How To Play Soccer – EASY Step By Step For Kids & Beginners

If you need soccer drills to learn how to play soccer like a pro with EASY step by step advice for kids & beginners – this article is for you.

Whether you call this sport soccer or football

Read the entire blog post because I’m about to share with you:

  • The basics of how to play soccer
  • How to have more confidence when you play soccer
  • 3 basic ideas to make soccer EASY for you
  • Why you may currently be struggling when playing soccer

and everything you need to know about how to play soccer for beginners.

I’m going to help you understand the right away to play, increase your confidence, and improve your skills faster than you have in the past.

Let’s get started.


How To Play Soccer

What are the basics of how to play soccer that every player should understand before they start to improve their soccer skills or dream of playing soccer at a higher level one day.

11 players vs 11 players

If we need to explain how to play soccer extremely simply.

Try to score a goal by kicking the soccer ball into your opponents net. While stopping your opponents from kicking the ball into your net. The team with the most goals at the end of the game wins. Only goalkeepers can use their hands (in the penalty box). Keep the ball inside the white lines of the field.


How To Play Soccer Like A Pro

Once you understand the basics of how to play soccer / football. You can start improving faster than most players but understanding a few simple principles to separate you from the average beginner.

How to play soccer better than most beginners:

  1. Keep possession of the ball (don’t just kick it away).
  2. Play forward whenever possible.
  3. Get involved defensively.
  4. Quickly transition to defence when you lose the ball.
  5. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.

Now that we understand what soccer ball control is and why it’s important for soccer players to develop.

If you’re nervous about your next game / practice you might benefit from the “prematch success guide” – 10 principles to eliminate nerves and improve the quality of your game day performances.


How To Play Soccer EASY Step By Step

It’s not rocket science. If you need step by step tips about how to play soccer I want to simplify the process so you feel confident when you’re playing soccer with your friends or in real football matches.

  1. When you have the ball.

    Always look to play forward. The idea of the game is to score goals and if you’re always passing the ball backwards or sideways, you won’t create many goal scoring chances. However, this must be done without being careless in possession. It’s okay to play the ball backwards or sideways if there are not positive passes available or the risk of losing the ball is too high. Keep possession but do your best to play forwards when possible.

  2. When you don’t have the ball.

    Focus on your positioning. Where is the ball? Who is the closest opposing player to you? Where are your teammates? When you don’t have the ball you, you want to stay involved in the play with your off the ball movement and your defensive positioning.

    Offensively, make forward runs to get ahead of the player with the ball or supporting runs to give them options to play out if they get stuck.

    Defensively, stay close to your teammates. Be aware of where the ball is traveling and who you are responsible for marking. When the ball arrives at their foot you must be able to close down the space quickly to stop them from playing forward.

  3. Transition.

    The moment your team loses possession or gains possession, you must quickly switch from attacking to defending or vice versa. Average players waste time between transition. Top level players do not.

Also, getting a better understanding of the soccer positions & their roles can be helpful.

Ready for more?

Here’s a helpful video explaining the different soccer positions, their rules, and skillsets necessary to be successful in each position.

The smarter you become (the more you understand the game) the better you will play.

How to play soccer: Soccer Positions – Which position should I play?


How To Play Soccer For Beginners

So far, we’ve discussed how to play soccer better than average beginners and given you a better understand of how to play each position in soccer.

Here are some helpful soccer tips to ensure you develop faster than the average beginner:

  1. Be honest with yourself.

    It’s okay if you’re not the best soccer player when starting out. Believe and understand you have the ability to improve every area of your game. Saying this, it’s impossible to improve if you are not honest about your weaknesses. The player who hides from their flaws can never improve them.

  2. Set goals for your short-term & long-term.

    If you want to improve faster, it’s important to have reasons for improving. These can be simple goals like “earning a starting position” “making 5 assists this season” or “making the higher level team” – when you have reasons to try harder, you will.

  3. Practice consistently.

    It’s more important to practice 10 minutes per day, than 1 hour per week. The consistency in your training will bring you confidence and progression. Make a commitment to do something every day which will make you a better soccer player. Consistency over quantity of training.

