Category: Novidades

Na última década, as discussões em torno da vasta série FIFA provaram ser divisivas. Grande parte do debate recente tem sido sobre o foco percebido no Ultimate Team e sua capacidade de gerar receitas significativas para a EA Sports por meio de compras no jogo.

Para o propósito deste artigo, achei importante olhar para toda a série FIFA e levar em consideração muitas das versões anteriores do jogo, que foram inovadoras em sua época.

Aqui estão os 15 melhores jogos FIFA de todos os tempos.

#15. FIFA 08

FIFA 08 foi tão polido e bem apresentado quanto qualquer outra versão do jogo. Tinha de tudo: menus, música e detalhes brilhantes. A FIFA ainda era o pai em termos de número de jogadores, times e estádios, mas também possui licenças sempre atraentes.

Além disso, apesar do que os mais esnobes possam afirmar, FIFA 08 apresenta a melhor interpretação visual do jogo que já vimos.

O mais notável nesse aspecto foram as melhorias na animação do jogador. Ao longo dos anos habituámo-nos a uma animação cada vez melhor, mas FIFA 08 pega nas expectativas e amplia-as ainda mais.

Os jogadores podem proteger e manobrar a bola com cada vez mais facilidade, trazendo a bola para baixo e sob controle de maneira suave e perfeita, tornando esta uma das versões mais jogáveis ​​do gênero FIFA até aquele momento.

#14. FIFA 05

Quais são os nossos sentimentos em relação ao FIFA Soccer 2005 à medida que o apito final se aproxima? Bem, sem dúvida, este foi o melhor jogo de futebol da EA Sports até hoje. É realmente lamentável que o modo carreira não tenha funcionado melhor, caso contrário, poderia ter uma classificação mais elevada.

Mesmo sem a compatibilidade do Total Club Manager 2005 com o jogo, era difícil imaginar que alguém interessado em futebol acharia o melhor jogo de futebol da EA Sports decepcionante.

#13. FIFA 07

No FIFA 06 era difícil criticar a animação dos jogadores, mas no FIFA 07 é praticamente impossível. Você verá jogadores controlando a bola de maneira diferente, perdendo o equilíbrio ocasionalmente e esbarrando uns nos outros em vez de se chocarem à medida que o campo fica lotado.

A gestão do FIFA 07 não foi particularmente profunda, embora fosse divertida. Mas se você não jogar as partidas, perderá alguns dos melhores visuais de futebol de um videogame.

A maioria dos jogadores do FIFA 07 são instantaneamente reconhecíveis, mas é a sua animação que realmente o destaca do jogo do ano passado.

#12. FIFA 01

Além de John Motson, Mark Lawrenson forneceu comentários coloridos este ano, que é um polêmico comentarista da BBC e veterano do futebol. Lawrenson ou Motson não dizem muita coisa que seja particularmente interessante ou original e, na maioria das vezes, acabam fazendo piadas ridículas depois que um gol é marcado ou uma defesa é feita.

Não parece ter sido registrado muito por nenhum dos comentaristas do FIFA 2001, já que Motson se repete bastante, enquanto Lawrenson raramente fala. Apesar dos comentários medíocres, a música e os efeitos sonoros são excelentes e servem para distrair a atenção.

Embora a versão Xbox deste jogo seja um jogo decente por si só, a falta de inovação e atualizações deixa claro que a EA Sports gastou a maior parte de seus recursos na versão PlayStation 2.

FIFA 2001 para PlayStation é mais do que apenas um remake de um jogo desatualizado. Se você possui um PS2, você definitivamente deveria comprar a versão PS2 deste jogo; se você possui um PlayStation, tente encontrar uma cópia do FIFA 2000.

#11. FIFA 04

No FIFA 2004, foram adicionadas diversas adições significativas à jogabilidade da série, que devem tornar o jogo mais realista e dar melhor controle sobre os jogadores.. Por exemplo, companheiros de equipe controlados por computador moviam-se para áreas abertas para que pudessem receber passes e segui-lo pelo campo.

O novo sistema físico da bola fará com que o FIFA 2004 se destaque dos demais. Em vez de “grudar” no jogador quando ele toma posse da bola, a bola é agora uma entidade completamente separada no campo.

Ronaldo do Brasil ou David Beckham da Inglaterra, por exemplo, são jogadores do mundo real altamente qualificados que segurarão melhor a bola quando controlados pelo computador, mas a posse não será mais garantida no momento em que um jogador toca na bola, como nas versões anteriores do jogo.

#10. FIFA 18

FIFA ’18 também se destaca fora de campo. Ele captura o mundo do futebol e o traduz com segurança em um videogame com uma variedade de modos de jogo, a forma como são apresentados, juntamente com a Equipe Semanal do FUT, Objetivos Diários e discussões sobre eventos atuais em um comentário.

A maior falha do FIFA 18 é que o jogo de futebol do PES 2018 é mais satisfatório e fluido, e ainda excede em muito os outros jogos de futebol da EA. Os próximos anos serão críticos para a FIFA, caso esta queira voltar a ser campeã mundial.

#9. FIFA 17

FIFA 17 tem muitos motivos para ser considerado uma boa compra. Este jogo equilibra a jogabilidade fundamental (pelo menos no mesmo nível da melhoria temática do PES 2017) com o Ultimate Team, o jogo acima de tudo que ainda falta no PES. FIFA 17 continua a ser o melhor jogo de futebol graças a um melhor modo Carreira e a uma excelente apresentação, apesar da sua liderança ter sido reduzida este ano.

Ser consistentemente bom pode ser um desafio. A FIFA deste ano apresenta lançamentos laterais aprimorados, chutes rasteiros e um chute longo do goleiro que pode ser usado para controlar a bola. No comunicado de imprensa, pareciam entusiasmantes, por isso concordo que as melhorias são bem-vindas.

