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Soccer Focus: Play Soccer with Confidence
When you’re playing a team you know you should beat, you probably feel confident, don’t you? This is good because you’re confident in your abilities and in your team’s abilities as well. But how do you play well in big games, against teams that are supposed to be better than yours? Or how about when you’re in a big playoff game, and being watched by family and friends within a large crowd? This can be nerve-racking, sure, but think about it this way: All these people are supporting you and want you to do well. In fact, they know you’ll do well, and are very proud that you made it to where you are. So think positively! This will help you play better.
If you're playing a good team, and you know it will be a difficult match, ease yourself into the game. But not in a lazy manner. Just play smart soccer and not outside your capabilities. In chess, this is called “playing the board.” In other words, pretend you're not playing another team but rather playing in a way that does the most justice to your abilities. This means getting back to fundamentals, such as figuring out the right pass to make, playing the way you're facing, playing one and two touch, dribbling in the attacking third, and not playing dangerous square balls in the midfield.
But many times, some players have difficulty getting into games. They might feel it’s necessary to make a good pass, a move or cut, to dribble by someone, get an assist, or even score a goal before feeling at ease. If you feel this way, that’s fine. It’s a completely natural feeling. But if you let it become too overbearing, you might find yourself obsessed with not making mistakes, and this can seriously hinder your performance and momentum.
This can be made worse because of excitement. When we get excited about a game, we sometimes play too much as an individual instead of as a team. What happens is that you might play as if the focus or spotlight is directed entirely on you, and you then neglect the team aspect of the game. You may, for example, try to make that difficult long pass or dribble past multiple players in the defensive third. Simply put, you’ll do riskier things when you’re preoccupied with your own nervousness and excitement.
We need to prevent this from happening. How? Well, to be blunt, cut the heroics. Think about what you do well and focus on doing that instead of trying new moves or new techniques that you’re not 100% comfortable with. Don’t think that you need to increase your contribution when things aren't going well. Instead, take a step back and see what you can do to help the team.
TIP: Be cheeky. Take chances. Take shots. Take a player on in the attacking third. Do something ambitious. To see how it's done, take a look at Alonso beating the keeper from inside his own half. Scoring a goal like this will lift your own as well as your team’s spirits--it takes some guts to even try it. Alonso won the ball, made a great defensive play and then took at chance on goal.
But what if the circumstances were good enough for you to make a play, and you made a mistake? Isn’t it odd that when this happens, you somehow become a magnet for the ball? It’s like the ball is guided by a supernatural force! Well, this could be because you’re trying to make up for your mistake by seeking out the ball while in the midst of heavy coverage! Instead of doing that, you should adjust your play and focus on good simple soccer and on your positioning on the field. Remember, you’re playing as a team. There’s no room for personal vendettas on the field.
During intense times, you need to learn how to walk the tightrope between being confident and overextending yourself. Being confident means knowing what you can do, but more importantly, it means knowing what you can’t do. A confident person knows when to takes risks. Take the game as a challenge, when you’re confident your abilities are up to it. Don’t charge into risk you’re not ready to take. If the risk doesn’t turn in your favor, lift yourself up and prepare to fight again. Know that you evaluated the situation with a clear head and weighed your options well.
Learn more about mental focus for soccer:
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