Yaya Toure says a strong bum is important for footballers. Toure says use your butt to hold off opponents. Something that’s not given enough importance in football / soccer is shielding. It’s really a skill just as important as dribbling and passing the ball. And part of shielding is using your butt or bum or backside to protect the soccer ball.
Former Manchester City and Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure talks about playing in the English Premier League versus playing in La Liga and how he had less time on the ball in England and had to use his bum more to protect the ball. But shielding the ball and holding on to it while under pressure is something all young players should learn to do.
And if it takes doing strengthening exercises to get a stronger bum then do it but players at a young age should get used to receiving the ball under pressure and still be able to make the right play.
Renato Sanches is a player who knows how to shield the ball with his butt:
I didn’t notice this moment until Yaya Toure included it in his new column:
Emre Can tries to dispossess Renato Sanches. Sanches sticks his bum out at the last moment.
LOOK AT THE STRENGTH. https://t.co/MOLY3ZrIRc pic.twitter.com/ohRglMpTWE
— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) June 22, 2021
From Tifo Football: We need to talk about bums in football…Yaya Toure talks about players who know how to use their bum to shield the soccer ball. From Harry Kane to Eden Hazard to Kante. They’re strong in the backside and don’t get knocked off the ball easily. Sometimes they even invite the pressure so they can spin away from the defender using their bum.
Watch this video below to learn more about why bums matter in football by Yaya Toure. Again, really it’s about shielding the soccer ball and protecting it while under pressure. Which means using your butt or bum and general body to fight off defenders. Sometimes it helps to lift weights and do certain strengthening exercises to not just get stronger but gain confidence in using your body to shield the ball.