O FIFA deste ano é uma combinação de uma grande mudança que não compensa e muitas outras pequenas que compensam.

#8. FIFA 14

FIFA 14 reinventou algo familiar em algo novo, envolvente e emocionante. Apesar da falta de uma novidade, FIFA 14 foi um excelente jogo. Com FIFA ’14, a série dá um grande passo em direção ao realismo à medida que se afasta da experiência que FIFA ’13 proporcionou no ano passado.

Foi a própria FIFA que competiu durante a Copa do Mundo FIFA daquele ano. Em breve uma versão de próxima geração será lançada, com um motor totalmente novo, então talvez você deva adiar o jogo por enquanto.

Se você fizer isso, sentirá falta de um grande jogo de futebol, um que seja novo, mas familiar, que desafie até os jogadores mais experientes do FIFA com possibilidades de jogo novas, emocionantes e envolventes.

#7. FIFA 09

A jogabilidade no FIFA 08 foi melhorada com um sistema de IA melhorado e um ritmo mais realista. Um FIFA 09 realista, atraente e repleto de recursos foi criado pela EA Sports em seu melhor jogo de futebol até agora.

Embora não tenha havido muitas mudanças na jogabilidade desde o UEFA Euro 2008, alguns ajustes e refinamentos resultaram num jogo altamente gratificante.

Quase todos os modos do jogo podem ser jogados online, o que torna o jogo um bom investimento a longo prazo. FIFA 09 é um ótimo jogo de futebol se você gosta de jogar online, mas apresenta algum atraso em alguns jogos e algumas falhas de IA em jogos para um jogador. Se você queria algo que durasse a temporada, era isso.

#6. FIFA 13

Apesar de não ter mudado muito em relação à jogabilidade do FIFA Soccer 12, ainda era o jogo de futebol mais atraente, aprofundado e divertido até agora. Assim que você entra em um dos lindos estádios do FIFA Soccer 13, fica evidente que o último lançamento de futebol da EA não foi a revelação que seu antecessor foi.

Além de algumas implementações de movimentos descartáveis ​​​​que permitem mirar passes e pintar corridas para companheiros de equipe, os jogos de habilidade foram uma excelente adição – mas também são os únicos substanciais.

A maior parte do que o FIFA 13 ofereceu foram ajustes e sugestões sutis que, embora fossem uma melhoria, não eram muito vitais, especialmente para jogadores casuais.

Apesar do fato de PES ter feito grandes avanços em sua jogabilidade este ano, ninguém ofereceu uma alternativa muito confiável ao rolo compressor do futebol da EA. FIFA 13 foi lindamente apresentado, detalhado e muito divertido.

#5. FIFA 03

Esta versão do FIFA foi um passo refrescante e convincente para uma série conhecida pela sua qualidade. Foi outra atuação brilhante de John Motson. Os tópicos que ele abordou em seu discurso foram diversos e verossímeis.

Os comentários de Motson e McCoist foram tão perfeitos que às vezes você se pergunta se eles foram transferidos para o seu computador.

A EA Sports assumiu alguns grandes riscos com o FIFA 2003 ao mudar a fórmula por trás do jogo de futebol mais popular do mundo.

Assim, criou um caso muito mais desafiante e complexo do que os seus antecessores, que deverá resistir melhor ao teste do tempo. Numa série conhecida pela sua qualidade, este jogo FIFA foi um passo em frente refrescante e convincente.

#4. FIFA 06

FIFA 06 adicionou muitos recursos novos para ajudá-lo a se destacar das versões anteriores. Dito isso, o jogo online no jogo para PC funciona bem quando você inicia a partida.

Uma grande falha significava que você não era capaz de usar nenhuma configuração de controle personalizada contra oponentes online até o lançamento do primeiro patch do FIFA 06.

FIFA 06 foi um jogo excelente, apesar de seu jogo online não ser perfeito. Além da excelente jogabilidade offline, os gráficos do jogo (especialmente os estádios e as animações dos jogadores) raramente deixam de impressionar, e sua trilha sonora eclética nunca deixa de agradar.

#3. FIFA 11

Comparado com outros jogos FIFA anteriores, FIFA 11 era um título mais polido e cheio de recursos. A versão deste ano do jogo foi mais viciante do que nunca devido a melhorias importantes na jogabilidade principal.

Os jogadores podem experimentar uma jogabilidade profunda e gratificante, tão emocionante e imprevisível quanto a realidade, graças às características e animações aprimoradas do jogador.

Com a introdução do jogo online 11 versus 11 completo pela primeira vez no gênero e um novo modo carreira que reúne a experiência single-player de uma forma muito mais envolvente do que antes, o FIFA 11 apresenta uma lista impressionante de melhorias online e offline. .

Em termos de modos de jogo, não tem nada de revolucionário este ano, mas sim com partidas, ligas, torneios, carreiras múltiplas. ainda é tão repleto de recursos quanto um jogo de futebol poderia ser.

#2 FIFA 10

Com seus novos recursos e novos modos de jogo, FIFA 10 oferece a segunda melhor jogabilidade da série FIFA. Como é de se esperar da série, a apresentação foi excelente, com gráficos soberbos, música soberba e comentários em inglês brilhantes.

Além disso, as transições excessivamente longas em jogos multijogador online foram reduzidas, o que certamente melhora o ritmo.

Um jogo de futebol de alta qualidade, o FIFA 10 apresenta um desempenho estelar, uma variedade de modos de jogo e corrige todas as falhas do FIFA 09. Jogar com o controle de 360 ​​graus, em particular, foi uma experiência reveladora e, embora atualmente haja alguns problemas com a criação de jogadores Virtual Pro, ainda há muita diversão.

Tal como acontece com todos os jogos de futebol lançados a partir de agora, FIFA 10 será um ato difícil de acompanhar, mas em vez de se preocupar com isso, você deve apenas aproveitar a luz do sol desta sublime experiência de futebol.

