The Future of Soccer Development 2024

Technology is both exciting and scary. Perhaps not the use of technology in soccer development, but in almost everything else. We are bombarded by the horrible outcomes that AI will cause in this world. One side says that we will all be replaced and become jobless. Another side is saying that AI is already working against the human race and any day now it will win. We don’t know about AI, but we know soccer education and we’ll focus on exactly that. How do we develop soccer players? How can the technology help us do a better job at the moment? Where it will be in the next decade or two?

Which technology are we going to look at?

Before we jump into it, let us just define the technology we will analyze and which ones we will avoid. Computer technologies, including AI, machine learning, computer vision, AR/VR, data science, and wearables are all fair game in our analysis. As you can see it is all based on captured videos of soccer practices and games. We will not talk about sciences related to chemicals, drugs, or gene editing. It is a fascinating area of science and there is so much to explore. But we just don’t feel like experts in the area and don’t think we can add much color to it. If you are interested in learning more about gene editing our way to a superhuman without one word about soccer, we recommend most of the 500+ pages of The Code Breaker by Walter Isaacson. 

But what if we can use technology in soccer development to create the environment and achieve superhuman results through all the knowledge of psychology, child development, sociology, and technology that we have at the moment…

What are the challenges that soccer coaches face?

Let’s talk about what a technical soccer skill is – it is a motor skill, meaning the specific movement of the body’s muscles to perform a certain task. It is important to distinguish that there is no decision-making in this process, only the execution of a predetermined action. At the highest level of competition, the decision is conscious and the skill is subconscious. Colloquially, some people refer to it as muscle memory, and is present in all sports, playing instruments, body movements, and even writing. However, once we form our handwriting in our childhood, we do not change it in our life unless some serious injury occurs that forces our neural system to adjust. In the world of soccer, the legendary Arsenal manager of 22 years, famous for his talent identification, said:

…the base of the player is the technique. You get that between seven and fourteen years of age. If you have no technical skill at 14, you can forget it, you can never be a football player.

Arsene Wenger

How do we do “deep practice”?

Let’s think about – how did we learn to write? We isolated only one letter, broke the task into pieces, and did each piece of it slowly with lots of attention and focus. We repeated that many times over and today we write the letter subconsciously. Now when we write a word or a sentence, we don’t think about the steps one by one. However, we decide on the words to use and the order in which to place them, and even the sentence that comes after that.

How does a piano player achieve the right tempo on technically difficult tasks? It is the same process of isolating the hard fragment and playing it correctly at a very slow speed. If that is too hard, we will split it into only the left and only the right hand separately. Then we will bring it together at a slow speed, before proceeding at a higher tempo. When the pianist moves to a higher speed, it is an adjustment or a correction and with the appropriate repetition, it strengthens the neural network even further.

The way we do deep practice is through precise repetition in a controlled environment. Let’s split those two interdependent terms. If the repetition is not precise, it will create a strengthening of the incorrect neural connections, resulting in a sloppy technique. Subsequently, that leads to creating an uncontrolled environment at the highest level of competition. On the other hand, if the environment is not controlled, it leads to an imprecise repetition and forming of the wrong muscle memory.

Why can’t coaches just teach “deep practice”?

Now that we know what the secret is, why can’t we just do it? Well, have you had an argument with a kid that they should practice their violin? If it is too easy then it’s boring. If it is too hard then it’s daunting. And this is a piece of music targeted specifically for the skill of this violinist. Now, try to target the right drill at the right level for your 15 soccer players at the same time. Impossible! What if there is a way to monitor the challenge to make it just right, at the right time for each player?