  4. Be positive with yourself.

    People think soccer is played with your feet but the best players know it’s played with your mind. Obviously technical skill is important but all of your skills will be wasted if you don’t have the mental strength to stay calm and overcome difficult situations. Start to look at the development of your mental strength and positive self-talk the same way you would your technical skill.

  5. Change your environment.

    If you always play with average players, you will remain an average player. To become a better player, you must surround yourself with better players. This will force you to elevate your game. Be comfortable in situations where you are not the best player because that is your best environment for growth.

How To Play Soccer For Kids

Hopefully you’ve found this information about how to play soccer beneficially.

After reading this blog post you should have a better understanding of how to play game properly, the different soccer positions involved, and how to improve faster.

I wanted to leave you with more helpful video…

This video is about how to play soccer BETTER in your next match.

Some players can play well in training but not in games. This common problem usually has nothing to do with their training and everything to do with their mindset and preparation.

Take the advice in this video and you’ll be playing your best in matches in no time.


The Next Step

If you found this article helpful, you’ll absolutely love The Soccer Success Planner.

Are you tired of feeling like you’re not making progress in your soccer skills? Do you want to have a more organized and effective training routine? Do you struggle with setting and achieving your soccer goals?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the Soccer Success Planner is perfect for you. This planner will help you stay motivated, focused, and on track towards achieving your soccer goals. And it’s completely customizable to fit your unique needs!

Use the planner to set clear goals, track your progress, and stay accountable to yourself. With helpful prompts and exercises, you’ll be able to identify your strengths and weaknesses, plan your training sessions, and maximize your performance on the field.

Download your free copy now and start taking control of your soccer success today! You can download it here – Soccer Success Planner

how to play soccer for kids

Need Faster Improvements!?

Not getting better at soccer? Confused about how to train effectively? Maybe you’re worried that you won’t be properly prepared for your next big opportunity? Or you just want to standout and actually feel respected by your teammates, coaches, and friends?

Whatever struggles you’re going through, The Online Soccer Academy is the best solution to help you overcome obstacles and achieve goals. Thousands of satisfied players have already taken the next step and achieved incredible results in record time.

With expert coaching, structured player development systems, and easy-to-follow training routines, it’s guaranteed to elevate game.

Join today and start experiencing the transformation you’ve been waiting for!

Get more information here – Online Soccer Academy

how to play soccer for dummies

About The Author

If you don’t know about me…

I used to be a soccer player who struggled with self-confidence. I felt slow, weak, and unmotivated. My coaches didn’t pay much attention to me, my friends laughed at my lack of skills. At one point, I even became so discouraged that I quit the sport altogether.

Enough was enough. I decided to take control of my own development and set out on a journey to become a better soccer player. This path led me on an incredible journey of self-improvement.

I went on to win league and goal-scoring titles, earn awards, lift trophies, and received a college scholarship. I’ve even earned international caps for my country.

I started sharing my knowledge with others and teaching them how to become the best soccer players they could be. My YouTube channel grew to over 500,000 subscribers.

In addition, I coached for several youth clubs in my local city, and even started my own soccer training company. I went on to coach the most prestigious men’s club in my city for several years.

soccer games for 9 year olds

But enough about me, let’s focus on you.

If you’re looking to improve your skillslet’s take your soccer game to the next level. I want to help you make a noticeable change in style of play and overall performance on the field.

I’m passionate about helping players achieve their goals in soccer, and I’d love to be a part of your journey. I can help you reach your goals faster and achieve more in this sport, but I won’t force you. If you’re ready to take the next step, here’s what I suggest you do:

1) Download The Soccer Success Planner (FREE)

2) Apply To The Online Soccer Academy (Limited Spots)

soccer games

Coach Dylan
Progressive Soccer

PS – If you have any questions about this topic please comment below.

Thanks for reading: 9 Soccer Drills To Improve Ball Control

Dylan Tooby

Success should not be judged based on what you achieve but by what you help others achieve. Hopefully, this information will help you. Thank you for reading. Please, leave a comment.