#1. FIFA 12

Com mais recursos excelentes do que nunca, FIFA 12 foi o jogo de futebol definitivo. Você também pode ganhar pontos de experiência jogando outros jogos do FIFA em dispositivos móveis ou através de redes sociais, independentemente da versão do FIFA que você está jogando.

Você pode formar uma equipe de jogadores participando de partidas e trocando cartas de jogadores e, se isso não for suficiente para você, o modo FIFA Ultimate Team agora também está incluído gratuitamente.

Há uma apresentação elegante, não importa o modo que você joga. Os menus eram fáceis de navegar, os comentários excelentes e o visual impressionante.

Este jogo tinha tudo. Pergunte a qualquer fã obstinado de FIFA e a maioria deles concordará que FIFA 12 foi o melhor jogo de todos os tempos.

By following these tips, any striker can improve his or her game. Strikers or forward-oriented players, in particular, will find them useful. But these techniques and tips can be applied to most positions on the soccer field. 

They can help identify the qualities you already possess that could help you score more goals, and more importantly identify the areas you are lacking and how to improve them.

Here are 25 tips for soccer strikers to improve their game.

1. Plan & Maintain a Practice Achedule

Prior to any practice, it is important to determine what you’ll work on. Your skills will not improve if your practice sessions are unorganized. Too many players you just pass the ball around or do nothing but dribble. The best strikers Identify weaknesses and try to turn them into strengths 

Set aside a specific time for training. For example, if you are serious, you could devote an hour a day to it. Block off specific times during that hour for practicing a specific skill. For example, you might decide to spend 20 minutes practicing ball control with your off-foot.

2. Get a Handle on The Basics First

All strikers must master the basic drills first. Finesse shots and advanced dribbling will come later. If you haven’t mastered the basics, you will not be able to perform these advanced moves.

Without the ability to dribble and pass, players like Lionel Messi would not be able to weave in and out of defenders with little bother, without having practiced using both his feet. In the absence of a proper shooting technique, Ronaldo wouldn’t be able to squeeze the ball under the crossbar with ease.

3. Practice As You Intend To Play

Some players are renowned for their dedication to training. Spain’s Xavi Hernandez seemed to have an easy time of it in the match. As soon as he receives the ball, he looks at everything around him with his head up.

He makes playing look easy because of his dedication to training. His vision is not limited to just a few meters; he has a good sense of the whole field and makes passes in places hard to see.

4. Develop Your Whole Body

Observe professional soccer strikers, and you’ll see the incredible shape they are. Top players are not in condition solely because they practice, play, and run up and down the field.

Your body quickly becomes more robust and faster from eating well and exercising regularly. You need to train your whole body to be able to support your legs.

While your legs are doing most of the work, a full-body workout can also prevent injuries by exercising correctly. I listed some of the best exercises for soccer players in this post.

5. Cultivate Your Creative Side

Strikers tend to be some of the most creative players on the pitch. Sometimes when I’m watching TV, I watch boring games where they just seem to pass the ball from one spot to another. The difference in those games is usually because a striker isn’t afraid to do something different to change the game.

The majority of Brazilian players are very creative. Brazilian strikers usually take a step up on their opponents, thanks to their creative masterminds. These players always see opportunities where others do not. In addition, they can dream up plays that other players simply cannot execute.

6. Experiment With & Master Different Techniques

There is no denying that playing in a more striker position in soccer is more technically demanding. To become a better striker, there are more techniques you need to learn and eventually master. A good example is Cristiano Ronaldo, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. 

From a technical perspective, he is the complete striker, a great dribbler, shooter, and passer of the ball. Never mind his incredible ability to jump and score with his head. These are just some of the things that make him one of the greatest strikers ever.

7. Speed Kills Even The Best Defenses

Faster is always better. By far, this is the most critical part of a striker’s game. Every day, the game of soccer becomes more and more rapid. Defensive players are no longer perceived as slow.

Players who are faster tend to be separated from the rest. If appropriately used, their speed will provide you with a distinct advantage unlike any other. Soccer is more than just running fast and shooting, as some belief. You have to switch directions quickly as well as change the speed. 

You can look at players like Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappe, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as examples. In addition to being fast, their skill lies in knowing when and how to use speed while combining it with the other skills I discuss in this article.

8. Fuel Your Body

During 90-minute games, strikers burn an average of 1500-3000 calories. A proper diet isn’t the only way to stay energized during a match. It’s also important for strength training and endurance.

It is impossible to become a better player without taking care of your body and mind. Maintaining a healthy diet will keep you energized, focused and will minimize the risk of injury.

9. Compose Yourself  

Most people don’t realize how important this skill is in the overall development of any soccer player, not just strikers. As defined by dictionary.com, composure is “the feeling of being calm and in control of oneself.”

What is the best way to develop my composure? If you want to build your composure, you should start by understanding what you can control and what variables are outside your sphere of influence.

Try not to lose your composure or worry about things you cannot control, such as the referee’s decisions, opponents’ wasted time, and your teammates’ mistakes.

10. Be More Precise

Strikers need accuracy and precision. It is vital to train and develop accuracy, regardless of whether one is passing or shooting. A striker cannot afford to make too many mistakes. 

It is essential for them to be precise when they have the chance to score. One example could be in a counterattack. Making quick decisions and passing accurately is imperative for attackers, or the play will end, and they will miss the opportunity.

11. Learn To Play Smart

There is no doubt that the best strikers are intelligent as well. As a result of our school system, we are taught that only smart people get good grades. They do not acknowledge the existence of multiple intelligences and the necessity of developing one before playing a sport like soccer.

There will be multiple possible courses of action in a real-life gaming situation. Make the right decision by thinking fast and making an intelligent decision in the team’s best interest.

I believe that intelligence is an aspect that develops over time. You will become more competent in soccer as you gain experience, train, and play more games.

