I think that vision is more important than speed because if you know where to pass before the ball comes I think that is more crucial than speed. Just my opinion.
I think the most important attribute is conciously knowing where you are on the fields at all times, so you know where to place balls without thinking and knowing where you and your teammates are so that its second nature. stamina and of course skill is important too.
I disagree with this 100%. Usually retireing in your early 30's is due to reoccuring injuries. Some of the best players in the world arent that quick. Granted speed plays an issue as far as the team as a whole but you can have slow players contribute on a quick team. now SPEED OF THOUGHT is a different issue. Look at Valderama, a great player who was the epitomy of slow and "lazy" yet was very effective. Or even Zidane. Not remarkably quick, but incredibly smart and talented. I am not saying speed isnt important at teh highest level, but it is far from the most important.
yeah i dont think its speed because you can manage with out been really fast, but if you cant see the field or if you dont know what to do with and without the ball without thinking you take too long and loose the ball. When you play soccer you think 97.3% of the time about what you do next, but if you dont do that your done. A good shot and excellent footwork really help but knowing whos and whats around you at all times makes you a excellent player.
Americans tend to rely on out-and-out speed to play the game. I play every week with a mix of Yanks, Brits, Africans, Mexicans, and Brazillians. Its amazing to see how the different nationalities play the game. On attack, the Brits go for long diagonal balls, the Brazillians go for quick one-twos, the Africans and Mexicans dribble like fiends. The Yanks put their heads down and run as fast as they can towards the end line. But us Yanks are the hardest working players on the field in every game. We score more goals on grit alone than anyone else and are a pain to play against because we're pretty tenacious defenders. So, maybe the answer depends on what country you're from? Personally, I say the ability to maintain possession, under pressure, at all parts of the field is the most important attribute.
I think it has to be ball control. There are a lot of players on my team that are fast, but have poor ball control, which results in them consistently losing the ball. If you are fast, then you should be doing track and field. With soccer, there is a ball involved, so you need great ball control to really succeed in the sport of SOCCER.
yeah i agree, speed is something that helps a lot but if you look at zidane for example he is the fastest guy out there but he has excellent vision and footwork and thats what makes him one of the best
I agree with all that has been mentioned, but to me the best attrbiute of a soccer player is willingness. This encompasses the willingness to get faster, get stronger, better technically, better desision making on and off the ball, and finally to become a student of the game
I think the best attribute is speed on the ball... meaning quickness in decision making - so I guess that ties into your technique, field vision, etc. I think physical speed is an AMAZING attribute to have, and although it does give you a pretty big advantage, it won't make you the best player.
I think the answer to this question may also vary with age. At the younger ages, it almost seems that first step quickness is king. Of course, skill along with that first step quickness also matters but if you take an extremely skilled player and a lesser skilled player that is much quicker, I think the quicker player may impress more. This may change when the opposing players mature defensively and then I think skill and vision may be a greater factor.
Close control and first touch are the most important basic attributes in any position. Football is all about passing and moving, without passing a team fails to function as a unit. But for every pass that is made a team-mate has to recieve it, and recieving the ball involves controlling it - in many situations (particularly in the attacking 3rd) the reciever has to be able to put the ball exactly where he/she wants it first time or lose possesion. Therefore it can be said that touch and control make up 50% of the passing game, which in turn makes up a large amount of the sport itself.
I agree some with where other people are going, with the creativity and all. It helps but I don't think it's the MOST important. Look at some of the least creative teams out there (find them in europe. i think that's where you can differentiate european from south american... there are bits of it, but euro soccer is more straightforward, military-like systems), and they do just fine. Of course it helps. To me, it's all about touch, especially first touch. If you have that, you can have everything. It's a LOT easier to develop, say, stamina than a GREAT first touch. The second is composure, which I think includes the confidence. The composure to pull a move, the composure to act correctly under pressure, even to keeping your temper n all. Etc.
I think the most important skills as a footballer would be the technical skill and confidence. There is a guy in my year who is fast and fit but cannot shoot and has crap control but another guy has alot of skill is a good passer but is nowhere near as fast and doesn't have as good a stamina. The second player is far better. He plays for a decent team and scores alot of goals.