If you’re a football fan and have been collecting classic football shirts and other merchandise, it’s never too late to play. If you’re one of the fans who aspire to become a goalkeeper, don’t hesitate to try. As you know, it’s one of the most challenging positions in a football team. Since you’re the only one in the position, you don’t have anyone to back you up once the other team tries to score.
Football is a complex game that requires mastery of specific skills depending on the player’s position. If a player focuses on enhancing their skills for the specific role, they can improve with more training and experience.
If you want an initial idea of what part you’ll play as the goalkeeper, here are some basic skills you should prepare for.
1. Positioning
One of the many skills a goalkeeper should enhance is positioning. Always ask yourself, where is the ideal position based on the current position of the opponent and the ball? The more you experience various positioning, the easier it is to think about where should you stand.
In this case, you also need to improve your decision-making skills. If you often get confused when making decisions, you should practise often to make more saves. Usually, the decisions you make are based on tactics, angle play, and anticipation.
2. Shot Stopping
One of the main jobs of a goalkeeper is to stop shots. Usually, goalkeepers do many things such as dive, catch, and use quick reflexes to catch the ball. As long as they can save the ball from going into the goal, they can do the necessary things.
As you know, the goalkeeper is the only position where the player can use their hands, so catching the ball is a great defence. However, as a beginner, you should invest in high-quality gloves to avoid getting injuries.
3. Distribution
Once the goalkeeper saves the ball from going into the goal, they should also know how to properly distribute the ball. It can be done by kicking, punting, or throwing. In terms of punting, it’s when the goalkeeper strikes the ball from their hand and passes it to their teammates.
Of course, distribution isn’t just passing the ball. A goalkeeper should think about the distance, the hand-foot coordination, and the ideal teammate to pass the ball to. If the distribution isn’t successful, it can significantly affect the synchronisation of the team.
4. Communication
A goalkeeper should know how to effectively communicate with their teammates. Usually, when they communicate, it’s mostly about defence, but sometimes it can also be about calling the box or encouraging and motivating teammates.
So, if you want to be a successful goalkeeper, you should be able to express your thoughts and actively organise your team while on the field. On the other hand, if you’re a quiet player, being a goalkeeper can be a difficult task for you.
5. Reading the Game
The right judgement at the right time is the perfect combination for a goalkeeper. If you don’t think and act fast, the opportunity might pass, and you might not execute what you thought would help you defend the goal or distribute the ball successfully.
So, as the goalkeeper, you should be skilled enough to handle crosses and read the game. While the ball is far away from you, analyse everything that’s happening, and think of all the possibilities and how you’ll react to them.
6. One-on-One Situations
In many cases, you’ll be facing multiple opponents in a single situation. But when it comes to their last movement, it’s just you and the last one to kick the ball to the goal. When that happens, you should be aware of who that player will be, and where they’re going to kick the ball.
As you’re thinking about that, you should come up with the right plan on how you’ll save that goal. Additionally, you should be strong enough to take no matter how hard the impact of the ball will be.
7. Footwork
Even if you’re not going to run around the field, a goalkeeper should also have outstanding footwork. It helps in the distribution and defence. In addition, you should know how to balance properly, maintain positions relative to the ball, and make quick steps.
Besides, since it’s always a surprise where the ball will go, your feet should support your entire body in making saves.
8. Mental Toughness
Lastly, your mind should be balanced enough with your body. With a clear mind, you can easily think of solutions on how to defend the goal and organise your teammates. In case of making mistakes, you should also be able to bounce back as if nothing happened and think of better solutions once you’re about to prevent the opponent from reaching the goal.
Final Thought
Becoming a goalkeeper requires many skills, and you should be willing enough to learn all of them. At the same time, achieving these skills doesn’t happen over time, so be patient enough and practise more.
