Brazilian Soccer Training

Whereas European powers such as England and Italy place a high focus on discipline and defensive skill, Brazil are renowned for the individual attention they pay to the technique of plays. Comfort on the ball, rhythm of play and passing ability are all staples of the Brazilian game. The unique perspective of Brazilian football can be captured in the words of national team star Robinho who said ; “Man, you can’t just play football, you’ve got to have the sway”.

Technique

Technical practice is emphasized in Brazilian soccer training. Players are encouraged to develop the ability to trap the ball with both feet. Many coaches teach a player to trap a ball using the side of the foot in the textbook toes raised, heel down style. While this is not wrong the Brazilian training method can be more liberal and creative. Brazilians can tech using the outside of the foot to touch, or to get under the ball with the first touch and raise the ball slightly off the ground giving the option of a continued dribble or a volleyed pass. Brazilian soccer training also places emphasis on rhythm and timing. Brazilian youth training can also include music, with players rehearsing skills and moves to a specific beat and rhythm.

Moves

The video above shows that Brazilian players develop an array of skilful moves that are both a joy to watch, and a nightmare to defend. From Robinho’s lethal use of the step over, to the elastic move pioneered by Ronaldinho. Brazilian players certainly have a distinctive flair and technical ability. Practice these moves against cones or even a tree, before practicing them to beat a live defender. Repetition is the best way to familiarize yourself and perform these skills successfully.

Possession

Brazilian soccer training places a heavy emphasis and keeping possession of the ball. As well as possessing the ability to trap a ball Brazilian training emphasizes possession and the necessity to keep the game simple when necessary. Showing patience and passing the ball sideways and backwards is a double edged sword for your opponent. As the ball moves around the field the opposition defense is forced to adjust which can create openings. The extra defensive workload required chasing the ball cal also fatigue the opposition and will inevitably create an advantage in the later stages of the game. This can be doubly difficult to teams who play in hot climates, something Brazil so often take advantage of. The classic goal scored in the 1970 World Cup final is an excellent example of simple passing having an accumulative effect and in the end producing beautiful results

Futsal

Futsal is a South American game that uses a smaller, heavier ball and is played on a smaller court. The heavier ball develops confidence by being easy to trap, but the smaller size ball requires a finer attention to detail by a player to maintain accuracy when trapping and passing the ball. Brazilian greats such as Pele, Bebeto and Ronaldo all credit Futsal as having contributed to the development of their technical skill and ability.

The small court used to play Futsal on negates the impact of longer, more direct passes. This avoids a physically strong player being rewarded for the ability to kick a long high ball behind the opposition defense. Instead Futsal requires a player to be skilful and pick out an accurate pass to a teammate. The tight area also means a player will always be under defensive pressure whenever she receives a pass while playing Futsal. This develops awareness of what is around you, and helps a player practice touching the ball away from pressure and picking out a pass quickly to avoid losing possession. The fast pace of Futsal will force players to think “one pass ahead” and have an awareness of what they want to do with the ball before it is played into their feet.