A sport in which you mainly play with your feet; football, soccer, calcium and etc. Right? No. The definition is wrong. You shouldn't put body work above your cognition. Always — always! — place your perception and cognition above any other quality; the mind is more important than the body.

In this article, some tips will be delivered to readers. These tips have been passed down through generations, and have been commented on by some of the greatest personalities in the history of the ball, such as Jimmy Hogan, Johan Cruijff, Guardiola, etc... Furthermore, some knowledge that was not passed on by these personalities will be delivered to reader; rare, deeper knowledge of the old masters.

A mente acima.

The first learning is not the technique, physical or tactical qualities, but the psychological one, the lifestyle, the way of thinking that you will have to acquire.

The calmness.

Before even stepping onto a football field, you should realize that stress, anxiety and fear will only hinder your performance on the field. Without calm, technique is reduced. Have you ever tried to control a ball while being pressured or anxious? Why does the high pressure exerted by forwards end up working against opposing defenders? The answer to these questions is simple: if you don't keep your cool on the field, your performance won't match your true abilities.

Even when you're not with the ball, you'll have to stay calm. If you are always confident of your actions and calm, you will play much better than in a normal or anxious state, especially.

Some of the top players of all time — Schaffer, Káďa, Piendibene, Alex James, John Goodall, Yashin, for example — possessed a stoic calm and transcendent confidence that even leveraged the performance of their teammates. Schaffer, for instance, lived stoically, his calm visible and reflected in his performances on the field.


John Goodall.

Put it in your head and always think about it when you're out on the field: I don't need to be anxious, I'm aware of my abilities. Clear your mind and focus completely on the match. In fact, treat every match as equal, don't differentiate the importance and level of the tournament. Garrincha, for example, didn't make that distinction very well... he used to belittle the World Cup, insinuating that there wasn't the format, the system, of the Campeonato Carioca — even though the Campeonato Carioca was a very strong championship.

However, it is necessary to associate calm and certainty with constant attention in the field; always being 100% aware of the actions of the game. Think about it: it's only 90 minutes that I have to be fully present on the field. It may seem obvious, but the vast majority of players fail to develop this advantage over others. A good example of teams that enjoyed impressive attention on the field was the 1924 Uruguay Olympic.

The attendance & opponents.

On the field, it is necessary to ignore - and completely - the opposing public, as they will do everything to destabilize you. Believe me, there are certain things people say that, no matter how few words, can shake the psyche. Don't even look in the eye!

Opponents follow the same line. Some of your opponents will try to destabilize you in any way, either with certain sharper fouls or verbally. Furthermore, following the above quotes, the opponent knows, even if unconsciously, when you are calm or not. If you are calm, in most cases, the opponent will not apply more incisive pressure, as he will know that he will not be able to steal the ball. Watch the way Xavi played, so you'll understand what that means.

Never lose your mind! The opponent's strategy is always to make you emotionally unstable, therefore hindering your team. The most cited case in this regard is where Zidane headbutted Materazzi, thereby getting sent off in the 2006 World Cup final. One player who constantly loses his mind with little is Neymar. This example of how to act on the field is not to be followed, you must always remain calm and ignore any opponent's onslaught—anything! There will always be Tandlers out there, so keep your posture and ignore them!

Also, respect the referees, as questioning an authority's attitude is completely illogical. Your questioning a foul or arguing about anything else will not change the referee's decision at all. Perhaps, it might actually cause you problems.

Don't compare yourself with others.

People are different, some have qualities that stand out in certain situations and certain activities in life. Some people will find it easier to do certain things in life. The bottom line is: there are people who have a tendency to be better at sports — and football is no exception. Yes, players are born and this is widely noticeable in some cases, such as Pelé, Messi, Alex James, Maradona, Scarone, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and many others. However, talent alone is not required. As Jimmy Hogan himself used to teach, the talented player must always enhance his skills through constant training.

In most cases, there will be people with more talent, but this talent is not always developed with training. Sometimes the effort ends up outweighing the talent. In other words, not only are some players born, but they are developed, too.