12. Make Sure You’re Aware of Your Surroundings

Soccer players, including strikers, must have a clear vision to succeed. It is impossible to play soccer with blinders on. Since we were little kids, we have always been told to keep our heads up when dribbling the ball. 

By doing this, we could see the whole soccer field and have a better perspective on it. Vision can be learned. It is a matter of learning to play heads-up soccer and watching what is happening around you other than just focusing on the soccer ball. 

13. Build Self-Esteem.

Strikers must have the confidence to succeed. Especially when finishing play, a striker must be confident in his abilities and know he can achieve great things. My most valuable tip for developing confidence is self-talk. 

Your most important daily conversation is with yourself, and what you say to yourself matters more than you might realize. During the most challenging times, strikers who will learn to support and motivate themselves will score more, especially if everyone around them no longer does? 

14. Patience Will Pay off

Even the world’s best strikers have dry spells. You can’t consistently score for your team. The striker’s job is to score goals, but sometimes you have to wait for your chance. It’s not uncommon for teammates to get desperate after not scoring a goal in one or two games, which is more detrimental than helpful.

When you’re at your best every match and season, the goals will come. You will still have bad games no matter how good you are, so don’t worry about it.

15. Be Selfless

A great striker sacrifices for his team, in addition to scoring goals. It’s impossible to be a good striker if you just wait for the ball to come to you. Some of the world’s best strikers are always keen to help their teammates in other aspects of the game, including defense. 

In my previous post, I discussed how important it is for players to be intelligent. When the team is winning, it doesn’t matter whether you’ve scored or not. As a striker, you have to sacrifice and help the team in defense as well.

16. Make Swift Decisions

There is a difference between speed and quickness. By speed, I mean the velocity at which you can run. As opposed to that, quickness refers to your ability to think and make decisions while playing. It is necessary to develop quickness of thought and action to be able to play all these things. 

In soccer, for instance, creativity is of no benefit if it cannot be executed quickly. After a swift-thinking defender has already taken the ball away from you, you can’t execute any creative plays. Playing requires a quick mind and a quick body, so it is essential to develop both.

17. A Team That Works Together Scores More

Soccer is a team sport. A single player cannot play the game on their own. As a striker, you should understand that your priority should be your team, not yourself. When you can’t score goals but can contribute to the team, that is even better. 

You should pass the ball to your teammates if you know they are in a better position to score, taking as few touches as possible. For example, the act of dribbling on its own is entirely useless, but when combined with a well-timed pass, it can unlock even the best defense.

18. Commit To The Process

Above all, elite strikers are entirely committed. Everything we’ve said up to this point is critical, and every additional suggestion we discuss will be beneficial as well. However, like with any area of sport, you are unlikely to succeed unless you commit to developing and working on it at every possibility. 

You must commit to something like this; it is the most crucial component. All of the other elements I outlined above, as you would with everything else in life, will never occur unless you are sure you can put in the work.

The only way to become a great striker is to put in the effort every day. Put in the work, and the goals will take care of themselves. 

19. Become The Complete Player

In modern soccer, everyone attacks, and everyone defends. It is a myth that strikers just stay up the field and wait for a pass to score. The strikers must pressure the other team’s possession to force them to lose the ball. 

If another player gets out of his original position, a good striker has to cover his space. It is becoming more and more common to see strikers even defending in corners!

20. Decide What Role You Want To Play 

Discover your responsibilities and the hypothetical boundaries of your position. However, if you’re a central striker, your zone is not on the right side of the offensive third. Receiving passes and picking up loose balls require you to remain in this area of the field.

You are responsible for moving the ball and positioning yourself to score when your team is on offense. If you’re defending, you should retreat to the center circle or close to it.

21. Develop Your Ability To Read Other Teammates. 

Predicting the next move and location of the ball and players will provide you with a clear picture of the play. It will help you position yourself in the best possible position to receive the ball, block an opponent, and provide assistance. 

Being a fantastic soccer player entails more than just scoring goals. It’s about being ready to assist your team.

22. Become a Student of The Game. 

Taking notes while you observe pros and watching soccer matches is an excellent way to improve. It’s similar to studying for a school exam. You must learn how the game functions as a whole because when you are on the field, you understand what to do. Take notes on how the players move. 

Remain aware that professionals do not constantly try to pass the ball straight at the other goal but instead take their time controlling possession. Before advancing, the players would frequently pass the ball sideways and backward to find a free player.

23. Practice Drills & Get To Know Your Weak Foot

You most likely have one stronger foot that you use to pass and shoot. However, to increase your talent, you must be able to manage the ball with both feet. Being able to handle the ball with both feet expands your capacity to pass, move, and score more as a result. 

Because many players are predominantly right-footed, using your alternative foot will frequently confuse and put off an opponent.

24. Compete Against Opponents Who Are Stronger Than You

Playing against people who are better than you will force you to improve.  You’ll also be able to examine how maneuvers, passing, shooting, and so on are correctly executed. 

You’ll have difficulty progressing and improving if you simply play against folks of your skill level or lower. When you play against better players, you won’t have time to grow lazy or complacent.

25. Don’t Try To Keep The Ball All To Yourself

If you never pass the ball back, your teammates will stop passing it to you. If you consistently miss shots or lose the ball on the run, your teammates will not give you the ball. Keep in mind that you are not a celebrity and that you cannot win on your own.

 Make smart passes and learn to let the ball go when it’s time. You’ll probably get the ball back more often if you don’t hoard it and instead learn to pass.

Tips For Other Soccer Positons:

Do you see yourself as your teams’ midfield engine room? How about an elegant playmaker, gliding across the turf with the ball at your feet? Maybe you’re an enforcer, biting at ankles and diving into tackles to recover the ball. 

The modern midfielder has to be all of these things and more, as with every other position on a soccer field, each player must have more than one string to their bow to succeed. 