Flow

Let us make one more analogy with the 5 heart-rate zones and our soccer deep practice. We sit and lay down in the resting HR, so not really useful zone for our goal of deep practice. Light intensity is where we get sloppy because we lose focus and don’t have full control over our movements. Moderate intensity is where all our focus is on the precise movement, with no effort spent on decision-making or opposition. Vigorous intensity is when we have competition at practice to adjust and correct for a certain level of opposition, as designed by the drill. As we have said many times, we love rondos because we decide that level of intensity and opposition. Finally, the final red zone is for games and there is no technical development there because it is an uncontrolled environment as we discussed earlier.

What will be solved by technology in soccer development in the next decade?

Green zone

Let us reuse the musical instruments examples from before. The steps to improve a particular instrumentalist are to analyze the music played, identify the issue of that particular player, and suggest the exercise to be performed. Current tech can definitely do that and will likely not need more than a smartphone to do so. It will get better with AI and potentially image processing to suggest an adjustment of the hand posture and movements. It is definitely getting us closer to the flow.

Ball mastery apps

When it comes to technology in soccer development, we already have something similar in the market. There are products and apps that give a task (might or might not be appropriate for the player) and keep track of the quality of performance. Apps like Techne Futbol show the drill in slow motion that needs to be made and give a dose of dopamine when the user accomplishes a certain time of practice. A step further is DribbleUp. They show drills for ball manipulation and ball mastery and use a phone camera to measure the success rate of it. The flow is there with a clear goal and instant feedback.

A beginner coach can watch a Youtube video and repeat the movement slowly and in steps. The coach can have a stopwatch and count the movement of one player at a time. However, only an expert coach with years of experience can identify the issue in the motor skill and quickly find a way to correct it. I believe that the technology of image processing and machine learning is smart enough to do that. It should be able to detect issues in the movement – too little hip opening, too much knee bending, or arms too static…

With the amount of soccer data and soccer drills available, it should give feedback and pick the appropriate corrective drill to fix that. Then once that is fixed it will move to the next drill for that player. I have no doubt that by the end of the decade, an app will be able to do all that.

Yellow zone

Smart soccer training gyms

When looking at state-of-the-art facilities at La Masia, we can see that there are small turf indoor fields for individual player development. Using multiple machines to throw and receive, a ball comes from one place to the middle where a player receives it and passes to another place where the system indicates that the ball should go with a visual signal. The system is predetermined and the variations are randomizing the locations and the speed of the ball.

However, it seems like there is very little feedback that the system does to analyze the weaknesses of the player in the middle and target those. Adding AI to the system will bring the knowledge of the best coaches from the best academies in the world, practically to any gym that will have this system. A player can rent the tool and practice on their own the same way the best players in the world. Globalizing this tool will uplift soccer development in the world.

Devices

We talked about getting in the challenging zone with rondos, which makes us dominant in terms of numbers when we are in possession. However, it is up to the coach to design the right environment to dose the challenge just right. Now imagine using VR and AR devices we can always have the right amount of challenge. Imagine your teammates and opponents moving at the right place to vary the situation, so you make progress but are not overwhelmed. Wouldn’t that be amazing? We will be permanently in the correct zone for development and the situations will be designed to strengthen the exact neural connection that we want. That would be amazing and while it might take more than a decade or two to get to that point, we can see it happening at some point.

Why will the coach not be replaced by the technology in soccer development?

So, the soccer coach is done and we can finally stop coaching kids and just watch the World Cup? As if. The Talent Code talks about two other key components in the mastery of a skill – ignition and master coaching. I know from my cardio exercises that staying in the yellow zone is hard and it often requires a mental push. That ignition has to be sparked by the coach. However, master coaching requires silent observation and occasionally encourages good behavior and corrects bad one.

Have you ever noticed that a coach is good for a certain age group, but not for another? Being a youth soccer coach has three phases – animator, teacher, and competitor. That is according to the book that documented the path of soccer development in Croatia. For context, Croatia won 2nd and 3rd place in the last two World Cups. With a population of less than 4 million people, they had no business passing the group stage.

