Most people watch soccer on television and aren’t familiar with all the little subtleties of the game. There is so much to learn that isn’t apparent if you don’t know what to pay attention to. Thankfully the following article breaks the game down for you in an easy to read manner. Continue ahead for some excellent tips about this interesting game called soccer.

Passing the ball is best done when defenders are closer to you. If you are still able to safely advance, keep the ball, but when defenders close in, pass it right away. The new player then has a head start against their own defenders.

If you are interested in learning how to cross the ball with better precision, watch some footage of the professionals. David Beckham, in particular, is very skilled in this area. No matter what you do, though, make sure that you do not loft the ball. It is important to pass with precision.

When shooting a penalty kick scrutinize the goalie. Find an open spot that he does not have guarded and kick using the inside of your foot. Keep your non kicking foot close to the ball and your body over the ball. Then with your eyes on the ball, kick forcefully.

There are three essential skills all soccer players must master. They are dribbling, shooting and passing. These skills can not be developed overnight. They require many hours of practice. By doing drills from a stationary position, a beginner can begin developing these three must-have skills. As a player becomes more proficient in these drills, add in some motion.

To make sure you’re in shape, run three to four miles a day. You have to have good cardio fitnes, as soccer requires continuous running. By running three miles every day, you will help build your endurance and stamina. Run on different paths to make it more interesting.

Watch televised soccer games to find a few cool moves to incorporate into your repertoire. Watch the play over and over until you have learned exactly how to perform the move. Then, go outside and begin practicing it. After you have practiced for thirty minutes, come back inside and watch the move again noting any changes you need to make to your practice.

If you are a coach and one of your players is on the bench, take that time to talk to them about their performance on the field. Do not try to yell things at them while they are on the field playing since this can be pretty distracting and may ruin their game.

As you can see from the above article there is a lot more to soccer than just running around the field and kicking the ball. If you are educated about the game then you will better understand all the “little things” that make the game exciting. Keep the tips you learned here close by so you can refer back to them the next time you watch a soccer match.