to a minimum. This also spares you of several minutes of explanations and corrections.
Advantages of Animated Soccer Drills - Fun Factor
It's obviously a lot more fun learning your defensive soccer drills with the help of an animated program and this is especially true with kids. Nowadays, computers and computer games stand high in a list of every kid's hobbies, so presenting your drills in an animated program brings a lot of resemblances to their own passions (speaking of which, a lot of these animated soccer drills resemble computer games such as the FIFA or Pro Evolution Series).
Of course, besides these great advantages, you also have several setbacks. For example, if you're trying to show your team the animated soccer drills using a laptop on the pitch, not all of them will be able to see clearly, so they won't understand how the drill needs to be executed.
The best way to work around this is to send each of your players the drills beforehand, so they can watch them at home and get a rough idea on how they need to be done. This little "homework" goes a long way and your team will be very efficient in training, allowing you to get more work done in lesser time.
http://www.goarticles.com
Top 3 - Soccer Players Salaries
The question as to whether or not athletes in general and soccer players in particular, should be earning the kind of money they're earning is more vibrant then ever these days, with clubs paying their players incredible amounts of money each year.
The comparison to other sports is also very relative. A gymnast will train all his life, miss out on a lot of his younger years only to be able to handle a world class performance, but he will still not win as much in his lifetime as one of the highest earning soccer players makes in a year. But that's the market's call and there's no "fair" in sales share.
Getting back to our topic, it's somewhat difficult to judge exactly how much a player makes simply from his club salary, because many wage details are private, due to obvious reasons. As a club manager, you want to create complete harmony in your team and with all of them knowing that player gets paid twice as much as the rest, won't help you out with that.
The highest earning soccer players can also be affected by having their salaries publicly available, because at every less than bright performance, they'll be confronted with a "My God! He really should have played better for the kind of money he's making" type of exclamation from fans, media and fellow players.
A soccer player's income also comes from several other sources than simply his wage. For example, the best ever soccer players always made more money from endorsements and ads than their wages; take a look at David Beckham if you don't believe me.
Other contractual bonuses will also earn them a fair amount. For example, many strikers that are confident in their ability to play regularly and score will have contract bonuses for each goal, assist or for a total number of goals at the end of the season, while agreeing for a lower wage cutout.
However, considering all of the above, it would be logical to say that the highest earning soccer players are also the ones with the highest wages. A club will want to keep a player that brings in incredible amounts of money through endorsements and merchandise sale, so they will offer him a high salary. According to Forbes Magazine, here are the top 3 earners:
Ronaldinho ($29.5 million, salary + endorsement deals) - one of the most famous and nonconformist personas in soccer, Ronaldinho has become the trademark of playing soccer as a game, not as a business. His constant smile while playing and his tricks made him one of the most popular figures today, despite the fact that he's not as handsome and clean-cut as Beckham or Kaka. Ronaldinho is also widely considered one of the best ever soccer players, despite the fact that he still has many years to play for FC Barcelona, or his future clubs.
David Beckham ($29.1 million, salary + endorsement deals) - no presentation required, Beckham is more than just a soccer players for close to a decade now. His recent move to LA Galaxy from Real Madrid for an impressive transfer fee was well worth it, since American finance analysts agreed that the transfer would soon turn to profit, as Beckham shirt sales and other endorsements would soon earn the club their money back.
Ronaldo ($23.4 million, salary + endorsement deals) - the ex-phenomenon, the chunky Brazilian who impressed the World with his speed and goal-hungry attitude is not at the peak of his game anymore, although his move to Milan seems to have revived him somewhat. Despite his declining form, Ronaldo remains one of the central figures in today's soccer, as he has an established name and image for over a decade
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The comparison to other sports is also very relative. A gymnast will train all his life, miss out on a lot of his younger years only to be able to handle a world class performance, but he will still not win as much in his lifetime as one of the highest earning soccer players makes in a year. But that's the market's call and there's no "fair" in sales share.
Getting back to our topic, it's somewhat difficult to judge exactly how much a player makes simply from his club salary, because many wage details are private, due to obvious reasons. As a club manager, you want to create complete harmony in your team and with all of them knowing that player gets paid twice as much as the rest, won't help you out with that.
The highest earning soccer players can also be affected by having their salaries publicly available, because at every less than bright performance, they'll be confronted with a "My God! He really should have played better for the kind of money he's making" type of exclamation from fans, media and fellow players.
A soccer player's income also comes from several other sources than simply his wage. For example, the best ever soccer players always made more money from endorsements and ads than their wages; take a look at David Beckham if you don't believe me.
Other contractual bonuses will also earn them a fair amount. For example, many strikers that are confident in their ability to play regularly and score will have contract bonuses for each goal, assist or for a total number of goals at the end of the season, while agreeing for a lower wage cutout.
However, considering all of the above, it would be logical to say that the highest earning soccer players are also the ones with the highest wages. A club will want to keep a player that brings in incredible amounts of money through endorsements and merchandise sale, so they will offer him a high salary. According to Forbes Magazine, here are the top 3 earners:
Ronaldinho ($29.5 million, salary + endorsement deals) - one of the most famous and nonconformist personas in soccer, Ronaldinho has become the trademark of playing soccer as a game, not as a business. His constant smile while playing and his tricks made him one of the most popular figures today, despite the fact that he's not as handsome and clean-cut as Beckham or Kaka. Ronaldinho is also widely considered one of the best ever soccer players, despite the fact that he still has many years to play for FC Barcelona, or his future clubs.
