What in your opinion is the most important attribute for a soccer player? Is it just plain skills, speed,strength, etc? Just wondering what everyone thinks.
Well, to me, there's a difference between the best and the most important. The most important attributes, in my opinion, is stamina and confidence. The best attribute, to me, is creativity. If you have that flair in your game, and that extra ability, it makes the game so much sweeter to play and watch.
I would say its a mix or toss up between creativity/intelligence and confidence. I think they go hand in hand though...creative players are smart and of course are confindent. Speed is great and so is strength, but smart players who pick out the right passes and make the right decisions can easily perform well and get away with not having the speed or strength. my opinion though....
it depends on the level of the game. at high school and lower levels, you can be one of the best players if you have the speed. speed kills at youth levels. at higher levels, i would point to soccer intelligence as being the most important. making the right passes and runs, and defending well becomes very important.
None of the above. The most important attribute is a great soccer brain. Ya feelin me here? Soccer is a simple game best played by clever people. In order to achieve soccer excellence I rank the following attributes, 1) Soccer Brain. 2) Technical skills. 3) Speed. 4) Vision. 5) Strength. 6) Balance. Good luck!
I don't know if I agree with this but it could be right ... one thing that struck me in watching the Confed Cup final was how damn smart those Brazilian players were ... Brazil gets a lot of rep for technical wizardry and some for athleticism, but people don't often talk about its decision making. Lemme tell ya, those guys put on a clinic of anticipation, space, movement, and distribution.
Well in the dutch coaching system they say it's (for youth soccer): 1. Technique 2. Intuition 3. Communication 4. Physical 5. Mental
Vision. The ability to see a space or a player, even under extreme pressure. Anything else, speed, strength, communication skills, or whatever... they can be trained off the pitch in a relatively short period of time. But the one above, you either need to be born with it or have a lot of experience playing organized soccer.
its definetly speed and touch. without those two passing dribbling and creatvity dont matter and neaither does stamina if u dont do anyhting fast
It's speed guys. Why do you think players are forced to retire in their 30s? It's not because they've become stupid or lost their first touch. They know where to go and what to do, they just can't get there in time. It's not even endurance - look at the ages of Tour de France riders.
Control - If you dont have control of the ball you can never do anything with it And the reason I say that is because it is what David Beckhams Coach used to teach him when he was a lad. Its something I've then taken on and thoroughly believe in www.soccersaurus.com
I like speed but having game smarts and being skilled are strong assets as well. Think about how a player who is fast would play if he wasnt as skilled or didnt have a good soccer mind. He would be able to react and use his speed but he may not have the desicion making ability to go with it nor the skills to match. If the player was highly skilled but possessing only average speed, he might be able to out manuever the faster player with his skill and technical ability. Another asset that may not have been mentioned and one that may be hard to measure is heart. Heart, desire and determination certainly add up.
Definately speed, I don't care how well you can control the ball when a midfielder is blazing past you and scores a goal on your slow butt.
Positioning, because im crap but always get a few goals at every level i play at and every sport i play in.
Being a student of the game. This entails a willingness to accept that you don't know everything there is to know; that you're willing to listen, watch, and learn. That you're constantly trying to become better and improve your play both as an individual and a team player. As a former high school coach this was my #1 pet peeve. Too many players (especially males) turn their brains off at about the time they reach the U14 level. They're more interested in looking good on the field and "schooling" their opponents (how ironic to use that term) than becoming better players and actually learning how to play the game. I'm stepping off my soapbox now.
the answers in this thread disturb me. these opinions are why soccer in this country is boring. in the US way too much attention is paid to physical abilities. 1) Intelligence-Decision making, positioning, etc. If one does not know what to do consistently, they are nothing. Doesn't matter how well you can control a ball or pass if you are going to do something stupid. 2) Technique/Ball skills-Just the fundamentals; being able to dribble (not the same as being able to beat defenders), control the ball/1st touch (most important ball skill imo), passing, etc. 3) Creativity-Back passes are boring and creativity is fun. No point to soccer if it doesn't look good or isn't fun. 4) Stength, Speed, Quickness, Agility, Size, Balance, etc-Great attributes, but can only do so much.
Without A Doubt Its Field vision Look At Carlos Valderama, Wasnt The Fastest, Quickest, Most Skilled, Didnt Have The Best Shot, Or Best Athleticism. However His Field Vision Allowed Him To Pass The Ball Extremely Well And Get 1 Or 2 Assists A Game. Even Tho He Wasnt The Most Gifted Athlete He Is One Of The Best Playmakers Ever Because Of His Vision