The official playing and coaching manual for youth soccer of the United States Soccer Federation. The definitive playing and coaching manual for youth soccer. Compiled by the coaching, educational and technical staff of U.S. Soccer, this book offers extensive information on all aspects of the game, technique, tactics, laws, prevention and care of injury, coaching preparation, organizational structure, model training sessions, and more than 100 practice games suitable for developing aspects of every player's game. Features numerous games for developing dribbling * passing * finishing * heading * defending * goalkeeping, as well as games specifically for young beginners * games to teach tactics * overall soccer decision-making. Extensive technique section offers detailed pointers on dribbling and turning moves * shielding * passing * receiving * drives * chips, bending the ball and volleys * heading * marking * tackling * goalkeeping catches * dives and saves. Tactical chapters offer detailed information on fundamental attacking tactics * defensive principles * restart tactics for defensive and offensive success. Model training sections construct excellent practice sessions, from warmup through cool down exercises * useful for all coaches as a guide to improving performance * efficiency * enjoyment of training.

Whether you want to bend it like Beckham or dribble like Ronaldinho, The Soccer Book is the ultimate visual guide to soccer skills, rules, tactics, and coaching, illustrating every aspect of every variant of the sport more clearly, and in more detail, than any other book has done before.

Essential Soccer Skills progresses from beginner basics to advanced techniques, featuring illustrated sequences on how to learn and master key skills, and tips on how to improve your overall form. Essential Soccer Skills covers everything from the basics and rules of the game to the types of players--goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, attackers--to skills and team tactics like stepovers, heading, and volleying. Essential Soccer Skills is the go-to guide for anyone interested in learning more about soccer and becoming a better player.

This hilarious, tongue-in-cheek guide from kid-expert Max reveals everything you need to know about the game of soccer. Max knows a lot about soccer. After all, he's been playing it for almost three weeks! So he's pretty much an expert. Here Max shares his one-of-a-kind helpful tips including how to warm up (stretch, twirl, somersault), who's who on the field (the ref is in yellow and wears a whistle--you should not bring your own whistle), and what to do with your hands since you can't touch the ball (wave at fans, hide them in your shirt, play itsy-bitsy spider). But could Max possibly be forgetting something very important? Full of humor, energy, and warmth, Max Explains Everything: Soccer Expert is the perfect read aloud for novice players as well as for fellow "kid experts" on the game. Want more fun with Max? Don't miss Max Explains Everything: Grocery Store Expert.

If your interest in soccer - or football as it's known worldwide - has you seriously thinking about taking up the sport, you've come to the right place! Assuming you're seeking to physically immerse yourself in the game and hopefully work your way up to playing at a competitive or professional level, that's exactly what this book is geared to help you do. Whether you're just starting out as a beginner, or ready to take your skills to the next level of competition, your transition into becoming a soccer star begins with the wealth of information contained within this book. Read on to get a solid understanding of the rules and regulations of the game; to master the basics; to learn the most important practice drills and developmental exercises; to prepare for try-outs; and to advance your skills in order to become a more valuable team member and more competitive player.

Essential reading for soccer fans as the 2022 World Cup approaches, this lively and lyrical book is "an ideal guide to the world's most popular sport" (Simon Kuper, coauthor of Soccernomics). Soccer is not only the world's most popular game; it's also one of the most widely shared forms of global culture. The Language of the Game is a passionate and engaging introduction to soccer's history, tactics, and human drama. Profiling soccer's full cast of characters—goalies and position players, referees and managers, commentators and fans—historian and soccer scholar Laurent Dubois describes how the game's low scores, relentless motion, and spectacular individual performances combine to turn each match into a unique and unpredictable story. He also shows how soccer's global reach makes it an unparalleled theater for nationalism, international conflict, and human interconnectedness, with close attention to both men's and women's soccer. Filled with perceptive insights and stories both legendary and little known, The Language of the Game is a rewarding read for anyone seeking to understand soccer better—newcomers and passionate followers alike.

An opinionated masterclass in the art and science of “reading” a match from one of professional soccer’s most respected and beloved international figures. "For Americans new to European soccer, terms like 'false striker,' 'double accordion' or 'moving trios' need Mr. Gullit’s expert explications." —Wall Street Journal Ruud Gullit knows better than anyone else that to understand soccer you have to understand strategy. When he started playing soccer, his only “strategy” was to get the ball, outrun everyone else to the other end of the field, and score. At first it served him well, but as he advanced through the sport, he learned that it takes much more than one player's speed to make a winning team. Over the course of his career, he worked his way from the Dutch junior leagues all the way to the legendary AC Milan, eventually retiring from the field to be a trainer, then a manager, and finally a commentator. Each step came with its own lessons, and its own unique perspective on the game. Now, having looked at soccer through every lens possible, Gullit shares his own perspective. Most spectators simply watch the ball, but in How to Watch Soccer, Gullit explains how to watch the whole game. He shows how every part of a match, from formations to corner kicks, all the way down to what the players do to influence the referees, is important. And he uses his own vast experience to illustrate each point, so his lessons are filled with anecdotes from his years on the field and insights from his observations as a manager and commentator. This exhaustive guide will change the way even the most die-hard fan watches the beautiful game.