Let’s look at our 24 tips to become a better soccer midfielder, working on as many as possible will give you the confidence in your ability, the toughness and physique, and the mental fortitude to be the best midfielder you can be. 

24. Stamina To See Out A Game 

90 minutes in midfield is a real test of endurance, both mental and physical. A defender may stay back in defense all game, a striker stay up front sniffing out a goal, but your role is to be everywhere. 

Your job is to bridge the gap, and as such you will be expected to cover every blade of grass for the full 90 minutes, tough on any legs, but as well as run you will need the stamina to do something with the ball when you get it. 

Neglect your stamina at your peril, there is a reason more mistakes are made in the final 10 minutes of games, more goals scored, and more players injured. If you are the one with the extra yard of pace after 85 minutes have gone, you could win it for your team. 

23. Know Your Limitations 

Don’t settle for second place, if you have limitations, work on them. But until you do, make knowing them a part of your game. 

If you aren’t a confident tackler, don’t go sliding in, if pace is your enemy, stay close to your marker, rely on being there before you need to rely on chasing down. 

Be aware of your limitations and work around them, know your teammates’ weaknesses too so that you can work with them rather than against them.

A good team works well together because they know their strengths and weaknesses, and use that knowledge to beat the opposition. 

22. A Good Diet 

Fast food is not the midfielders friend, salad is. Even at lower levels of the sporting pyramid, players have to have a solid diet to make the most of their ability. Eat healthily, feel more alert, and burn off excess fat quicker. 

Drinking plenty of water and eating fresh vegetables will boost your metabolism and keep your engine ticking over while your opponent is still sweating their burger and fries off. 

21. Learn Your Role 

If you think “midfielder” is just one role, you are in for a huge surprise, as the term is now so varied that new terms are having to be introduced to cover the type of player you could be. 

From a defensive midfielder to a box-to-box midfielder, attacking midfielder to deep-lying playmaker, the list goes on. Know what your strengths are, and what each role entails, and base your role on the type of midfield role that best suits you. 

If you like roaming forward and have a good long shot, attacking midfield may be your niche, but if you can’t shoot to save your life, but can run for days and tackle like a train, defensive midfield may be your natural habitat. 

Learn each role, even if you have no intention or ability to play a particular role, knowing what best suits you will not only raise your game but raise your profile as you dominate games through being the right player for the right job. 

20. Retaining The Ball 

Rule number one for soccer: you can’t score if you don’t have the ball. And as a conduit for your team to play through, you will be expected to receive the ball and either move it on to the forwards or to carry it on yourself. 

When you do take the ball, you must ensure you retain possession, the team with the ball is the team that scores the goals, so keep hold of it. Pass to a teammate, pass back to your own half if need be, but keep the ball rotating until a chance presents itself. 

19. Recovering The Ball 

Okay, so you ignored number 19 on our list, but all is not lost, another key part of being a midfielder is ball recovery. The quicker you recover the ball, the quicker you can transition defense into attack.

A part of your game should be closing down, practicing on teammates if need be, closing in, and harassing for the ball. Tackle when safe to do so, but try to stay on your feet until the last second to allow as much mobility as possible. 

18. Plenty Of Rest 

It is not by chance that many top teams have areas where players can go and have a nap after training, rest is vital for your body to recover from games and training. 

While you may not have that luxury, the need for you to ensure you allow yourself time for recovery is vital as a midfielder. You are in the thick of the action, are required to maintain energy levels for long periods, and can take a battering in the center of the pitch. 

Plenty of rest periods and a minimum of 8 hours of sleep a night are paramount to keeping your body in top condition. 

17. Upper And Lower Body Work 

Gym work will increase your upper body strength, which will allow you to shield the ball, shoulder players off the ball, and generally give you the build needed to compete for the ball. 

Targeting key areas will build a solid core that will keep you battling long after your opponents have given up. Just as vital is leg work, giving you the power and strength to hold the ball and the engine to keep going. 

Regardless of the level of soccer you play at, a healthy body promotes a healthy mind, so keep toning those muscles. 

16. Plan Ahead 

From resting to gym work, passing, and penalties, build a routine that you can adhere to, it will help your body become used to the rigors of soccer. 

Keeping a strong diet, and a diary of what you eat will help you maintain discipline and consistency.

When a game is coming up, tone down the gym work to keep yourself fresh, a season is long, so preparation is key, thinking two or three games ahead can only help you mentally and physically. 

Another way to stay ahead of the game is to check upcoming fixtures to see where there is a tough run of games, working your schedule around the busy periods will give you an edge. 

15. Demand The Ball 

The best midfielders all demand more of the ball and stand out in their team all the more for it. Making yourself available at all times to receive the ball, looking to create chances or retain possession will make you invaluable to the team. 

Being comfortable both on and off the ball, your ability to make key passes and interceptions will make you the first name on the team sheet. Shy away from the ball and your responsibilities and you will warm the bench all season. 

Be vocal in your demands, players will look to you for direction and know you are always ready to take the ball and start the next transition of the ball. 

14. Constant Movement 

A key component to demanding the ball is your off-the-ball movement. Practice games should hone your awareness of space and your role as midfielder will include covering the entire pitch if necessary. 

Ball watching is the midfielders’ worst enemy; before you realize what is happening, the play has passed you by, or you are out of position and out of luck. 

Constant movement will allow you to keep pace with the game and identify which areas you need to focus on, where the ball is going to be and where you should be going next. 

13. Appreciation Of Angles 

Tying itself massively with the previous two tips, an appreciation of angles will take your game to the next level. Movement is great, and demanding the ball is vital, but without an appreciation for the angles you place yourself at, you will be limited on even getting the ball. 

Tiki-taka soccer makes massive use of angles, with players transitioning between the lines, making triangles of play between three players to retain and rotate the ball.

