Double Your Game With This One Soccer Tip

Wayne Rooney's Great One-Touch

If any of you have watched an English Premier League (or E.P.L.), game you without a doubt know the name Wayne Rooney, who is one of Manchester United’s best current strikers and also plays for the England National Team. When he entered the league in 2002, he became the youngest player to score, as he was only 17 years old. Not only that but I can’t even begin to describe the amount of game winning goals I’ve seen him make over the years.

He plays like a possessed pit-bull on the pitch but despite him running around all over the field the man has an impeccable skills and always knows where to be on the field. I had seen an interview on him back in the day on the number one thing to improve your game immediately.

Answer: First Touch.

I was thinking how from an intelligence standpoint that statement was spot on. He has what I call a high Soccer IQ. There is what is called technical skill, which involves muscle memory like kicking, bending, and first touch etc. but there is also tactical skills which is more mentally understand the game.

Let’s think about this for a second. Most people who make mistakes when the ball comes to them is because of the first touch. Imagine when you go through this course you will have incredible first touch and because of that, your next touch will be much easier.

If you receive a ball while a defender is coming at you and you have a horrible first touch. Then you need to settle the ball back down before executing your pass or next decision. Well if you have a great first touch then the ball is already ready for that decision.

First touch allows you the maximum time to make correct decisions at the right times.

So how can you accomplish this? This really is mental. Of course you need to practice trapping against a wall or with a teammate, but it comes down to focusing more. It’s something I never forgot while playing pro-soccer. Everyone’s first touch is way better and that allows the game to progress easier.

Focus on trapping the ball in the direction you want to go and you will start noticing how much easier the game will happen for you. It might sound simple, but sometimes the simplest things are forgotten. So train your body and your mind to get this habit down and every decision you make after that will be easier because you’re allowing yourself more time for those next decisions.

So listen to England’s great striker when he says the most important part of the game is and will always be your first touch.

Tags: manchester united, soccer, touch, wayne rooney