Soccer coach profiles

The animator role of a coach is for the youngest group of players, 10 years old and younger. At that age the ignition is not really there naturally and no technology will create it. Between the ages of 11 and 15, the profile of a coach-teacher comes to play. The players enter puberty and the coach needs to find the right balance within the team, providing not just guidance for the individual player, but also balancing the fire in the players and even between them. Finally, when the players are growing past U16, they compete and the coaches need to do the final push to get the best out of them at the right moment in every aspect – physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

These profiles will not change for the coaches with the current technology and the pathway that I can see. We are still so far from emotionally understanding, let alone connecting with the machines. Furthermore, the tech cannot help us relate to other humans in a genuine way. For example, it can help us identify who is Johnny and who is Jimmy. However, it cannot help us look genuine when we want to relate to the players. It cannot make Johnny and Jimmy like us or trust us, which is key to developing them as players and humans. Furthermore, it cannot determine that Johnny likes to compete extra today, while Jimmy looks like he is shying away from conflict. That is something that comes from life experience and emotional intelligence.

Summary

The importance of technology in soccer development has been talked about for decades. As the tech evolved over time and the amount of money poured into soccer, we are excited to see where we will get in the next decade. The future is bright and the role of the coach will change. Humans are the most adaptable species on the planet and I am sure we will adjust. However, it will be amazing to see how the technology in soccer development will create the opportunity for better technical coaching games everywhere on the planet, while the coaches can focus on adding even more value on top of it.

Volunteerism is key in grassroots soccer development in the USA. We always see volunteer coaches trying their best to coach the players, then getting lost in other tasks and finally giving up. The coaches take roles they shouldn’t take and they start handling uniforms and field scheduling. Similarly to assigning players roles on the pitch, the team should assign roles in the operations segment.

To run a quality soccer team, it is vital to have the right setup in order not to burn out. In this article, we will explore the roles in a youth soccer team to improve your chances of success on the field. Sometimes the responsibilities overlap and can be handled by the same person, but if one person handles more than 2-3 responsibilities, it is likely that there they will eventually be overwhelmed and give up.

Coaching Team roles in a youth soccer team

Head Coach

Well, this is obvious. The head coach is responsible for developing and implementing training plans, managing the team on game day, and developing team tactics. They should have experience coaching youth soccer and be able to communicate effectively with everybody else. We write so much about soccer coaches, that we will likely not focus as much in this case. However, keep in mind that the head coach plays a role in each aspect of the team, including scouting and recruiting. Players will decide if they join or not based on the head coach and you can’t outsource that.

Assistant Coaches

Assistant coaches support the head coach and assist with training and game management. Ideally, they should have experience playing or coaching soccer and be passionate about working with young players. We have written about it extensively about the roles of assistant coaches and rightly so. Many new coaches try to work without assistant coaches because they want to make sure they bond with the team. However, not every coach is the right for the right players, so find a balance of different personalities and coaching approaches and it will work.

Goalkeeping Coach

The goalkeeping coach is responsible for developing the skills of the team’s goalkeepers. They should have experience coaching goalkeepers and be able to provide individualized coaching to help each player reach their full potential. This is the only specialized coach for a position, as we don’t really need seperate coaches for defense vs attack. Ideally, these would be additional practices, but if that is not possible, at least get about 20-30% of the practices assigned for dedicated GK practices for your goalkeepers only.

Conditioning Coach

The conditioning coach is responsible for developing the team’s fitness and stamina. They should have experience developing fitness plans for youth athletes and be able to work closely with the head coach to ensure that the team is in peak condition on game day. When the players are younger (U14 and younger) the role is more of a teacher. Some players don’t know how to run properly or have gone through a growth spurt recently. A competent PT or fitness coach can address that properly.

Director of Soccer / Coach Mentor

The director of soccer provides guidance and support to the coaching team. They should have experience coaching youth soccer and be able to offer advice and mentorship to help the team reach its full potential. Very often they are the best scout and recruiter for the club, as they have connections and the credentials to “sell” the club to players and parents. The goal is for the head coach to get unbiased opinions and feedback from somebody that doesn’t know the players but knows the environment, system, and the head coach.

