Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Learning the Rules
• Part 2 of 3: Playing as a Team
• Part 3 of 3: Train your body and mind
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

If you want to become a goalkeeper, you will need to acquire many skills. Your job is not just to be a skillful, determined team player and the last link of defense in the game, but you must also serve the ball correctly and prevent possible shots on goal. Moreover, you need to be mentally and physically fit to last an entire match lasting over 90 minutes. Winning or losing a football match often depends on the goalkeeper.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Learning the Rules

1. 1 Learn the basic rules of football. Before you can become a goalkeeper, you just need to know them. These rules and regulations are discussed and established by the International Football Association Board (IFAB), which is also a FIFA commission. FIFA is an international commission that governs every aspect of the game.
   • FIFA also publishes an official compilation of football rules and regulations. It is regularly updated and the current version is 140 pages long. A copy of the compilation of football rules and regulations can be found here: http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/generic/81/42/36/lawsofthegame_2010_11_e.pdf.
   • The IFAB has established and registered 17 standard and universal rules for football, as the rules and regulations of FIFA in different countries and associations often differ. Moreover, the FIFA Rulebook may seem too complicated for beginners to understand.
   • 17 laws cover the following topics: play on the field, football, number of players, equipment, referees, assistant referees, match duration, start and restart of play, ball in and out, scoring methods, offside position, fouls and violations, free kicks, penalties , throw-in, goals and corners. Details of each of the seventeen standard laws are available here: http://www.syossetsoccer.org/home/683808.html.
   • You can read even more about how to play football.
2. 2 You must learn the list of rules for goalkeeping. For every player on the football field, from forwards, midfield to goalkeeper, there are a number of rules and regulations associated with their position. Knowing these rules will help you become the best goalkeeper and team player.
3. 3 Get to know the goalkeeper equipment. In addition to the standard equipment required by any football player, which includes boots, shin guards and a jersey, the goalkeeper must also follow the rules and specifications of his equipment according to his position on the field. From the gloves to the special jersey, all of the goalkeeper's equipment helps other players to recognize him on the field.
   • The goalkeeper must wear a uniform, long leg warmers, shin guards and football boots.
   • FIFA regulations also require the goalkeeper's equipment to be different from other players and official players in the game, so that his role on the field can be immediately recognized. For example, most goalkeepers wear their team's jersey of a different color.
   • Goalkeepers also wear special gloves to help them catch the ball and protect their hands from hitting the goal.
4. 4 To become a goalkeeper, you need to find the right equipment. Before you start playing and training to become a goalkeeper, buy this outfit. Every piece of equipment, from gloves to boots and shin guards, guarantees you the best play and a safe environment.
   • You will need the following equipment to play: goalkeeper gloves, boots, shin guards, leggings and a team jersey.
   • The goalkeeper's gloves, made of dense leather, soften the impact of the ball on your hands when catching it or when hitting the goal. They also help to better grip the ball.
   • Cleats are special soccer shoes. They have a firm sole that allows you to stand and move more steadily across the lawn on the field.
   • Shin guards protect your shins from impacts from hard boots, which can be painful and can cause injury.On the shields on top, you need to put on gaiters, which will completely cover them and will keep them in place to the last.
   • The goalkeeper's jersey may be padded under the shoulders and around the hips to protect you from powerful direct shots on goal. If you play on a team, you will often be provided with a matching goalkeeper jersey for your team.
   • All the necessary equipment for football can be bought in specialty sports stores or even online, for example, at Soccerpro.com.
5. 5 You need to know where and how the goalkeeper can handle the soccer ball. It is important that the goalkeeper knows where on the field he will play, how to kick the ball and throw the ball to the team. Knowledge of these norms will save him from violating the rules of the game.
   • The goalkeeper can leave the goal to join the players in defensive positions, which often happens when a team needs to attack opponents with full force.
   • The goalkeeper can pick up the soccer ball when he is standing within the penalty spot at his goal. In some situations, such as when a team member deliberately kicks the ball in his direction, he cannot handle it.
   • If the goalkeeper breaks the rules, the referees will give the opposing team a free kick, sometimes from a short distance to the goal.
   • The goalkeeper cannot hold the soccer ball for more than six seconds. If he breaks the rule, then the opposing team will be given a free kick.
   • According to the rules, the goalkeeper is considered to be "holding the ball" if it is in his hands or the ball is not on the ground.
   • Goalkeepers can take penalties and participate in the penalty kicks themselves.
   • The coach may change the goalkeeper if it meets the rules for substitution of players.
   • If players from the opposing team take a penalty, then the goalkeeper should not only remain on his goal line, but also between their posts. He can move anywhere but not forward until the ball is hit.
   • The goalkeeper may be given a red card for breaking the rules of the game. In such a case, any off-field player or substitute goalkeeper may replace the eliminated goalkeeper.
6. 6 Check the details of the regulations for your country. Because there are rules that are only valid during matches in certain countries and with the support of certain structures. Explore all the different differences your country might have. This will help you avoid making mistakes that could cost your team an entire match.
   • For example, some organizations may require you to wear goalkeeper gloves, while FIFA allows certain goalkeepers to choose whether to wear gloves or not.

