If football requires quick thinking, good ball control with the feet, and sublime movements and positioning to keep the ball rolling under your body, futsal is the harder alternative. A smaller, heavier ball, and less space to play on, futsal would require the players to think more than usual whilst rolling the ball on the court rather than a widespread grass/3g pitch. Going back to 1930, in the South American country of Uruguay where Barcelona
hotshot Luis Suarez was born and first graced pitches, a teacher from Montevideo, created an indoor alternative to football that should be played on basketball-esque courts. He envisioned a sport that would use the teamwork component borrowed from football- later having the sport become something that is normally compared/associated with football.
Like normal “Five-a-side” football, futsal involves having 5 players on each team. A game would be 40 minutes long, 20 minutes a half. Shorter than its 90 minute counterpart. It requires the players to work harder than in a normal game in terms of using their agility, control, awareness and quick thinking. The pace of the game is much faster which will benefit the faster players, and there are more breaks. It is very important a good futsal team knows how to utilise the breaks and pauses within the game to get themselves into the better position in order to be able to see, and do whatever happens next.
Teamwork - Good link-up play and understanding between players is brutally vital in this type of football- knowing where your teammate will move next and how they cope on the pitch would play a massive role in knowing your next move, and the way you execute it.
For example if your team was playing a “Diamond” (a 1-2-1) formation in a futsal match, you would expect them to move for the whole match, pass frequently, be able to correctly predict where their teammates are going and put them through but at the same time maintain the shape. Rotation, and filling each other’s positions is also an essential- defence being as big a part of the game as it usually would be. Constant movement, testing a players’ muscular and cardiovascular endurance while maintaining a good vision of the game is a big challenge.
Finishing is tested, making this a great game for attacking players to sharpen their finishing product on the pitch as well as their dribbles. Less space, less time, and the goal being significantly smaller, lessens your chance of scoring a goal in a futsal game.
Mentality is another big part of this game- a solid thinking game and as puzzling as the games you’d access on your smartphone, futsal will tire you out not only physically but also mentally. The physics of the ball are different, how the other team play, and being able to mark a player at the same time as observing what’s going on in your opponents half, as the ball moves much quicker.
Defenders will have the timing of their challenges judged- the smaller ball makes it harder to snatch from attackers and will have you retreating to your own half most of the time. Standing tackles are vital on the futsal pitch, meaning it will put your balance through its paces also.
Players who play futsal will have a great sense of creativity, whilst also picking up some defensive skills and silky ball control on the wider pitch to make the best of tight situations and get out of trouble. Faster passing, good prediction skills, and a stronger mentality are all benefits of a well-rounded futsal player.