Futsal or Football (a.k.a Soccer) - which is tougher..?

Futsal or Football (a.k.a Soccer) - which is tougher..?

In recent weeks, we have been playing futsal quite regularly and this makes me wonder, from the players point of view is it futsal(5 a side) or soccer (normal football field ,11 a side) that is more challenging for pulling of tricks and moves. Technically, futsal requires a better first touch and much more precise passing play since the pitch is much smaller, the fact that you're always moving and always under pressure adds to the difficulty level, but then, in futsal, the distances are shorter and less long distance (20 -30 metres at a time) running is required. Whereas in soccer, the bigger football field and added space means that there is some space for errors like missed passes or the occasional hard first touch. But then, the playing time in 11 a side soccer is much longer and there is much more long distance running stints than in futsal. So which one gives the tougher challenge for the average freestyle player? Well, from our experience, futsal presents the tougher challenge. Less space, less time and more pressure means every trick or move has to be almost inch perfect, not to mention the normal passing and dribbling. Even my collegue who had mastered the famous Ronaldinho flip-flap trick found it almost impossible to perform the trick in a full blown futsal match, because in futsal, the moment you get the ball, the opposing player is always trying to tackle you and get it back, a single mistake can also cause your team to give away a goal. We do recommend that any soccer player who wants improve his speed, close control, precision - be it passing or shooting, should practice by playing futsal, the challenge give by a small football field, cramped space, quick movement not only tested our techniques but it also tests our fitness level, especially if the game is played non stop for more than an hour.