Management team roles in a youth soccer team

Team Manager

The team manager is the counterpart of the head coach on the management team. They will communicate with the other people on the management team and on the coaching team. The team manager should be organized, detail-oriented, and able to communicate effectively with everybody. They are responsible for organizing logistics such as scheduling games, booking fields, and arranging transportation. Finally keeping track on any paperwork, such as registration of players and coaches, as well as any documentation or certification is a responsibility that is often missed and the team manager should handle it.

Parent Communication

Effective communication with parents is essential for a successful youth soccer team. A designated parent liaison should be appointed to keep parents informed about schedules, game results, and team news. Some parents have trouble with keeping up with the schedule, carpooling, uniforms, and gear. Most of the time, the players have nothing to do with that. However, if a talented player doesn’t make it on time or keeps missing something that their parents need to do, then having a dedicated person for it will make it easier for everybody. Furthermore, the player will want to stay on your team and no other team. We also like to share pictures and soccer stories of our players with the other parents to increase the team bond. 

Gear Manager

The gear manager is in charge of ordering and distributing team uniforms, equipment, and supplies. They should be organized and proactive, ensuring that the team has everything they need to perform at their best. This role usually has a spike at the beginning of the season when all players are getting their uniforms. However, there are activities to be done throughout the year when there should be special gear for the games (canopy, bench, field markers, game balls) or when the weather changes and new gear is needed.

Team Captain

This is the only player on the list, and we wrote about the captains extensively. We talked that the team captain changes once a year or more often. That is true for the other roles and it is important to have parents who are willing to pitch in. The captaincy is great to reward and to teach the player at young age. Also, as they get older, the captain will motivate other soccer players to practice harder, by being a role model.

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By following these guidelines and structuring your youth soccer team effectively, you can improve your chances of success on the field and provide a positive and enjoyable experience for all involved. Remember, youth soccer is about more than just winning; it’s about building confidence, friendships, and a love of the game that can last a lifetime.

Choosing a captain of a youth soccer team can be a daunting task. It’s not just a matter of standing out on the pitch with a captain’s armband. You need to find someone who can lead the team, make quick decisions on the field, and inspire your teammates to do their best. It is hard to do it at a professional level, but where do you even start at the grassroots? How do you know who is the right player for that? Let’s see the different roles of a captain at different ages, the traits to look for in a youth soccer captain, and how to make the final decision.

The Search for the Perfect Captain

What are the roles of the captain at different ages?

The role of the captain can vary based on the age of the team. For younger teams, the captain may serve as a motivator and role model for their peers. The captaincy also serves as an extra motivator for the player, not as much of a responsibility that usually the coach has. As the team gets older, the captain’s responsibilities may expand to include leading drills, organizing practices, and communicating with the coach. These are all roles that the coach and the assistant coach have when the players are at U10 or younger. However, to develop the players in the right way, the coach will start delegating small tasks to the captain.

Do I select a new one each season or each game?

There is no hard and fast rule about when to choose a new captain. Some coaches may choose a new captain each season, while others may select a captain for each game. It’s important to consider the team dynamic and choose a captain who can lead the team both on and off the field. At U10, I usually choose a captain for each game and often times there is even a vice-captain, to avoid any player being overwhelmed. Furthermore, it’s a great motivation tool for insecure soccer players. What I like to do at the U11 through U13 level is to choose a captain for the season. Keep in mind, there is a fall and spring seasons, as well as summer tournaments. So in a year, there might be 4-5 captains, which is good to balance the responsibility. From U14 and up, we choose a captain for the entire year.

Is this the first season the team has a captain?

