Is Speed Important In Soccer?

Soccer is a sport that involves running all over the pitch for 90 minutes and chasing the ball to score goals. Also, to score goals, every team counts on their best players to make a difference. This often involves run passing defenders. With that being said, is speed important in soccer?

In this article, you are going to find out everything you need to know about speed in soccer.

Let’s get started.

Is Speed Important In Soccer?

Yes, speed is an important element each soccer player should have. Speed not only allows you to beat defenders but also score goals for your team and dominate the game.

Being a soccer player requires pace. You are not asked to be the fastest player in your team, but it’s important to have a little bit of speed as a soccer player.

If you don’t have the pace but would like to make it in soccer, don’t worry. Later in this article, you are going to learn how you can improve your speed in soccer. So, keep on reading.

But why is it so important to have speed in soccer? Let’s have a look at it in a deeper explanation.

Why Is It Important To Have Speed In Soccer?

To be fair, having speed gives you four benefits:

• Speed makes other teams fear you
• It allows you to score goals
• It allows you to get rid of defenders easily
• Speed is simply needed in soccer

1-Speed makes other teams fear you: If you have speed in soccer, likely, opposing defenders will fear you. Most defenders are scared to defend against fast forwards. Even if you are a defender or a midfielder, speed is still needed as you will give opposing forwards a hard time every time they try to run past you.

This is why Alexander Arnold is feared as a right-back.

So, no matter what position you play, speed is needed.

2-Speed allows you to score goals: the primary goal of a soccer game is to score goals and win the game. By having pace, you can easily run into space and behind the opposing defence and create many chances.

Mbappe is the perfect example. His pace allows him to destroy any defence he faces by scoring many goals.

3-Speed allows you to beat defenders: As mentioned earlier, by having speed, you can run and push the ball far ahead of you and beat defenders.

4-Speed is just needed in soccer: You have to understand that speed is simply needed in soccer. This sport wouldn’t be fun to watch if it consisted of just passing the ball and running in a “slow-motion” mode.

What soccer fans want when they are watching a game is some actions and spectacle. So, speed is part of that.

However, there can be an exception to this.

The Goalie Doesn’t Necessarily Need Speed

The goalkeeper, unlike the outfield players, doesn’t need to run all over the pitch for 90 minutes.

Yes, the goalie does need to have speed as well. But, this is the only position that doesn’t require this attribute.

The only thing a goalie needs is to be able to make saves and have great reflexes.

So, if you are a goalie with no speed but great goalkeeping skills, it can be tolerated and you can still do well in a team.

However, it is still important to improve your speed as you could be in a situation where you are going to need to run as fast as you can.

Don’t worry, I got you covered.

How To Improve Speed In Soccer?

Here are the two main drills you need to improve your speed in soccer:

1. The cones triangle
2. Run the length of the pitch with the ball on your feet

1-The Cones Triangle

This drill consists of placing two cones about one yard apart to create a starting point.

Next, add two cones about 25 yards away from the starting point.

Finally, add a cone about 5 yards from each corner.

Now, it’s time to start the drill.

Position yourself at the starting point and run as fast as you can to the right corner, then back to the nearest inside cone. Next, without stopping, continue to the other inside cone, then to the left corner, and back to the starting point.

Confused? No worries. Here is what it looks like in the image:

You can also start the training drill on the other side and vice versa.

Do this training exercise three times per day for at least three times a week.

Then, track your improvement by timing how fast you can complete the drill.

After two months, your speed should have improved.

But before that, you should go on with the next exercise after a three minutes break from the first one.

2-Run The Lenght Of The Pitch With The Ball On Your Feet

The next exercise consists of running the length of the pitch with the ball on the feet as fast as possible.

After the first exercise with the cones, you should take three minutes break, then continue with this one.

This training consists of doing a round trip. This means you must run to the other side of the pitch, then come back.

Remember, as fast as possible. Yes, you will be tired, but this is how you are going to improve your speed.

Final Word

At the end of this article, it should be remembered that speed is needed in soccer no matter what position you play.

But, if you want to make it in soccer but think you don’t have enough speed, don’t worry. You can still improve your speed by following the training drills mentioned in this article.

I hope you have gained value from this article.

If you have any questions, consider leaving them in the comment section below.