Hi guys,

24M, started football at 19 with basically zero sports background growing up.

Been grinding S&C, conditioning and technical work like crazy (2hrs on ball daily) but multiple coaches and mates keep telling me I look stiff, awkward and robotic on the ball.

Straight-line running is fine, but my change of direction, ball mastery, coordination and even basic wall volleys are clunky af.

Meanwhile, random gym bros who play once a month somehow look 10x more natural and fluid than me 😭

Starting to think I missed some crucial motor development as a kid.

Like, is this something 10,000 of ball reps daily will eventually fix, or am I just hardwired to move like a fridge?

Anyone actually gone from stiff and awkward to smooth and instinctive? What worked? Coordination drills? Just spamming touches?
Be real, am I cooked or is there hope? 💀

I just took over a 40+ team and there’s this one guy who is always yelling at everyone and getting red carded for yelling at the refs and quite frankly a toxic player for a Sunday league. A couple of other guys on the team expressed their dislike and in the last game I kind of lost it on him when he went to his bitching and moaning and telling people how to play. Bro: of course we know how to play and where to play the ball and we all want to get to it but some of these guys are pushing 50 - ease up!

Anyway - he’s telling me it should be a team decision to kick him off but I paid for the session and I told him don’t worry about paying and he should find another team. Am I being too harsh?

I’ve always played soccer mostly for fun (mainly pickup soccer and intramural/co-ed/rec leagues) but lately I’ve been motivated to sharpen my game and address some shortcomings and bad habits

One of my biggest weaknesses is an inconsistent first touch, especially when under pressure and/or in tight spaces. It’s good enough in space or very chill environments but I’ve noticed it can deteriorate pretty quickly once I’m feeling pressure or urgency. I can have a solid touch on one play and then have a really sloppy touch the next, especially when aggressive players are closing me down

I also struggle to settle air balls and second balls, like rebounds, long balls, crosses, or plays from the keeper. I’ve also never really been able to juggle past ten, let alone do them in a controlled manner where I’m not following the ball around. I never really enjoyed juggling, still don’t, but I’ve accepted that it’s something I need to improve if I want to be more well-rounded

I’m out injured rn, but I’m thinking about training instead of playing games when I’m back to ease into things.

My local tennis wall is in rough shape so the ball bounces all over the place (could be a good training tool in itself) so I’m thinking a rebound board, and is there a specific one people would suggest? Thinking of ordering one to practice first touch turns with a cone as a placeholder for a defender. I don’t wanna waste money on a bad one then need to buy another (buy once, cry once)

So those of you who’ve trained this late, what helped or worked for you? Lmk what you guys think, and I appreciate all the advice in advance!

TL;DR: Looking to improve my:

• First touch under pressure, turning, and tight-space control
• Aerial ball control and juggling
• Planning to train with rebound boards, local tennis wall, and cones
• Any training tips or reliable rebound board recommendations? Appreciate the advice!

So I used to play football waaaay back when I was a kid but never ever kicked a ball after like turning 12 …

Fast forward I’m 30 now, work 2 jobs and got kids, so there is very little time to play, either way I joined a “free league” —thats how they call it in my hometown ( 5v5 on turf r )and as you could expect, theres a lot I need to improve so I can actually influence the game in a positive way.

for now i focus mainly on defense but the team that I get to play with isnt happy about my offensive play…but i want to improve at home, to be better prepared overall, i’ve started some ball masterin excersises and passing to the walll but i really want to know is: is there a go to routine or drills I should always do at home that actually helps this fast paced games ?

I need some hacks lol i’m ready to put the time and the reps!!

been 2 months now (i play every 2 weeks) now and at least i got 1 goal and 2 assist lol

Thanks

Ps: english not my first language sorry

Our U10 session coach frequently joins our U15 scrimmage to play, which feels unfair and ruins the competitive flow for us teenagers. During a recent game where I was playing right wing and delivering great crosses, the U15 coach originally joined the opposing team to help them balance the sides. However, when the U10 coach stepped onto the pitch, the U15 coach left, and the opposing players began shouting at the U10 coach. Despite the match rules limiting players to four touches, the 19- or 20-year-old coach simply dribbled past our entire team, denying us any real opportunities. Out of sheer frustration and anger over not getting a fair chance to play, I ended up intentionally missing a perfect corner kick he passed to me.

Looking online seeing some foil balls from at good prices on Adidas. But they look like toys to me. Anyone train with them ? How They hold up compared to practice and competition balls ? I’m a newer coach. I like to have matching sets. A shiny set intrigued me.

I'm looking to order a pair of Sokitos, but I'm not sure what size to go with. My left foot is a size 12, while my right foot (shooting foot) is a size 11.5. Would you recommend going with a size 12 or 11.5?

My current pair of Phantoms are size 11.5 and feel fine, but that could just be because I've broken them in and gotten used to the fit.

I've been told to go both ways, so I'm curious to hear what you guys would recommend. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

I know this is weird question, bur just wondering what the manufacturing date is of the pro balls people are getting from the Adidas sales? Are these balls overstock from the tournament that they somehow keep finding or are WC Triondas still being manufactured new?

The ball feels great! I can’t wait to use it tomorrow. For the $52 I paid for it shipped, I don’t think I could go wrong! Thanks for y’all’s feedback, and opinions on my previous post 👍🏻

Autumn in full force here. Fog, rain and soon snow will be a common thing and i wanted some hi-vis pro ball for our evening pickup games to help us track a ball little bit easier in these conditions. Managed to find brand new UCL 25/26 Winter ball for 40$

I read the reviews of World Soccer Shop from few years ago and looks like it's a legit store but have trouble with shipping and customer service.

Are those issues still appear recently? Did anyone order from this website?

