Futsal is an exciting, fast-paced small sided football (soccer) game that is played by thousands of adults and children across the world. Whilst it is a sport in its own right, Futsal does not compete with football but serves to support it by developing skills that will make children better players, both on the football pitch and the futsal court.
Futsal is a five-a-side game, normally played on a flat indoor pitch with hockey sized goals and a size 4 ball with a reduced bounce. It is played to touchlines and all players are free to enter the penalty area and play the ball over head-height. Games are 20 minutes per half, played to a stopping clock (similar to basketball) with time-outs permitted.
There are a number of differences to our traditional version of small sided football, but the dominant elements are the absence of rebound boards and amendments in the laws that encourage and foster skilful, creative play above the physical contact that tends to be a feature of English five-a-side.
WHY PLAY FUTSAL?
IT IS THE ONLY INDOOR SOCCER GAME SANCTIONED BY FIFA!
Skill Development: It promotes quality touches and better foot skills!
Safer: It eliminates injuries associated with wall collisions and turf toe!
Cost: It makes quality soccer more affordable!
Fun: High Scoring + Constant Excitement + Continuous Action!
The benefits of Futsal for young players
Futsal encourages young players become more agile, faster, stronger and have better balance. It also helps youngsters become more comfortable with the ball and give them lots of opportunities to practice passing, dribbling, turning, shooting and ball control whilst under pressure. Compared to soccer, Futsal demands more versatile players. It’s normal for every player to play in every position on the field during the course of a game. Futsal players are not labelled as defenders, midfielders or attackers like they are in football (soccer).
Young players will also touch the ball many more times during a game of Futsal than they do even in mini soccer, they will pass more often, shoot more and score more goals. They will also practice their skills in far more 1v1 situations than they will experience in traditional football.
The nature of the game of Futsal places a large emphasis on technical skill and ability in situations of high pressure, and is subsequently an excellent breeding ground for football (soccer) competencies that can be translated into the 11-a-side format of the game. Futsal also encourages young players to make quick decisions whilst under pressure and in tight spaces and have better spatial awareness.
Many of the top world class footballers played Futsal as children and credit it with supporting their footballing development; players of the calibre of Pele, Zico, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Lionel Messi to name but a few of the South American legends that all played and enjoyed Futsal. But Futsal has not just helped produce South American football stars, on the European stage Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco, Xavi and Fabregas amongst many others have played Futsal to develop their skills.
“Futsal was important in helping to develop my ball control, quick thinking, passing….also for dribbling, balance, concentration…. Futsal was very, very important, no doubt.” – Pele, World Cup Winner: 1958, 1962 & 1970
In addition, Futsal is primarily an indoor sport which means that young players can continue their development during the winter months when outdoor surfaces are not available due to poor weather conditions as well as during the summer during the traditional football off season. All this combined makes Futsal a fantastic development tool for players aged 5 – 16. It is also a great opportunity for all young players to play a recognized form of five-a-side with a pathway to play in recreational, regional, national and European competitions.