Harry Kane picked up the Ballon d’Or Trophy in London last night for scoring 73 goals for club and country last season.

Not bad for a kid who got released by Arsenal at 8 years old because coaches thought he was "a bit chubby" and lacked pace.

Let’s be honest, we all have that kid on our team at some point:

•⁠ ⁠A bit clumsy

•⁠ ⁠Half a yard behind the early bloomers

•⁠ ⁠Takes three touches when everyone else takes one

The easiest thing in the world on a Sunday morning is to leave them on the bench for 30 minutes of a 40-minute match just to protect a 2-1 win that nobody will remember in six months.

I’m not saying Kane was necessarily ever one of those, it could’ve just been a poor call from Arsenal but it got me thinking how others approach these situations now.

Do your clubs enforce strict equal minutes regardless of the score or player abilities, or do you still see kids getting benched because they’re weaker than the others?

We are a volunteer based club. However, a local ex professional player (USL) has been running some of our sessions. He is great with the kids (U13). I want to ask parents to compensate him for his time. I realize that his can vary based on location and club level, but what is appropriate compensation for say one and a half hour session

For an amateur, playing 5 aside, how do I improve my short bursts ( acceleration,sprint speed etc) significantly and sustainably. Any kind of advice would help.

I have 3 projects in DaVinci Resolve which consists of a soccer match with clips into a in possession and out of possession folder. I am new at analysis and feel overwhelmed with all the clips and recognizing patterns in each phase of the game. If anyone can help me analyze a match using these clips and give me some pointers that will be greatly appreciated. We can use discord to chat.

Hey Guys i need your help
So I was a Really good winger and midfielder who dribbled good and then I joined a academy i was playing good then my Coach told me to become a Center back and then started playing good but i was not even enjoying a bit i was getting thr playing time in everymatch but iam thinking of football as a burden or iam thinking of changing my position to midfield i dont know what to do?

I am a former NCAA college soccer player at the d2 and 3 level, I love the sport and have been coaching at the high school level for 4 year now and want to get more into high competitive soccer coaching. I unfortunately didn't graduate when I was in college but I am currently going back to finish my degree. what are some things I should do or certification I should have to get as high as possible in the coaching game?

I have a bad habit of rubbing the grass on the field excessively when kicking the ball. This happens to me about half the time, particularly on turf.
With the help of videos I have taken, I have noticed that the cleats on my boot often touch the turf several inches, sometimes almost a foot, before contacting the ball.
I have also noticed in videos taken of professional players and YouTubers that it is common to rub the turf under the ball at the moment of the shot but not before.
This is really unpleasant and demotivating for me since I feel that a considerable amount of momentum is lost towards the turf and is not used to give the ball all the available energy.
This “defect” is more forgiving in natural grass than in turf and this must be why it seems to me that my shots are of higher quality on this type of grass.
I have also had the impression that by leaning a little more towards the side of the supporting leg, I get better results.
Although I have read several writings about this feature, I would like to hear from you, more experts than me, your explanations and suggested remedies.
Thank you very much in advance.

I have a bad habit of rubbing the grass on the field excessively when kicking the ball. This happens to me about half the time, particularly on turf.
With the help of videos I have taken, I have noticed that the cleats on my boot often touch the turf several inches, sometimes almost a foot, before contacting the ball.
I have also noticed in videos taken of professional players and YouTubers that it is common to rub the turf under the ball at the moment of the shot but not before.
This is really unpleasant and demotivating for me since I feel that a considerable amount of momentum is lost towards the turf and is not used to give the ball all the available energy.
This “defect” is more forgiving in natural grass than in turf and this must be why it seems to me that my shots are of higher quality on this type of grass.
I have also had the impression that by leaning a little more towards the side of the supporting leg, I get better results.
Although I have read several analyzes about this feature, I would like to hear from you, more experts than me, your explanations and suggested remedies.
Thank you very much in advance.

You play 4-3-3. They play 4-4-2 and sit deep.
You’ve had 65% of the ball but only one shot on target.
Their two banks of four are tight, your wingers keep getting doubled up, and your midfielders are just passing it sideways in front of them.

You can make one sub, one positional tweak OR one instruction. Not all three.

What are you changing?

Hello I'm new to football at 30 yrs old and was wondering if anyone can give me a mini program with some progression on field work.

I want to play a back or cebter position but I don't have the ball or body control yet.

If you have any questions about me I'll happily answer them. Thank you

For context I've been called my things bums,bad,ass etc and never have I ever had more of a resolve to get better so I wonder how can I become a star?