If this is the first season the team has a captain, it’s important to discuss the role and expectations with the team. This will help ensure that everyone understands the captain’s role and can support their leadership. One reason why this is the first year with a captain is because they are U11 and this is the first time there is a captain for a longer period of time. In that case, I suggest limiting the initial responsibility, but adding over time. For example, the only instruction is to do a 5 min physical warmup before a game without the coach. Over time, there will be more requests, like setting up rondos or being in charge of making sure everybody has the right uniform. And it just keeps growing from there.

Guiding Traits of a Youth Soccer Captain

Commitment

One of the most important traits of a youth soccer captain is commitment. They should be dedicated to the team and willing to put in the effort to lead by example. Look for someone who attends all practices and games, and who is always willing to lend a helping hand. At the youth level you value commitment as the highest priority, and choosing the role model in the group of players is the key to success.

Extrovert vs introvert?

When it comes to personality traits, extroverts may seem like the obvious choice for a captain. They would tell jokes and stories on and off the soccer field. However, introverts can also be effective leaders. Look for someone who is confident and assertive, but who also listens to their teammates and values their input. Getting a good balance between the two is important. If somebody is an extrovert, but talks about other things than soccer, then it’s not a good fit. Similarly, if somebody trains well, but really doesn’t talk at all, it will not work. Striking some balance between the two is the right way to go.

Soccer skills

While soccer skills aren’t the key factor to consider, it’s important to choose a captain who is a skilled player. This will help them earn the respect of their teammates and make them a more effective leader on the field. Furthermore, you can’t have a player who sits on the bench and is not happy, because they can’t hold their spot on the team to be the captain. It is ok if the player is not getting playing time because of injury, but a lack of skills is not going to work. Sometimes coaches want to have players that play in the middle of the pitch, such as a box-to-box midfielder that can act as a carrilero or a holding midfielder, but it’s not that important.

Decision Time: Who Will Lead the Team?

Once you’ve considered all of the traits and responsibilities of a youth soccer captain, it’s time to make the final decision. Consider all of the candidates and choose someone who has the skills, commitment, and personality traits necessary to lead the team to success. Don’t forget that at younger ages the captain has a shorter time, so if you make a mistake, it is not a big deal. Also, as they get older, it is not a bad idea to let the team choose their captain. 

Building a Stronger Team Through Captains

Choosing the right captain can help build a stronger team dynamic and lead to greater success on the field. Encourage your captain to communicate with their teammates, lead by example, and inspire their teammates to do their best. With the right leadership, your youth soccer team can achieve great things on the field.

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Choosing a captain for a youth soccer team may seem like a hard task, but with the right approach, you can find the perfect leader to guide your team to success. Remember to consider the different roles of the captain at different ages, look for important traits like commitment and soccer skills, and make the final decision based on what is best for the team. With a strong captain leading the way, your youth soccer team will be unstoppable.

Now that we have mastered the 4v1 rondo, it’s time to move to the next step. The expectation is to spend about a month on variations before moving to 5v2 rondo. Slowly moving the size from 12×12 to 8×8 steps is the path and the point when the players can do over 10 passes is when it is time to challenge them.

Why do the 5v2 rondo?

Most people think that the natural progression from 4v1 is 4v2. However, by adding the intermediate step of 5v2, we increase the pressure while not reducing the number of options. When creating a large 5v2 setup, the passer should have 2 passing options, same as at 4v1. This means that we will focus on one step only at at time, which is increasing the pressure. The next step afterwards will be to receive a passing option which is a decision making skill.

Setup

The setup is very simple – add one player from each side in the middle and make sure you start with large fields. The rules have not changed for anybody and the game variations are the same from the 4v1. If many players want to be in the middle, that is a good sign. However, initially the player in the middle will block the far pass. Therefore, it is up to you to encourage players to move and open the lanes for pass to them.

Variations of 5v2 rondo

This is the first rondo that we do with certain target of position and specialty. When we say that anything can be taught in a rondo, we really mean that. We use the rondo as a platform to teach something and because the players know the setup, we can quickly start the game even when players don’t know what the new objective is. The official goal is to increase the pressure, but let us examine some lessons we can teach.