Part 2 of 3: Playing as a Team

1. 1 Watch the game carefully. As a goalkeeper, you are in a unique position among your team members playing across the field. Watching closely all the time will not only help your team gain an advantage, but you will be ready to defend the goal when the opposing team begins to advance.
   • Never take your eyes off the ball, even if it is on the other side of the field. Then you don't have to be surprised if someone kicks him right to your end of the field.
2. 2 Communicate with the team. Since the goalkeeper can see the entire football field, it is important that for the sake of the growth of the team he communicates more with other members of the team. This will help them know which opponents to watch out for, and what are the main styles of their play. The goalkeeper can also motivate tired or lagging players on the team.
   • Tell your team about specific opponents or playing styles during the timeout or when they are back on the field. It is important that they are aware of this because it not only helps them on the field, but also allows them to do their job of protecting you and the goal.
   • You can also think of and use a gesture to signal your team members about opponents or your own strategy.
   • Don't yell at your team too often. Be specific, concise, and decisive in your suggestions, but be polite to express your point. Remember, you are not a coach.
3. 3 Be aggressive and expect players running across the field. If a player from the opposing team runs across the field to shoot at the goal, then your task as a goalkeeper is to expect what move he will make, and then defend the goal with all your might. Depending on your reaction in such a situation, you can either save your team or let the other one earn a goal.
   • Attack oncoming players to cut the angle of their blows. The attack is also needed to intimidate enemy players.
   • Put your legs wider, shifting your weight to one or the other, bend them a little and stand on the front of the foot - this will help you react faster to the actions of the players. The few milliseconds won often become a decisive factor in the result.
   • To intimidate players attacking the goal, stand in a wide position. You can do this by raising your arms above your head or by holding them to the sides. It is also a psychological trick used to make the attacker not sure where to hit the ball.
   • Understand the gestures of the players running across the field. For example, if you notice that a player is about to hit, you can easily imagine the trajectory the ball will take. If you watch the eyes of the players, you can also get a signal of where he is going to kick the ball.
4. 4 Attack any ball that hits you. Any ball heading towards the goalkeeper may end up between the goal posts. It is very important to actively anticipate and attack any ball that comes at you, so that you prevent the other team from scoring an easy goal.
5. 5 Protect the goal from the goal using your arms and legs. There are different ways to protect the goal, you can catch the ball, kick it or knock it over the net. Your choice of defense strategy will depend on how the ball approaches the goal.
   • Catch the ball when you can. This way you can throw the ball to your teammates and get the chance to score a goal.
   • When you catch the ball to keep a goal out of the goal, you have two options: you can throw it back to your team with your hands, or you can directly kick the ball to allies further down the field.
   • There are situations when it is inappropriate to catch the ball, for example, if it flies too fast or too high. In such cases, you can hit the ball with your palm or your fingertips, and you can also hang it over the net.
   • Kick the ball immediately, without trying to catch it beforehand, only in extreme cases, for example, when there is an immediate threat to the goal.
   • If the ball is flying low to the ground or approaching at right angles, jump forward to it and then rise immediately.
   • If you jumped forward for the ball, caught or hit the ball, then immediately get into place. You never know if additional protection is needed.

