The soccer pitch is the biggest playing surface of any sport in the world. 22 men running around still does not cover the full ground and yet, they have to do it for 90 – 100 minutes in a regular game and 120 – 130 minutes in a knockout game (extra time).
Only one thing can help soccer players dominate the 110-110m × 64m-73.2m playing surface and that is VISION. When players can see spaces in front of them, this helps them distribute the ball effectively.
The following steps will help you improve your vision to become a better soccer player. This is one of the most important aspects covered in soccer courses all over the globe.
Make scanning a daily routine
Scanning is the process of taking glances in several directions to take in information as you move along with your day.
Scanning helps you know where a shop is located on the street and what colors its branding is done in. In football, scanning helps you gauge the average position of the players on the pitch. This helps you figure out if you should carry the ball forward or consider your passing options.
To master scanning:
- Keep your head on a swivel. Always turn it to see your surroundings whenever you are not with the ball.
- Start with side-to-side movements. Become comfortable looking side to side for a few seconds at a time, then looking at the direction of the ball.
- Always look at the goal. This helps you spot the spaces and the paths towards it.
Work on your peripheral vision
Peripheral vision is the ability to see things outside your central focus i.e. things you are not directly looking at.
In your daily life, it is that trait that helps you sidestep a baby that just crawls up on you without warning before you step on it. It is that trait that helps you spot a falling pile of books at the library that you were not paying attention to to stop it from falling.
In football, it is that trait that helps you see a teammate’s run that opens space up for you to play a pass, take a shot, or dribble the ball away from a tight spot and towards goal.
It is a by-product of scanning.
Scanning trains your peripheral vision to notice when movements occur in those spots you have noticed previously.
Be attentive in training
Whether it is 5-a-side, 7-a-side or even 11 v 0 training, coaches use these smaller-sized teams to drill a lot of the basics of vision into their teams.
In smaller-sized games, the player has less space to work with. To survive this, they will have to think on their feet. This means being aware of the surroundings at all times and making the best passing, dribbling or shooting decision whenever they get the ball.
Pro players can cover ground in a 5-a-side or 7-a-side in three strides. It is much bigger in an 11v11 match, but there are more players which means there could be more pressure on you to do something with the ball.
Pay attention in training. You will learn how to use your vision to get out of a rut like that in a (semi) professional game.
Work on spatial awareness
Like the other traits mentioned here, spatial awareness is also an important life hack.
Your awareness of space in your daily life can help you understand your position about the things you interact with in your environment so you do not go bumping into them.
On the soccer field, spatial awareness helps you understand your position about the other players on the field. This includes your opponents.
With the information gathered from your understanding of space, you can be able to estimate the runs if your teammates in order to pass the ball into the spaces where they are less likely to be challenged for it.
As an attacker, spatial awareness helps you spot the gaps between opponents’ defenses which you can sneak into so that you can provide a goal threat or score a goal.
Watch more matches to learn from the best
As a quality, vision alone can help you be the best soccer player around. Many pros have made a successful career just from being able to spot a pass or a run. This is perhaps one of the most important points hammered on by soccer courses and soccer coaches alike.
Seek out professional players with good vision, attend their matches live or watch them, take notes and practice what you see them doing.
Midfielders are mostly known for their vision, but any player can have it as their stand-out quality. Manchester City defender John Stones, who is sometimes deployed as a holding midfielder because of his excellent vision, is a good example.
Among the best soccer players from all positions, we have Toni Kroos, Kevin De Bruyne, Nicolo Barella, and Lionel Messi as examples.
Watching these players can help you as an upcoming soccer player understand how in-game vision works and how it can help you become better.