Central midfielder rondo

The most obvious one is for the central midfielder role. One new option is to introduce the halfturn and pass to the player across. The rapid progress that we have seen in our players has been incredible. The result in our best player has been almost immediately grasping the concept of switching the ball from the left flank to the right, and vice versa. It was almost scary how effective this setup was with minimal coaching.

Wingers

If we make the field narrow, say 8 by 12, then the players on the longer sides become wingers going up and down the flanks. Moving off the ball, using backfoot and coordinating with the central midfielder will be created naturally. It is definitely not something to be done immediately, but after 3-4 practices, it is an interesting variant for your players.

Throw in

Once the players are mostly proficient in the rondo, it is a great time to introduce throw ins into the mix. The rule of defenders staying right in the middle still holds, so the receiving with one touch should always be an option. It is a great game for the players and because of the closeness of the teammates, it is very unlikely for them to do a faulty throw in.

The use of tape in soccer increases as the players grow up and start to get into more dangerous challenges. There is nothing worse than missing days or weeks of playing because of an injury that should have been prevented with cheap soccer tape. Getting the right protection is important and can add or remove the edge from the player on a matchday. We know that it looks like an extra cost, but just considered it as part of the cost of high-intensity practices and games.

What is the best soccer tape?

We gathered together and reviewed the different soccer tapes that we use to end up with the best tapes to use for different purposes. We have shared them and tried them out across the team and came back again to make the ranking. It is not one-size fits all and it is important to understand the need first. Secondly, it is crucial to remember that these are used for prevention and not for recovery. Finally, remember to check if they are HSA and FSA, as most of them are.

Best for shin guards

Best for ankles and wrist

Best for sticky tapes

Best for fingers

Decision time

Soccer tape is an important way to prevent injuries and bring stability and confidence to soccer practices and games. Getting the right soccer tape is important and choosing the reason for it is the first step. Afterward, we already did the research for you and reviewed the tape you should choose. Protect yourself and prevent the injuries that can be avoided.

Now that you have read the best soccer books to your toddler and have seen them score in your backyard, it is time to make them a global superstar. There is so much noise in the world of scouting that has been influenced by some horrible movie characters – in every movie ever made, the scout and the agent are bad. Well, some of them definitely are, but for any player, parent, or coach, it is important to understand the basics of the world in which the scouts and agents live. Identifying good players is already hard, but finding how they stand out with their personality, not just appearance, can be very difficult. Of course, platforms like Skillshark can help identify and systemize talent analysis. Fortunately, the best soccer scouting books have variety in them, showing different aspects of it. One is talent identification and spotting. Another aspect is the whole machinery of the scouting soccer system and the business around it. Finally, there is something to be said about the connection between the scouts and the clubs and coaches they are scouting for.

What are the best soccer scouting books?

Unlike some other topics, here the books are truly diverse. We recommend searching through all of them to look for the niche you are interested in. Also, assuming that you’ve read one of them, doesn’t mean that another book will offer similar information. Let us go through them and you pick which one will give you the most!

Anatomy of a football scout by JonCotterill

The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle

The Nowhere Men by Michael Calvin

The Football Code: The Science of Predicting the Beautiful Game by James Tippett

The Italian Job: A Journey to the Heart of Two Great Footballing Cultures by Gianluca Vialli and Gabriele Marcotti

Provided you don’t kiss me: 20 Years with Brian Clough by Duncan Hamilton

Decision time

These books provide different perspectives on soccer scouting, from the experiences of scouts themselves to the science and analytics behind talent identification. They offer valuable knowledge and understanding of the intricate world of player scouting in soccer.

Disclosure: I may receive affiliate compensation for some of the links below at no cost to you if you decide to purchase a paid plan. You can read our affiliate disclosure in our privacy policy. This site is not intending to provide financial advice. This is for entertainment only.