Part 3 of 3: Train your body and mind

1. 1 Train your cardiovascular system. Football is a sport where you have to move very fast and you have to run for more than 90 minutes of play. Even if you are defending the goal and not running as much as the forward does, you still need to keep fit and be ready to run quickly from and back to the goal or even onto the field.
   • Running is one of the most important activities in the life of a football player and goalkeeper. Strive to run at a decent pace for 90 minutes to help your body withstand this harsh game.
   • You will also need to run in and out of the goal area to protect it from hits and potential goals. You can prepare well for this by doing regular races. For example, you can run 10 races of 100 meters so that your body is ready for a sudden, rapid acceleration when you leave the gate.
2. 2 Do strength training. As a goalkeeper, you need to be able to knock the ball out of the goal area with both a kick and a simple throw. To do this effectively, you need strong legs and arms that can be trained with strength training.
   • Doing cardio, such as jogging, will help your legs get stronger, but doing strength exercises on your legs will also increase strength. Consider doing squats, lunges, and leg presses. All of these exercises will train your legs in a comprehensive manner.
   • Since the goalkeeper is also required to use the arms, training and upper body pumping exercises are also important. Consider exercises such as shoulder presses, bicep curls, and chest presses. If you use Gripmaster equipment, your fingers and wrists will become stronger too.
   • You may also want to consider intense stretching workouts such as yoga. International top teams like Bayern Munchen practice yoga not only to expand their strength training, but also to increase flexibility and improve some skills. In addition, yoga can teach you to focus, relax more, and get a good night's sleep.
3. 3 Work on your good and bad mobility skills. To be a successful footballer and goalkeeper requires more than just the ability to throw and pick up the ball. Remember that the goalkeeper is no different from the player on the field, except for the ability to use his hands within the radius of his goal. You will have to practice the good and bad sides of mobility in order to get the best handling of the ball with both hands and feet.
   • To train your legs and feet well, practice dribbling the soccer ball in different directions and hit the tossed ball at different distances from the goal posts. To cross the ball and protect the goal, practice keeping the supporting leg, body, and head in the direction you want the kick to go.
   • You also need to practice the two main functions of the goalkeeper: side-to-side movement and crossover. An intense side-to-side running will train you for the movement technique, and if you rotate your legs to the opposite side of your hips, it will be a crossover workout.
   • As a goalkeeper, you also need to train your arms to handle the ball dexterously. Throwing and catching an object with your coach and team will help you develop the skills you need.
4. 4 Speed ​​up your reaction time. The goalkeeper must be able to anticipate the movements of the opposing players and act accordingly. Exercise will help you improve your reflexes, which can affect the course of the game: will you defend the goal or will you not be able to stop the ball?
   • One good reflex exercise is playing with a wall and hitting the ball in different places to keep it from going away from you.
5. 5 Learn to correctly recognize your opponent's intentions by his movements. One of the goalkeeper's main tasks is to understand the mindset of opposing players and anticipate their next move. If you learn to anticipate them, you can more effectively anticipate their actions, which will help you beat off shots on goal and decide the result of the game.
   • By playing football often, you can learn to anticipate the opponent's actions through practical experience. Quite often from this you can determine the nature of the game.
   • If you watch videos with other goalkeepers and players, you can highlight additional tactics that will help you even more effectively predict the movements of both offensive and defensive players, and then determine the necessary tactics.
   • One good exercise to help you anticipate player action is to practice mocking shouts and penalties with friends and your teammates. Even working with a pair of cones as a gate, you can train this ability.
   • Practice your jump on a bed or soft mattress.
6. 6 You need to understand the principles of geometry in order to improve your technique. Part of being a goalkeeper means anticipating shots on goal, which can come at different speeds and from different angles.Having a basic understanding that the principles of geometry and mathematics decide where the ball lands will help you better predict the events of the game.
   • Always try to cover corners so that your opponent doesn't have many options to hit the ball. For example, if a player attacks from the right, do not stand in the middle of the gate. Instead, turn to face the ball and get yourself closer to the right post.
   • There is a good rule of thumb: you need to be at the right angle and imagine that an arrow is stretching from the ball to the middle of the goal. And you need to stand on this imaginary arrow.
   • If the ball is flying straight on the ground straight towards you, don't just stretch your arms down. Better to fully crouch down to the ground, this will help you jump forward when necessary to catch the ball.
   • If a player from the opposing team hits a penalty, then you also need to close the corner. Look for clues in the eyes of the player or in his feet, this can help to understand what angle to defend.
7. 7 Build your moral stamina. If you play for a football team, even as a goalkeeper, then you need a high moral stability to get through all the victories and failures in games. If you work on moral stamina, you can successfully bypass any obstacles, not only in the game, but also as a team.
   • It is important to know that nothing can ever go perfectly, neither in the game, nor even in training. You need to be emotionally flexible, not discouraged, and recover quickly from a failure so that it doesn't interfere with your team's success.
   • Having faith in yourself will also help you build up your moral stamina. Confidence can come from knowing that you have trained hard or that you have very strong team players ready to support each other.
   • Cognitive exercises in the form of motivating conversations and the ability to see good things in any situation will also strengthen your mind and prepare you to play. Visualization, that is, when you imagine the course of the game before the game itself, is also a very effective practice.
   • Talking to a sports doctor or psychologist can also help you identify deficiencies and gradually play better. For example, you may always feel guilty if your team loses. But football is a team game, and if you understand this, then, probably, remember that the fault does not always lie with you, but probably also with the defenders, and then as a player you will become stronger.

Tips

• Remember, no player plays perfectly right away. If you want to be a great goalkeeper, it takes a lot of practice, patience and confidence. Keep trying and don't give up!
• Don't let others blame you for failure. Remember, even if you made mistakes, before that the ball went past 10 other players.
• Listen to your team and communicate with them. Football is a cooperative sport, so you need to interact with your team and plan together how to stop the enemy attack.

Warnings

• Even the most successful goalkeepers can make serious mistakes. If you did it, then learn from it and move on, but do not let the mistake spoil your mood.
• Watch your head when you play. Many goalkeepers are injured when hitting each other and when heading the ball.

What do you need

• Gloves
• Shields
• Leg warmers that will cover the shin guards
• Team jersey
• Cleats
• For male goalkeepers, it is better to wear sports briefs with a shell