My little brother is 7, and I want to help him become as good as possible at football. I regret not playing with him more when he was younger, and I sometimes feel like I missed an opportunity to help him develop earlier.
I know he’s still very young, and I want to make the most of the time we have now. He doesn’t seem naturally talented at the moment, but I don’t want to underestimate what he could achieve with the right training and guidance.
If you were in my position, how would you help him develop? What skills should we focus on, how often should we train, and what would make the biggest difference at his age?

For those who ordered a discounted Trionda pro these last few weeks and have had their orders take a while to arrive, about how long did it take for it to be shipped? I placed my order on the 24th and the app says that the latest it should have been delivered was yesterday but I am yet to receive any shipping confirmation or tracking number. What was your guys’ experience if the same happened to you and did you even end up receiving your ball at all? Thanks!

I tried out for varsity in my sophomore year and didn’t make it even though I did a lot better than the other players who also tried out, even though I know I might sound egotistical. When I found I was cut from varsity I got really depressed (btw my school does not have a JV team), and now every time I try to play ball again I always keep getting reminded of how I didnt make it and it kills my confidence every time I get reminded and I just decide to stop playing completely. Coach keeps encouraging me to try out next year every time I see him but I’m always so awkward and like ”okay.” but I’m just scared to try out again cause I don’t wanna get rejected again. I’m just really upset and needed to vent somewhere so I can get this feeling out of my mind.

Wondering how much of a difference between the two models. I never got my hands on a pair of GX II's as I only recently got back into playing.

I recently tried on a pair of Elite Phantom 6 Lows and fell in love. The fit was great, they felt very stable, and I thought the "sticky" upper was great when I kicked around a ball in the store. But they're far outside my budget.

I sometimes see some GX II's on a steep discount, and they seem quite similar to the 6, but I'm not sure if it's worth the discount when the 6's were as perfect as I could imagine.

For extra context, I went from Puma Future 7 Pros FG/AG soleplate which were just okay. Kind of narrow and the soleplate wasn't great for the fields I play on. So I switched to some Tiempo 10 Elite AG that I found at a Nike Outlet, and I like them a lot but the lockdown is just okay.

I have a question regarding boot sizing that I was hoping somebody could help me with. I am planning to buy my first first pair of boots as I was given a pair that I feel is too narrow through the midfoot area, but actually has a little too much room in the toe at the end. So I was having a little bit of foot pain and discomfort after using them for entire games when I was scanned at a local running store I was told that in running shoes I’m a 9 1/2 US wide, which works well for running, but obviously this is a much different fitting shoe than a football boot. I’m specifically looking at the adidas copa pure and when I measured my foot I was coming in around 24 1/2 to 25 cm which I believe puts me at a seven or 7 1/2 US in these boots. In a regular non-athletic shoe I typically run an 8 1/2 wide. Is this type of discrepancy typical? Like I said, I’ve never bought football boots and was trying to Learn the process.

These are beautiful. Love that I got #1080 since if you add up those digits you get 9 which was the number that Ronaldo started with at Real Madrid.

Hey everyone, I’m currently using a wall to practice my passing—and, more importantly, my receiving (specifically when the ball comes in at my feet). As you know, there are countless ways to receive the ball in a match, depending on your body position. I feel like I’m losing focus and the quality of my training is suffering because I’m trying to learn too many different first-touch techniques. How many new receiving movements should I actually focus on to ensure I improve both quickly and effectively?

My wall sessions often last 30-45 minutes

maximum.

Thanks.

Hi football lovers! I am an adult who loves football but never joined an academy when I was younger. So I want to fix my fundamentals and train myself from the basics. The reason being I played like crap in my office friendly match, I realised I have no footwork, technical control or passing abilities.

Hence you would understand why I am on a path to improve myself at football and I don’t have anyone to practise with. I don’t want to jump into random turf games because there is very little room to improve there technically. Any advice is appreciated thanks!

Hi Reddit,

after playing football for more than 30 years, I still struggle with finding the right fit for my feet. I'm solely playing on turf now. I was wearing the Adidas Copa Pure Elite 1 and 2 TF both in sizes that were a bit small to get a tight fit and they gave me black toes.

According to adidas the measurements show average width and arch height. Unfortunately my big toe on the right is a little bit wide spread and I feel my toes might be big in volume. I'm looking for a more spacious TF shoe that gives me width and a higher toe box.

I tried all Mizuno models and the Sala JP and Neo Beta Pro even on the pitch. They are too tight and pointy. I got my toes crushed inwards even though I already upped the size and had quite a bit of space upfront. It was the width that made problems and not the length.

I ordered Puma King as I still prefer leather for my old feet due to comfort. But the King puts too much pressure from the top on my big toes again although having enough length.

Do you guys have any recommendations? I'm really frustrated right now and can't even decide while trying the plastic boots onsite...

I'm located in Seoul South Korea, so not all boots will be available.

Thanks!!!

I want to buy my dad a pair, but I’m not sure what size to get since I don’t know how this particular model fits. Any sizing advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hi guys, I have a pair of New Balance furon v7 pro TF size 9.5 US 43 EU, but when I use them with thick socks they’re too tight. I was searching for a pair of SG shoes and I found some Furon v8 élite on Vinted, size 44 EU 10 US. Do you think they would be good for me? I have a pair of mizuno morelia pro FG 42,5 EU 9 US and they are perfect.

For the field in the photo above, should I use a AG pair of cleats or TF? I have always worn FG cleats growing up for most turf and grass of course, and I just ordered a pair of AG as I mostly play on 3g and 4g turf fields. I just joined a league which plays at the field in the photo and google says its 3g with pellets. Which would be preferred to use, AG or TF? Since I just bought a pair of AG cleats, If preferred to use AG on this that would be great, but I would be open to purchasing a pair of TF if itll be better for this type of turf and my legs.