Football, or soccer if you prefer, is one of the most popular sports in the world and for a good reason; it's extremely fun! Especially with the 2022 FIFA World Cup upon us, football is gaining popularity again, with more and more people wanting to play. However, not everyone has had a football to play with since they were kids, or maybe they did but never actually played with proper rules and teams. Where is a person like that supposed to go to learn? Right here! Today, we will show you the best way to learn and play football like your favourite pros during the World Cup!
Learn the Proper Way to Kick the Ball
Too often, I see new players try to kick the ball with the tips of their toes, sometimes known as 'punting', which is incredibly dangerous and absolutely the wrong way to do it! Kicking the ball with the tip of your toes may seem easy or natural, but by doing so, you put all the force of your kick on your toes and nails, which could lead to a serious injury for you if the angle is slightly wrong or you kick too hard.
So, what is the proper way? If you've looked closely at a professional football player kicking a ball, you will see that they use the top or sides of their feet rather than their toes. This not only protects from injuries to your toes and nails; it is also the optimal way to shoot with power and get the ball to go exactly where you’re aiming.
Practice with a Friend or Against a Wall
One of the best ways to learn how to play is, you guessed it, by playing! Practising as much as you can is the best way to learn any new thing, and it's particularly important in the case of football. For me, practising kicking the ball against a wall and trying to keep it as straight as possible was a good way to learn side-foot kicking.
Once you’re familiar with that, you will want to learn how to kick the ball with power. For this, you can either get a friend involved or go to your local park and play with anyone there. Start by putting about 50 meters of distance between you and your friend and try to kick the ball as accurately towards them as you can. Remember to use only the top or sides of your foot. You will find that side-foot shooting is a lot easier than with the top of your foot but does not allow you to get as much power in your shots.
Familiarize Yourself with the Rules
Playing in the park is often an informal game of football with few rules involved, but you'll still want to be familiar with them so you can get started with proper matches right from the get-go! You can find a detailed list of rules and explanations on YouTube, which should be easier to understand than written explanations.