By making sure you and your teammates offer multiple angles for the pass, you should find yourself keeping the ball longer, and doing more damage with it when you have it. 

12. Super Substitute 

Player rotation is a part of the modern game, especially for midfielders. While your goalkeeper may stay where they are all season, and your star striker may be undroppable most of the time, midfield players are rotated due to the rigors of the game. 

Be prepared for time on the bench, but make it hard for you to be dropped from the team, stick to your fitness regime, your diet, and of course practice every day. There are always more midfielders in a squad than any other position, so make sure you stand out, work harder, train better, and reap the rewards. 

11. Practice Makes Perfect 

As with all things in life, practice makes perfect, and this old adage could have been made for soccer players. 

Making difficult things look easy, practicing until you don’t even have to think about how to pass and move will improve your game to a huge extent. 

As well as improving reaction time and confidence, practicing as a team will make your play more fluid as you transition from defense into attack. 

10. Dribbling The Ball 

Moving forward with the ball is the best defense as a midfield player, not only are you removing danger from your own goal, but carrying the attack towards the opposition. 

Dribbling skills are vital in midfield as space is at a premium, it is often the most congested part of the pitch, as depending on each team’s formation, there could be as many as ten players in that area at any one time. 

Being able to move quickly with the ball at your feet will allow you the control and safety of being able to take the ball past players while making it more difficult to be dispossessed. 

A skill that can be practiced alone, as well as in practice games, ensure you teach yourself the skill of dribbling skills needed for your position. 

9. Scoring From Distance

A great weapon in the midfield arsenal is a long-distance shot on goal, and it is noticeable that many of the best midfield players have this skill. 

Andrea Pirlo of AC Milan and Paul Scholes of Manchester United both had the ability to hit a thunderous drive on goal from distance, having many seasons where they hit over 10 goals to help their team to win. 

Building a reputation as a goal-scoring midfielder can also have the benefit that you find opposing players having to close you down to stop your trademark shot, which in turn will free up other players to allow them a shot on goal. 

8. Time Your Runs 

If long shots aren’t your thing, practice timing your runs into the opposing penalty area, it is very hard for defenders to mark someone who is arriving late into the danger area. 

For corners, set pieces, and following up on a normal attack, defenders are invariably marking the strikers or their designated zones, so the sight of a marauding midfielder striding into an area unmarked causes havoc. 

Practice timing your runs to arrive just behind the play in front of you and watch as you are picked out with the ball time after time, as you are the player who is in the right place at the right time. 

7. Tackling Skills 

While there have been many world-class midfielders over the years, to go back to Paul Scholes of Manchester United as our example, Scholes was one of the best players United ever had, a complete midfielder. 

Complete, that is, apart from his tackling ability. Numerous red cards over his career were due to Scholes being unable to tackle well. Often sliding in late, scything down a player, he would invariably be sent off, making things harder for his teammates. 

Tackling is a must for midfielders, you need to regain possession quickly, and need to stop opponents from driving forward with the ball. Practice this skill as often as possible, the crowd loves a player that can tackle, and your team will love you for getting the ball back. 

6. Tracking Back 

Fans will always forgive a player that isn’t as skillful as other players, providing they work hard for the team. Effort and application count as much as talent and skill.

Tracking back to help out your defense will not only make your defenders trust and appreciate you, but the fans will see your commitment to covering every blade of grass as your look to win the game. 

Paul Pogba of Manchester United is a prime example of a player not tracking back to help his team and is often found, hands-on-hips, watching a team attacking his teammates while he stands waiting for the ball to head back upfield. 

One of the best players around today, Pogba neglects his defensive duties, something the fans are well aware of, it is little wonder he is not regarded as fondly as Paul Scholes. 

5. Creativity And Vision 

Some players are seemingly born with the gift of talent, while others have to work hard at it. A creative midfielder is worth their weight in gold, as they pull the strings from a position that allows them to do the most damage. 

Practice will make things easier when it comes to vision, the better you read the game, the quicker you will be at spotting opportunities or dangers. Once you can read the game well, your creativity and vision should increase as you find yourself with more time on the ball to hurt the opposition. 

4. Passing Ability 

From short passes to long balls, back passes, and one-twos, learn every pass and learn it well. Having the ability to hit a ball in front of a teammate as they head up the wing is priceless to your team. 

Knowing when to pass back to retain possession and start a new attack, or a direct through ball to your striker will make you the team’s fulcrum. 

Being a midfielder is about being the complete package, and as such you will need to practice every type of pass, become comfortable on the ball, and know-how to move it on as safely as possible. 

The more passes you misplace, the more pressure you put on your own team, confidence is everything for a soccer player, and the more mistakes you make, the more you will lose confidence. Practice your passing skills daily. 

3. Keeping It Simple 

Finding reasons to make your life harder as a player should be avoided, why attempt a risky pass when a short and simple pass to a teammate will suffice?

Keep your game simple and minimize the mistakes that follow trying something risky, if you can make a 50-yard pass to feet then great, but if not, your focus in midfield is to keep play moving in your favor. 

Don’t over-complicate a simple game, look for the option that offers the least risk, and time and time again your ability to keep the ball will shine through. 

2. Finding Space 

Paul Scholes, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, possibly the best four midfielders ever to play soccer, all had one thing in common. Well, about 30 things in common actually, epitomizing talent and commitment, but one thing they all excelled at was finding space. 

Making something as hard as finding space look easy will turn your game around, having the time to look up and make a killer pass, or determining where you need to head next. 

Players who cannot find space rarely find time either, and on a soccer pitch, having the time and space to play your own game will turn you into a winner. 

1. Determination To Succeed 

Well done, you’ve reached the key ingredient on our list. And number one on it is determination. Without it, even if you have every other attribute, success will be hard to come by. 

Finding yourself last to every ball, missing every tackle, misplacing passes, and neglecting your duties will all stem from a lack of determination and application. 