The popularity of soccer in the US has been growing rapidly in the last several decades. Both women’s and men’s soccer is incredibly popular, especially among the youth. At the moment nearly 400,000 girls play soccer, compared to 50,000 in the early 1980s. The US Women’s National Team has done extraordinarily well, winning 4 World Cups. The USMNT is less successful but is steadily improving towards that goal. Telling their stories as biographies by US soccer players will create strong encouragement for future generations to feel inspired to do better and better. The World Cup in 2026, where the US is a host, together with Canada and Mexico, is a perfect opportunity to make a leap.

What are the best biographies by US soccer players?

Until the World Cup, let’s look at some of the stories of players that popularized the sport in the US and moved us closer to that goal. There have been several compelling biographies written by U.S. soccer players that offer valuable insights into their lives, careers, and the sport itself. We are excited to see which ones will one day make their way to our list of the best soccer biographies. Here are some of the best biographies by U.S. soccer players:

The Keeper: A Life of Saving Goals and Achieving Them by Tim Howard

Pulisic: My Journey So Far Hardcover by Todd Kortemeier

The Beckham Experiment by Grant Wahl

My Story by Hope Solo

When Nobody Was Watching: My Hard-Fought Journey to the Top of the Soccer World by Carli Lloyd

One Life by Megan Rapinoe

The Greatest Goal: The Autobiography of Carlos Alberto by Carlos Alberto Torres

Carlos Alberto is a Brazilian, who captained the legendary 1970 Brazilian national team that won the FIFA World Cup. He later became a U.S. citizen and contributed immensely to the development of the sport in the US. In his autobiography, he talks about his entire career, including his time playing in the North American Soccer League (NASL). NASL is the predecessor of the MLS, running from 1967 to 1985. Through his storytelling, Carlos Alberto provides valuable insights into the beautiful game, making “The Greatest Goal” a must-read for football enthusiasts and those interested in the rich history of Brazilian and American soccer.

Decision time

These biographies offer unique perspectives on the lives and careers of U.S. soccer players. They provide inspiration and insight into the world of professional soccer. We are so excited to see what the current players of USWNT and USMNT will publish in the years to come. Hopefully, many of them will have World Cup winners next to their names!

Now that we understand how to do no opponent rondo by mastering 3v0 and 4v0, it is time to move to add an opponent. By now the players should understand the basic setup of the rondo, as well as the importance of using the backfoot. They will be aware of the weight of the pass, as well as the idea of moving off the ball to create space and the decision of a one-touch pass vs receiving the ball then passing. I expect to be able to start the 4v1 rondo after about a month, or 6-10 sessions of no opponent rondo. If they can do 10 passes in a row, they are ready for some pressure.

4v0.5 rondo

In this case, the coaches are half of a defender, playing to add a bit of difficulty, but the pressure should be at a fraction of what other teammates can do. That means you are cheating – there are opponents. Yes, it’s a little bit of cheating. However, it is important to understand that when players are very young, they cannot and shouldn’t understand when you ask them to put 50% pressure. You don’t want to create a habit when you ask them to give less than their best. Additionally, they will always give their best when the coach is the defender, which is what we all want.

I would suggest trying to jump in and out when the players have their 4v0 rondos to create pressure from time to time. It will also give you an idea if they are ready for regular 4v1 rondo, which is the next building block.

4v1 rondo

Finally, time to do a real rondo! Firstly, make the space big. You want them to have the space and to try and retain the ball. They should be able to do some 3 passes from the first practice, but if they do double-digits consistently, then it’s too easy. They will already know the soccer diamond setting from the previous drills, but the pressure is there this time around.

Rule for the defender

The first rule for the defender is to let the first pass be free. I technically don’t want to phrase the rule that way because that often makes the first pass sloppy. Instead, I ask the player to be right in the middle when the first pass occurs. If the player with the ball decides to pass through the middle, it’s fair play to intercept the ball.

