How To Be a Better Football Player

How To Be a Better Football Player

5 easy ways to improve as a footballer 
At Elevate, our mission is clear: helping footballers level up their game drastically. Offering high-quality gear, tips & tricks, workout ideas, nutrition plans, you name it. So, you want to improve as a footballer? Great, you are at the right adress. 
First of all, congratulations on taking matters into your own hands. The fact that you're reading this, means that you are researching ways to get better at the game. This step already puts you above loads of other players. But it doesn't end with just doing research. The hard work only begins after that..
1. Practice, Practice, Practice
 
Improving as a football player requires dedication, but it doesn't have to be a significant time commitment. Even just a few minutes several times a week can make a substantial difference. Setting aside 20 minutes here and there may not seem like much, but over a year, it adds up to multiple hours dedicated to enhancing your skills on the field.

Allocate specific time blocks a few times a week for focused practice sessions. To kickstart your improvement journey, explore introductory drills on platforms like YouTube. These brief, yet regular, practice sessions will contribute significantly to refining your football game over time. For additional guidance and practical tips, check out valuable resources online.

[PRO tip: always have a ball laying around the house to dribble around with. The more comfortable you're on the ball, the faster you'll improve]
2. Get The Fundamentals Locked In


There’s a few fundamentals in football that really matter when first starting out. Your first touch, passing and dribbling are probably the most important things to focus on when beginning. 

After that, other skills such as shooting, turning, positioning.

‍Make sure you build a solid skill level for your core skills. Pros don’t have some sort of magical footballing ability, they simply do the basics exceptionally well.

‍For advanced players who’ve already got the basics nailed down, we suggest working on skills that are much harder to train, your vision, decision making, scanning and movement.

[Subscribe to our newsletter to receive fundamental drills]

 

3. Fitness = key 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CO-Mvpl0QUY

You could be the best player on the pitch technically, but if you don’t have the fitness to back it up, your performance will suffer. In many games, the team with the best ability doesn't always come out on top. It’s often the harder-working team that triumphs.

Try to stay active throughout the week, improving both your anaerobic and aerobic fitness. The video above is a great example of a football-specific workout that will get you ready for the pitch.

While fitness is important, please don’t prioritise it over your technical practice. For younger players, if you have the choice between an hour of fitness and an hour of practice with the ball - choose the ball every time. Your fitness will improve the more you play, but your dribbling, first touch and control won’t improve the more fitness you do. To get better at football, prioritize the ball, but don't neglect your fitness. 

 

4. Use Grip Socks 

Football is a game where every little detail can play a huge role in your performance. Grip Socks can be a perfect accessory to get that extra advantage over your competitors. Not only do they help you get more agile or prevent blisters, but they also help you gain confidence by looking like a real professional footballer. And let's face it, feel good = play good, right? 

Not sure why grip socks could help you boost your performance? Here's a recent guide on why you should start using grip socks.

 

5. Analyse your favourite players 

The best players don’t just focus on improving on the football field, they look to enhance their knowledge of the game by studying it. As a young player who wants to improve you should be studying the game as much as possible, taking tips from those who’ve already made it. 

Watching matches is great, but with so much going on it’s often hard to know what to pay attention to. Instead of this, when watching a game, focus on a single player in your position. What do they do at certain moments in the game that you could learn from? Focus on their positioning, body shape, and movement.

 

So there you have it, 5 tips on How To Get Better as a Football Player. Now it's time to get out there and start putting in the work.

Remember: The best way to get started, is to stop talking and start working!

 

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