Winners find a way, that extra yard or that extra bit of something that makes them stand out above their fellow players. 

Many players of lesser skill or physical prowess have, over the years, clawed their way to the top of their profession through sheer willpower. You can to some extent teach it, but without that inner desire to succeed, you will find yourself failing. 

Hone your determination, and you too could become one of the best midfielders around.

Tips For Other Soccer Positons:

The goalkeeper can be the most important position in any soccer team, the last line of defense, the difference between success and failure. 

An at times lonely position that requires self-belief, consistency, and focus, the skills needed to be a top-level goalkeeper are varied and complex. And through understanding your role within the team, and training yourself accordingly, you too could be the next No. 1 for your team. 

Read on to see the top 25 tips to becoming a better soccer goalkeeper. 

1. Practice Agility 

Cat-like reflexes are a must to be a good goalkeeper, and thankfully it is a skill that can be learned through repetition and muscle memory. 

A goal line and the 18-yard-box can feel like the largest space around, so having the agility to both move around it with ease, and the reflexes to be in the right place is vital. 

The agility to be able to get down to a low ball, and then spring back up immediately means you are in position for the next save. Constant practice will improve your agility in and around the box. 

2. Jumping Reach Is More Important Then You Think

Finding that extra reach, be it jumping for a high ball from a corner or getting across for a shot, can turn games on their head. Regardless of a goalkeeper’s height, practicing jumping is a key ingredient to being the best. 

Learning how to gain that extra reach through jumping, keeping on the balls of your feet in order to spring into action, keeping knees bent while moving allows you to quickly leap for a cross or at an attacker’s feet. 

3. Using Your Feet 

There will be times when saving a ball with your feet is quicker and safer than trying to get down with your hands. 

Being able to move around your goal quickly, using your legs and feet to clock the ball, having the confidence to use your feet is a real strength for a goalie. 

Manchester City has in recent years re-evaluated the role of a goalkeeper, and expects that theirs to be as much a part of the team as the other ten players, ball control and passing skills are a must. 

4. Strength Training 

Having the strength to fight for the ball in a crowded box, and the physicality that is required for 90 minutes of intense sports makes all the difference. 

Gym work to build muscle mass will allow you to get to the ball and keep hold of it. Upper body for catching and keeping players at bay, and lower body because you need the leg muscles to be able to jump, sprint, and block with your legs. 

Strength is vital for a top goalkeeper, without it you will be bullied off the ball as much as on it. 

5. Command of Area 

The best teams work together, and as such, the goalkeeper that dominates his area dominates the game. With soccer becoming faster and more technical every season, goalkeepers need to use their defense well in order to survive. 

Be vocal in where you want your players on set pieces, be loud in demanding the best. Ensuring everyone knows where you are, and where they need to be, commanding your area as if your life depended on it. 

6. Managing The Offside Trap 

As well as being vocal about your area, be demanding with your players about how they handle the offside trap. Being at the back allows you to see the whole field, use that vision to monitor and tweak the back-line on offsides. 

If a player isn’t stepping up with the rest of the players, you will rapidly become exposed to danger. Be in charge, and manage your players’ positions, and reap the rewards. 

7. Decisiveness 

The best goalkeepers are never wrong, even when they are wrong. Be decisive and stick to your decisions. If you are rushing out towards an oncoming opponent, be decisive. 

Once you have decided to move or stay, stick with it, your defenders will take confidence from knowing you are committed, you will make fewer mistakes as you fully commit to a decision, for better or for worse. 

Being decisive is as much about confidence as it is about making the right decision, committing to your next move regardless of it being the correct choice can turn a bad decision into a good one. 

8. Reflexes 

Lightning-fast reflexes are the difference between a decent keeper and a world-class one.

There are numerous ways to increase reflexes through reflex training drills, and the more practice you have, the more instinctive your saves will become. 

Having to stop point-blank shots in a game will become instinctive, having trained your body to move without thought saves you the valuable milliseconds needed to make the stop look like a great one. 

9. Hand-Eye Coordination 

This tip is similar to having great reflexes and comes with practice and time. Many situations a goalkeeper finds themselves in involve periods of inactivity, followed by short bursts of rapid movement. 

Having superb hand-eye coordination allows you to minimize your reaction times. 

Practice rapid catching exercises without looking at your hands, build up the confidence that your eyes and hands are working as one, and be able to focus on the ball and opponent, which allows you to judge where your body needs to be. 

10. Concentration 

Concentration may be number 16 on our list, but ignore it at your peril. You can be great at every other tip on our list, but without the concentration to be able to bring it into practice at exactly the right time, you cannot succeed. 

Many minutes can go by without the ball going near your 18-yard box, and a loss of concentration can mean when you are called into action, your positioning is wrong, your angles are not covered, in short, you’re in trouble. 

Follow the game completely, assume at all times you are needed within seconds, and be prepared for anything. Remember the old adage “fail to prepare, prepare to fail”? 

11. Narrowing of Angles

Why make life easy for your opponent? And why make life hard for yourself? An appreciation of angles, the standard lines of an attack made against your goal, allows you to make life even harder for the striker bearing down on you. 

Simply by moving yourself into a better position, you can force the attacker out wide, making the goal look smaller, the target harder to hit, and yourself look imposing and hard to beat. 

12. Intimidating The Opponent 

It is always nice to have a chat, so why not have a word with your opponent when they come near? Make them unwelcome near your area, intimidate and irritate them into making mistakes. After all, you aren’t there to make friends, you are there to win games. 

Use your size and strength to pressurize anyone who enters your domain. Go into tackles hard, but fair, be combative, and difficult to handle. 

13. Calm Under Pressure 

If you can intimidate and annoy your opponent, they will surely try to do the same to you. A great way to win a soccer game is to get the goalkeeper sent off. 