The second question is how do we switch the player in the middle. The traditional one is to switch as soon as the majority loses the ball. However, at this age, I like to challenge the defender to intercept as many balls as possible in one minute. That way the drill is fast, instead of the defender kicking the ball far away and waiting for a minute for somebody to get it back. Another benefit is that the players that need to kick the ball the most end up in the middle in the first scenario, playing with the ball even less.

Variations of 4v1 rondo games

There are many variations of games you can have, we outlined two above. Creating new practices gives freshness to the competition.

1. Number of interceptions by the defender in a minute

2. Player loses the ball goes back in the middle

3. Two rondos side by side competing for more passes

4. Two rondos side by side with goals available for scoring after 10 passes

5. One pushup for the defender for every 5 passes completed (eg. 17 passes before interception equals 3 pushups)

Soccer is a sport that has seen the rise of numerous legendary coaches who have left an indelible mark on the game. The coach is like a boss and a parent to the player, the best board employee, and the fans’ primary victim. Their stories of triumph, resilience, and tactical genius have become a source of inspiration. Both aspiring coaches and soccer enthusiasts like hearing them. In this article, we will explore some of the best soccer biographies that delve into their lives and careers. From their humble beginnings to their groundbreaking soccer achievements, these soccer coaches’ biographies provide a unique insight into the minds behind the success of some of the greatest teams in soccer history.

What are the best soccer coaches’ biographies?

I love audiobooks and these are all great to get through Audible. As you don’t have to look at the formations or any detailed numbers, these stories are great to be read on your commute to work or even to long drives before or after games and practices. However, we included the links in case you decide to get them as a gift for your child, significant other, or friend. Let’s get going!

Pep Guardiola: Another Way of Winning by Guillem Balague

Leading by Sir Alex Ferguson

The Special One: The Dark Side of Jose Mourinho by Diego Torres

Quiet Leadership: Winning Hearts, Minds, and Matches by Carlo Ancelotti

My Life in Red and White by Arsene Wenger

Decision Time

These soccer biographies offer a captivating glimpse into the lives and careers of influential coaches who have shaped the landscape of the beautiful game. Whether it’s the tactical genius of Pep Guardiola, the longevity and success of Sir Alex Ferguson, the enigmatic persona of Jose Mourinho, the calm leadership of Carlo Ancelotti, or the profound wisdom of Phil Jackson, each biography provides unique lessons and inspiration for coaches, players, and soccer enthusiasts worldwide. Dive into these remarkable stories and uncover the secrets behind the success of these coaching legends.

Your baby became a toddler and you know that one day they will be the protagonist in the fairytales of the superstar soccer player, now just running around the house. You put a size 3 soccer ball in front and… completely uninterested :/ You are not the first to have run into this discrepancy between the excitement that you have and the kiddo. Let’s see how we spark up some of the passion for the sport through some of the best soccer books for toddlers. Introducing toddlers to soccer through books is a great way to spark their interest and foster their love for the sport.

What are the best soccer books for toddlers?

Ranked in no particular order, these are some great options to see if you can enjoy reading some interactive books full of colors as a bedtime story or as a break in between running around the house or playing with a ball and toys.

Goodnight Soccer by Michael Dahl

Soccer Counts by Barbara Barbieri McGrath

My First Soccer Book by Sports Illustrated Kids

Messi: A Boy Who Became A Star by Steve Herman

Soccer Star by Mina Javaherbin

Peppa Plays Soccer by Neville Astley and Mark Baker

The Berenstain Bears Get Their Kicks by Stan and Jan Berenstain

Decision time

Regardless of the interest in soccer at this age, these are great books to get your young athlete interested in reading. Remember to choose books that are age-appropriate and feature engaging illustrations to keep toddlers interested. These books provide a good starting point for introducing soccer to young children and sparking their enthusiasm for the sport.