Well because most people think that if you can't play football/soccer you can't make arguments about the sport which is dumb.So I need to know what skills drills and techniques I can learn to become a star player.

(Also because my dad says I can't play I ain't gonna take that shit)

I’m 25 and currently playing UPSL Division 1. I’m looking for an experienced player or coach who would be willing to watch some film with me and help me understand what I need to improve.
I grew up playing CAM, then played some right wing and central midfield in high school. Scoring and set pieces were a big part of my game. In Sunday league, I especially loved taking free kicks, and becoming a strong set-piece player was something I really wanted to develop.
Recently, though, my touch, shooting and passing consistency have dropped, and my confidence has taken a hit. I know my conditioning and inconsistent training need work, but I also want to understand what’s going wrong technically and tactically.
I’m now mostly being used at left or right back, with CDM another position I’m learning. My minutes are limited, and I want to become someone my coach can rely on. I’m about 5’7”, 125 pounds, relatively quick, and I enjoy passing, playing longer balls and getting involved going forward. My stamina, strength and defensive positioning need improvement.
Would anyone be open to reviewing some of my game footage with me—or walking through fullback/CDM footage and explaining what to look for? I especially need help with positioning, scanning, decisions before receiving, when to push forward versus hold, and identifying which weaknesses to train first.
I’m open to honest, specific feedback. I want to turn it into a realistic training plan instead of going to the field without a clear purpose. Let me know if you’re interested and what footage would be most useful.

.

Hi everyone!

I'm a young coach of a U13 boys' team (12-year-olds). We play 8-a-side in a 3-3-1 formation.

The boys have a great attitude and love attacking, but we're in a division that's probably too strong for us. We're struggling with two main tactical problems when in possession:

1. Both fullbacks push forward at the same time, leaving our central defender exposed to counterattacks.

2. Both wide midfielders push very high, while our central midfielder also joins the attack. This leaves large gaps in central midfield that opponents exploit.

I don't necessarily think the formation is the problem. I think we lack clear positional responsibilities when attacking.

My proposed solution:

- Ball-side movement: The fullback and wide midfielder on the side of the ball can push forward, while the opposite fullback stays deeper and tucks in towards the centre. The opposite wide midfielder provides more central support.

- Central midfielder: He generally stays behind the ball, protecting the central space and providing a passing option instead of automatically joining every attack.

I want to keep our attacking mentality while making us harder to counterattack against, using simple rules that 12-year-olds can understand.

I'd love your thoughts:

- Is this a sensible solution within a 3-3-1?

- Should the central midfielder stay central or shift towards the ball side?

- What one or two tactical principles would you prioritise?

-What do you think?

We're playing at home against the league's strongest team next, so I'd like to improve our organisation without overloading the players with instructions (too much information doesn't work for most 12-year-olds)

Thanks in advance!

Hello there. First of all, I’m a goalkeeper. Recently I signed a paper where it said that I would be playing in a soccer tournament for my school. I’m a pretty decent goalkeeper, but normally I only play with friends. I’d like to ask for any suggestions or tips to improve, and trainings. Also methods not to get nervous

Hi everyone,
I’m writing this because there’s someone in my life whose potential I genuinely believe in, even at a time when he might not fully believe in himself anymore.
My boyfriend is 18 years old and comes from Romania. He used to play for local football teams, and from what I’ve seen and heard about his journey, he was genuinely talented. Unfortunately, due to personal circumstances, he stepped away from the path he was once on. He still plays for a smaller team now, but I can’t help wondering what he could achieve if he had the right opportunity and support.
I know football is competitive, and talent alone isn’t always enough. Opportunities, hard work, discipline, and the right people can make a difference, too.
We don’t have the financial means to pay for expensive academies, trials, or connections. I’m not asking anyone for money. I’m simply hoping to reach someone who knows the football world and might be able to offer advice, point us toward open trials, or tell us about a club that could give a young player a fair chance to prove himself.
He’s only 18. I don’t believe his story has to end before he’s had the chance to discover what he’s truly capable of.
Maybe I’m just a girlfriend who believes in her boyfriend a little too much, but I would rather try to find an opportunity for him than sit back and wonder what could have happened if someone had given him a chance.
If you’re a coach, a player, someone involved in a football club, or simply someone who knows where a young Romanian player could start looking for opportunities, I’d be incredibly grateful for any advice.
I’m not asking anyone to promise him a career. I’m just hoping to help him find a door he can try to open through his own hard work.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.