With that in mind, expect elbows to the ribs, insults, players crowding you in the area. 

Expect it, but do not respond to it, keep calm and focussed, your best chance of saving a shot or winning a game comes from you remaining calm and doing your job. 

14. Anticipating Danger 

Bringing several tips together, anticipating danger while you watch the game is vital. Concentration and an understanding of the game as it unfolds in front of you help you to prepare for every eventuality.

When you feel an attack is coming, ensure you are talking to your defenders. Ensure everyone is in place, your positioning is solid, and you are ready to repel attacks before they materialize. 

15. Positioning 

Being in the best position to repel that oncoming attack means that your opponent has to adjust to you, and not you to them. 

Being in the right place is half the battle, your reaction time is increased because you are already prepared, your angles are covered, your mind is calm as you are already prepared. 

Proper positioning will allow you the time to cover every base as you prepare for the next attack. 

16. Set-Play Master 

Flapping at an incoming corner is a goalkeeper’s worst nightmare, so make sure your team has practiced defending them. Free kicks into your area can cause havoc if players are not in their correct positions. 

Covering both posts is often a wise choice, having the confidence to rush out to jump for an inswinging corner is key. 

At lower levels especially, set-pieces are a vital way of scoring goals, from long throws to direct free-kicks, learn from them all. 

There is always an element or reaction to a set-piece, but having the foundations laid beforehand allows you to defend them with self-belief. 

17. Practice Makes Perfect 

Every player makes mistakes, the best players learn from them. The more you practice in goal, the better you become. 

Each new experience gives more understanding of the role you play, get as much practice as possible to be able to build that understanding. It has been said that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something, and that is over 111 ninety-minute matches before you can consider yourself a pro. 

Without practice, you could lose most of those games as you learn your position, so make mistakes where they don’t matter, in training. 

18. Watch The Best Goalkeepers 

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of quality outfield players you can learn from, but with goalkeepers, there are probably dozens. Watch how they play, where they stand, how they dominate their areas. 

From Allison Becker at Liverpool to Manuel Neuer at Bayern Munich, the best teams have the best keepers, and that is no coincidence. Watching recordings of the best can raise your game to a new level. 

19. Warming The Bench 

Nobody likes being a substitute, and as most goalkeepers are not subbed off unless injured, warming the bench can be a hard and lonely job. 

The key to this tip is to ensure you are always ready to step in. Practice harder, train better, make it impossible for the manager to drop you. 

Until then, confidence and concentration are vital, you could be watching game after game, but when called upon, you must hit the ground running, this is your big chance. 

20. Ball Distribution 

Practicing ball distribution is not only about goal kicks, or long throws, it is about choosing the right tool for the right job. 

Getting the ball as far upfield as possible from a goal kick is great, so practice them as often as possible, a long throw to the wing to set up a counter-attack is applauded, and you need to be able to do all of them. 

Not only do they pick the right method of distribution, every time. Modern goalkeepers are expected to be as comfortable on the ball as an outfield player, and as such you will be required to pass the ball with your feet with the same accuracy as your star midfielder. 

21. Studying Your Opponents 

It may be easier to study an opponent when you are a Premier League goalkeeper, you can watch where players like to place their shots, their movement, and runs. The lower down the leagues you go, the harder it is to come by this information. 

Assuming, for now, you are not at a Premier League club, try to watch any games with your future opponents in that you can. If you are in a youth tournament, go and watch the games. 

Speak to other players if you have to, the key to this tip is information, the more you have, the stronger you become. 

At the elite level, players are given dossiers on opponents, goalkeepers know where players like to angle in from, do they shoot with power or try to place a ball? 

22. Penalties 

It’s hero time, some goalies love penalties, some hate them. This is where your thousands of practice hours come into play, you’ve studied your opponents, you know where they place their kicks. 

Watch the player as they run up, don’t watch the ball, check body positioning, where the player is looking, and once you have made your decision which way to dive, stick with it. 

Commit to a direction and go, penalties are a lottery, but don’t guess right only to be half-hearted and still not get there. 

The entire game hangs in the balance, and having the skills, luck, and ability to be able to save penalties reliably is what makes you the hero of the hour. Or the villain, so keep practicing.

23. Handling Pressure

Being in a lonely position, pressure can mount on a player in goal, expectations are high, and the consequences of failure are dire. 

One mistake from you, and a goal is scored, there is no other position in soccer that is so critical of a mistake. 

Understanding that, and handling it, are two separate things. Many quality goalkeepers have seen their careers crumble from one simple mistake. 

They didn’t become bad players overnight, they were simply unable to deal with the pressure of being in the spotlight after making an error. 

The best way to deal with pressure is to accept and thrive under it, you may be the last line of defense, but as part of a team, you must ensure others also shoulder responsibility, win as a team and lose as a team. 

24. Shot Stopping 

The reason you are on the pitch, and the reason you became a goalkeeper. 

Shot stopping, oddly, is your last line of defense; you marshal your players to avoid having to stop a shot, you cover the angles to make sure players can’t see the goal to have a shot, but when all else fails, you need to make a save. 

Because you practice religiously, your reaction times, body strength, and your hand-eye coordination are all excellent. 

Pity the attacker that tries to score past you, because as far as you are concerned, you’re the best goalie on the planet. 

25. Confidence 

Number one on our list, and for good reason, is confidence.

Unlike your teammates in defense, who have each other to rely on, or your midfielders or strikers, who can cover each other further up the field, the goalkeeper is given the number 1. Shirt for a reason. 

Being part of a team, while being ultimately alone, you must have the confidence and self-belief to succeed. Some call it arrogance, and others eccentricity, you call it an ironclad belief in your own abilities. 

Without confidence, you can guarantee failure, so as the last line of defense, exude belief, make your team feel invincible as you cover the net with your air of invincibility, and watch the trophies come rolling in.

Tips For Other Soccer Positons: