In 2001, I managed to balance the ball on my neck and thought wow! I did something unusual to surprise my friends. Fast-forward to date, balancing the ball on your neck might seem like child’s play to everyone. In fact, there are soccer tricks that are even impossible to do with the naked eye. So a couple of weeks ago I had a conversation with my friend about professional football or soccer because he just won an amateur league in Australia and to my amazement I wanted to know more about his winning team. After the conversation I realized that he prefers professional footballers to freestylers. So I decided to take the initiative and find out who is the best in the world of football.
First of all, freestylers have the ability to perform a series of soccer tricks in combination (combo) like Palle doing foot stall, then the ATW followed by the crossover, for example. Normally a footballer would juggle the ball with simple tricks and plants, but freestylers combine these tricks to make it look like a freestyle combo. Each freestyle has its own styles of performing combos, so freestyle allows players to express their creativity and improve ball control. In fact, I even admit that freestyle can be addictive at times, especially when I managed to pull off a combo, for example I recently almost managed to do the Touzani Around the World (TATW) which combines the ATW and the crossover. Billy Wingrove once said on his DVD that freestylers tend to create their own tricks from different angles of the upper and lower body. But the lifestyle of a freestyler is often more flexible and he earns his living by performing freestyles in various TV commercials, TV shows, soccer clinics and others. However, in the early 21st century, Nike, one of the largest contributors, promotes freestyle through advertisements and allows users to submit their own freestyle videos on the web. Other sites like YouTube are also the best place to learn soccer tricks step by step. In general, freestyle soccer is relatively easy to learn than being a professional soccer player because the learning curve is less steep and it can take around a month or two to learn any particular soccer trick.
Anyone can take a soccer ball and play with their friends on the field or in the park. A footballer begins his career by playing in leagues or tournaments with his team and is selected by one of the scouts or attends the football team tryouts, either for the school team or at the football academy. In fact, being selected for the team is the hardest part as footballers like David Beckham had to go through numerous tests to finally be selected to play for that team. Therefore, determination and courage are important attributes in achieving a winning mindset. Positions in soccer vary from goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and forward along with other compatible positions such as sweeper, winger, and striker. Each position has its own relevant attributes like stamina, passing, positioning, long balls, finishing, etc. Typically, at a young age, children will explore these positions and also develop soccer skills and tricks to improve their game. As they reach a higher level, the trainers will determine the appropriate positions for them through training. But footballers do not depend on one position and it has shown the fact that great players have the ability to play in different positions, such as Thierry Henry moving away from his forward position.
The highest level in soccer demands a great first touch, which is why I think freestyle complements soccer to improve ball control. In fact, great players from Maradona to Cristiano Ronaldo take up freestyle soccer as a hobby to express their creativity by inventing new soccer tricks, be it juggling or ground moves, while also improving their ball control. . It is the first touch that allows a footballer to gain valuable seconds ahead of his opponent whether it is to pass, cross the ball or score a goal.
However, this is only a small piece of the puzzle and skill alone is not a single factor in determining the best players. Top level footballers face the media day after day answering post-match interviews, signing autographs for supporters, performing in front of millions of football fans, etc. Therefore, he has to set a good example and maintain a healthy diet to prolong his career as a footballer. Freestylers are more flexible and can handle less media pressure than soccer players, as well as eating a healthy diet and practicing their freestyle skills to improve their freestyle soccer. In fact, the lifestyle as a freestyler is less complicated than being a footballer, as they have fewer commitments, but the price of being a footballer is worth it when you are perceived as a superstar in the industry.
It is still too early to say that freestylers are better than footballers as it is a growing industry and it only started at the beginning of the 21st century.
Footballers face these challenges and commitments to become the best player in the world of football and this factor alone determines why footballers are better than freestylers at the moment and as the saying goes ‘there is more than meets the eye’ ‘.