David Beckham ($29.1 million, salary + endorsement deals) - no presentation required, Beckham is more than just a soccer players for close to a decade now. His recent move to LA Galaxy from Real Madrid for an impressive transfer fee was well worth it, since American finance analysts agreed that the transfer would soon turn to profit, as Beckham shirt sales and other endorsements would soon earn the club their money back.
Ronaldo ($23.4 million, salary + endorsement deals) - the ex-phenomenon, the chunky Brazilian who impressed the World with his speed and goal-hungry attitude is not at the peak of his game anymore, although his move to Milan seems to have revived him somewhat. Despite his declining form, Ronaldo remains one of the central figures in today's soccer, as he has an established name and image for over a decade
http://www.goarticles.com
Training Shoes For Performance: Getting The Balance Right
On one hand, you have to consider comfort and support, on the other, you also have to consider how they look, how long they are going to last, and obviously, how much they are going to cost!
Getting the right shoes for training as well as for walking the training shoes event is essential. The day you make a commitment to train for the marathon, commit yourself to finding good footwear. Training shoes walkers in Europe often wear hiking boots for long distance walks. This may have evolved out of the military traditions of their longer walking events. For walking overland on trails, lightweight boots may be a good choice. But for road race marathons, a flexible running shoe with moderate support is the best choice for most people. The best bet is to find the local athletic shoe dealer that caters to serious runners and walkers. Tell the clerk about your marathon goals and mileage plans. Get a good fit.
Most serious runners and walkers recommend having two different models of shoes in which to train and trading them off each training day, never wearing the same shoes twice in a row. The advantage to this is that the muscles and joints get a variety in their workouts rather than falling into one pattern. A day off also allows the shoes to fully air out between sessions. This may have evolved out of the military traditions of their longer walking events. For walking overland on trails, lightweight boots may be a good choice. But for road race marathons, a flexible running shoe with moderate support is the best choice for most people. The best bet is to find the local athletic shoe dealer that caters to serious runners and walkers. Tell the clerk about your marathon goals and mileage plans. Get a good fit. Most serious runners and walkers recommend having two different models of shoes in which to train and trading them off each training day, never wearing the same shoes twice in a row. The advantage to this is that the muscles and joints get a variety in their workouts rather than falling into one pattern. A day off also allows the shoes to fully air out between sessions This Training shoes features synthetic leather and mesh upper, full lace up closure, a padded collar and tongue, and a generously cushioned insole for premium comfort and active longevity.
All of the innovative technologies constructed in the training shoes were developed with your athletic goals in mind. Training is nothing without control. That is added the unique Ground Control System to the forefoot of the Training shoes, giving you exceptional lateral support when making quick cuts. Lace-through, EVA-backed, striped upper adds midmost support during training. Molded EVA insole offers anatomical comfort. This shoes insert provides comfort and shock absorption and maintains forefoot propulsion and efficiency. This shoe is Ground Control System pods deliver quickness and motion control. Pro-Moderator medial support device helps prevent overreaction. These training shoes are using the few materials available after the First World War.
Today, this products range extends from shoes, apparel, and accessories for basketball, soccer, fitness and training to adventure, trail and golf. This shoe is making to high-impact style.
http://www.goarticles.com
Getting the right shoes for training as well as for walking the training shoes event is essential. The day you make a commitment to train for the marathon, commit yourself to finding good footwear. Training shoes walkers in Europe often wear hiking boots for long distance walks. This may have evolved out of the military traditions of their longer walking events. For walking overland on trails, lightweight boots may be a good choice. But for road race marathons, a flexible running shoe with moderate support is the best choice for most people. The best bet is to find the local athletic shoe dealer that caters to serious runners and walkers. Tell the clerk about your marathon goals and mileage plans. Get a good fit.
Most serious runners and walkers recommend having two different models of shoes in which to train and trading them off each training day, never wearing the same shoes twice in a row. The advantage to this is that the muscles and joints get a variety in their workouts rather than falling into one pattern. A day off also allows the shoes to fully air out between sessions. This may have evolved out of the military traditions of their longer walking events. For walking overland on trails, lightweight boots may be a good choice. But for road race marathons, a flexible running shoe with moderate support is the best choice for most people. The best bet is to find the local athletic shoe dealer that caters to serious runners and walkers. Tell the clerk about your marathon goals and mileage plans. Get a good fit. Most serious runners and walkers recommend having two different models of shoes in which to train and trading them off each training day, never wearing the same shoes twice in a row. The advantage to this is that the muscles and joints get a variety in their workouts rather than falling into one pattern. A day off also allows the shoes to fully air out between sessions This Training shoes features synthetic leather and mesh upper, full lace up closure, a padded collar and tongue, and a generously cushioned insole for premium comfort and active longevity.
All of the innovative technologies constructed in the training shoes were developed with your athletic goals in mind. Training is nothing without control. That is added the unique Ground Control System to the forefoot of the Training shoes, giving you exceptional lateral support when making quick cuts. Lace-through, EVA-backed, striped upper adds midmost support during training. Molded EVA insole offers anatomical comfort. This shoes insert provides comfort and shock absorption and maintains forefoot propulsion and efficiency. This shoe is Ground Control System pods deliver quickness and motion control. Pro-Moderator medial support device helps prevent overreaction. These training shoes are using the few materials available after the First World War.
Today, this products range extends from shoes, apparel, and accessories for basketball, soccer, fitness and training to adventure, trail and golf. This shoe is making to high-impact style.
http://www.goarticles.com
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