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The Brazilian soccer super stars have been using Futsal to develop their flair, touch and amazing skills. Soccer’s best kept secret is, at last, being discovered by the rest of the world. The heart of Futsal is the smaller, heavier and with reduced bounce special ball. It is designed to force the player to use skills to control it rather than the ball’s bounce to move it.
In the United States, the U.S. Youth Soccer Association (USYSA) and U.S. Futsal signed an agreement in August 1995 to promote Futsal in all National State Associations.
The English Football Federation supports it. In fact, the introduction of the game into Britain has been called the greatest development in British football in the 20th century.
The Dutch have used the concept to develop their KNVB programme.
Clubs like Everton and Derby County use Futsal almost all the time to teach their Academy groups.
Futsal is the official indoor soccer game and the only indoor soccer recognized by FIFA.
In fact, every Federation in FIFA supports short-sided soccer.
So, past experience and current practices show that Futsal is a great, enjoyable and safe way to introduce players or Academy groups to soccer and to develop skills.
How will Futsal help?
Soccer is not an 11 vs. 11 game, but a series of 4 vs. 4 -or less- games all over the field. In other words, outdoor soccer is 25 or 30 Futsal games put onto one field.
Futsal provides perfect practice because it:
Allows a player in a game to touch the ball nearly twelve times more than playing soccer.
Emphasizes skills rather than physical contact.
Develops soccer intelligence through constantly changing situations.
Encourages one touch receiving and passing in order to maintain possession on a smaller surface.
Teaches combination play through wall passing and rotations.
Creates countless 1 vs. 1 duels which improve individual attacking and defending skills.
Uses a smaller and heavier ball which allows a player to develop technical skills, just like the Brazilians do.
Creates the opportunity to experience and solve lots of basic tactical problems.