If you play professional soccer, how you spend your off time can help you improve for the next season. Here are sport vacation ideas for soccer players.
As much as you love the feeling you get when you score a goal or block your opponent’s final scoring attempt, even soccer players need a break. If a vacation is in your future, you can still celebrate your love of the game even if you’re not actively competing.
If you’re looking for a fun sport vacation but aren’t sure where to start, then you’re in the right place. This is the ultimate list of vacation ideas for soccer players, from stadium tours to the World Cup. Take a look and start planning your trip!
- Go See the World Cup
If you play soccer, this is the ultimate vacation. The FIFA World Cup is more popular than the Olympics, and it’s the perfect destination if you need to get away. With even more teams participating in the near future, the 2022 tournament is the last chance to get tickets with only 32 teams.
Vacations with friends are even more fun, so ideally you could take along some of your soccer team. You need to start early to apply for tickets because there is quite an application process and tickets go fast.
- Visit Famous Soccer Stadiums
One of the best activities for athletes is to visit soccer stadiums around the world. From Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico, to The Calabash (First National Bank Stadium) in Johannesburg, South Africa, the world is full of some?pretty spectacular arenas.
Other notable stadiums to visit around the world include:
- Camp Nou (Barcelona, Spain)
- Allianz Arena (Munich, Germany)
- De Meer Stadion (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
- Old Trafford (Old Trafford, England)
- Maracaña (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
- Azadi Stadium (Tehran, Iran)
- Ibrox Stadium (Glasgow, Scotland)
Whether you make a list of your favorite teams or tour several notables in one country, a stadium tour is a great way to take in traditional soccer lore and fandom while on vacation.
- Meet and Greet
If your sport vacation budget will allow it, you can travel to meet some of your soccer idols. Find out where they’re appearing and get tickets. You could even see if any retired professionals are scheduled to appear.
Whether it’s an inspirational speech or a simple meet and greet, it’s amazing to meet the players you look up to. Ask them to sign an autograph and take a picture with you.
Sometimes there’s even an opportunity to ask questions at the end. Make a list of all those burning questions ahead of time so you don’t get tongue-tied in the moment.
- Sport Vacation: Other Athletic Endeavors
Even if soccer is your life, sometimes you want to spend your vacation doing something else. If laying in the sun on the beach is too boring for you, find other athletic endeavors to help you stay in shape and challenge muscles you don’t use as much.
One way, in a post-quarantine world, is to turn your own backyard into your own vacation spot. Install giant inflatables on the lake, and spend a week in the water, swimming and playing. If you like this idea, you can?read more.
Hiking trips are another great option, and there are fantastic trails all over the world. Choose your favorite mountain range and pack up your gear for hiking, or look for walking vacations like in the Lake District in England. You could even complete a popular pilgrimage trek and visit San Miguel de Allende.
Whatever sport you want to try, there are vacations based around it. You can go on swimming tours, or spend your vacation rock climbing. You could even go?bungee jumping in New Zealand if your more adventurous side is looking for an outlet.
- Soccer Camp
If you’re set on practicing for soccer season, why not try a sports camp to hone your skills? There are camps for every level of prowess, from beginners through professionals. Train with your favorite players, local talent or international big names.
Start researching camps early, because spots fill up. The more prestigious ones have to be booked a year or more in advance, while others don’t open up until much later. Your team can help you decide which camps are best for your skill level, and they may even want to attend with you.
- World Record Holders
Check out the best world record holders at a soccer museum. Because it’s the world’s favorite sport, soccer has museums all over the world. You could visit the National Football Museum in Manchester, England or the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas.
Many museums have play areas where you can practice your skills and play games that make you use your footwork. You can find memorabilia from soccer over the years, as well as bits of history like at the German Football Museum in Dortmund.
7.?How the Sausage Is Made
Are you up for a behind-the-scenes look at your beloved game? There are many places dedicated to producing the equipment you need to play every day.
Why not tour a factory that makes soccer balls? Almost half the world’s soccer balls are produced in Sialkot, Pakistan. Tradition says that they’ve been making soccer balls since the 1800s when a soldier asked a local saddle maker to fix his soccer ball.
Want to know how soccer goals are made? You may need to contact a company that makes them, like Pevo or Fold-a-Goal in the U.S.,?to schedule a tour.?
Starting from?aluminum tubing, each goes through the process of welding, powder coating, and assembly. You’ll be amazed at how much work goes into making these essential parts of the game.
Time Off for Fun
Taking a sport vacation is full of opportunity. There are plenty of places to visit if you’re a soccer player with a love of the game, and these seven options are just the beginning.?You could even combine some of these options for the ultimate soccer vacation.
Was this article helpful? Check out the rest of our website for more information!