You don’t need to dominate your opponents physically in order to win a game of futsal. There are some physical attributes that are highly desirable like strength and agility. However, futsal players rely more on tactics and discipline in order to come out as victorious at the end. One thing that everyone will agree on, is that flashy dribbles are what makes this game fun to watch, so if you have the talent to pass your defender, you already have one of the most sought after skills in futsal. Let’s see what skills should a person have in order to consider themselves a top tier player.
Dribbling
Dribbling is the most important skill for creating scoring opportunities. With so little players on the field, if you can manage to get rid of your defender, you will instantly be in an advantageous situation. It’s different from soccer as the field is smaller, so you have to be more technical with your dribbling.
Tactics
The importance of tactics can never be underestimated. Besides sticking to the game plan, a player needs to have a good understanding of the different roles on the team, teamwork, communication, etc. When it comes to reading the game, a skill that only the most special players have, if you can master that and predict your opponent’s strategy or next move, you will posses a highly desirable skill for a futsal player. There are so many levels to being a tactical mastermind. Understanding the opposition, understanding the referee – how will the game be called, what can you get away with, when to draw the line and be less aggressive with your tackles. All this makes a great futsal tactician.
Strength & Agility
A futsal player has to be strong as futsal is a more physical game then soccer. Strength is one of the core abilities that every player should have as it helps with dribbling, defending, controlling the ball, etc. It is important for balance and recovering from tackles. Agility, as one of the other physical abilities desirable for soccer is used to change directions quickly and catch your opponent of guard. With less playing field available, agility is more precious than speed. It can also be developed with practice, and running agility drills.
Pressure
When I say this I don’t just mean being good under pressure. Handling pressure is an important mental skill. But in futsal, It’s important to understand the importance of pressure and when and how to apply it on your opponents in order to weaken their defences in order to score. There will be periods when your team will be on the receiving end of pressure, and that’s when you need the skills to counter pressure and know how to react to it.