Not every soccer team will ever make it to the big time, and while many will try, more will fail.
But what makes a great soccer club anyway? Is it talented players, a respected manager, sheer luck, all of these things, or none of these things? While some of the best soccer clubs in the world may well have benefitted from a certain degree of luck, most will have possessed some, if not all, of the 9 characteristics listed below:
Solid fundamentals
With a solid set of fundamental skills, such as dribbling, passing and shooting, an average soccer team can become a great team.
Fitness
It takes a lot of energy and endurance to last the entire duration of a soccer match, and if players can’t cut it in the cardio department, they may well flounder on the field.
Mindset for improvement
No matter how great a soccer club is, there are always opportunities for them to make some improvements to their game. Fail to have this type of mindset, however, and complacency could see them start to lose matches and lose popularity among their fans.
Sound positioning
Many soccer clubs that fail may still be made up of great players, but if they don’t play like a team, they are just that: some great players. While there are many different factors that go into making a team, proper positioning is arguably one of the most important. Making good use of all 11 players – each of whom understand their position fully – a great soccer team with proper positioning lays the foundations for a solid coaching strategy, and ultimately, success.
Excellent communication
Always played at a fast pace, soccer players are required to defend and counter-attack relentlessly, requiring effective communication between all players.
Covering for each other
Combining sound positioning with excellent communication, players who cover for each other at all times, are far more likely to outplay, outpace, and thrash the opposition, whether offensively or defensively.
Belief in their ability
It only takes one goal to turn the fortunes of a soccer match, and sometimes, that’s all it takes to turn a club from a confident, self-believing one, into a downcast one with a losing mindset. Players in a great soccer club believe in themselves, their teammates, and their coaches strategies; the minute this starts to faulter, failure may be just around the corner.
Mental strength
Even when times are tough and losing might seem a foregone conclusion, players must exhibit the mental strength required of all athletes, in order to help take their team to victory.
Relentless focus
Focusing on the game in hand is all that’s required of soccer players, no matter what may be at stake, or what may be going on in their personal lives. For the entire 90 minutes, players in the best football clubs of all time must remain focused and try not to experience any lapses in concentration.
Soccer is one of the world’s most-loved and most-watched sports, but what happens out on the pitch, is rarely down to luck. The best players are able to tick off all the characteristics listed above, in order to give fans great results, and an even greater reason to continue supporting them.
