The Importance Of Training For The World Cup of Soccer

The World Cup is an international phenomenon and the most popular sporting event in the world. Playing in the World Cup is a rare opportunity that players literally train for their entire lives. 

The competition demands a high level of urgency from the preeminent players in soccer in order to lead their countries to the zenith of the sport. Youth should tune in and note the supreme physical condition that’s required to compete at this high-level event.

The 22^nd edition of the World Cup takes place in Qatar from November 20^st to December 18^th, with the group stage taking place from November 20^th- December 2^nd, and the knockout round beginning on December 3^rd. This is an absolute must watch for any soccer players or fans, so check it out!

While soccer may not come to mind as a sport where vertical explosiveness is necessary, there is certainly the need to develop fast twitch and explosive movements through strength training for any player attempting to play at a professional level, let alone be selected by your country to represent them at the prestigious World Cup.   

Teams train for years in advance of the event, hoping to survive the qualifying rounds and making it into the group stage. For the select few who reach the World Cup games, their commitment to training has unquestionably allowed them to persevere through their grueling schedule. With that said, let's look at some exercises that you can implement to improve your game and train like the World Cup soccer players. 

How To Train for the World Cup

Basic Soccer Skills Required 

Soccer is a game with long periods of low-level physical exertion for players, with short bursts of effort requiring maximum physical output to deliver success. Here are a few soccer skills that players need to excel.

1. Develop a Quick First Step

2. Change of Direction Speed and Agility 

3. Maximize Top End Speed 

Advanced Soccer Skills for Goalies

For goalies, there is less of a need for top end speed and more of a demand for lightning quick reaction times and the ability to produce enough force to move explosively both vertically and laterally.

Ultimately, no matter which position you play, it requires a thorough training program that incorporates all areas of the body for players to achieve the high level of play like those competing in the World Cup.

Soccer Training Drills To Increase Power and Ball Control

Using the tools and options that the VertiMax provides is a great way for athletes to prepare for a high level of competition, as it allows training to be efficient and effective. You train using the movements you would use in an actual game. Here are some of the different drills you can use to train for soccer with the VertiMax.

The ability to kick a soccer ball is the most precise skill that is required for all players. Not only do players need the physical strength to punt the ball down the field, but they also need to control the ball with their foot, which will allow them to make accurate passes to teammates and angle the ball away from the goalkeeper when attacking the goal. With the functionality of the VertiMax, there are many drills that players can do to boost their kicking capabilities.

• Kicking Drill with Waist and Ankle Resistance 

As you can see in the video, the VertiMax V8 is a great tool to help develop your kicking motion, allowing players to add resistance to their waist and ankles. By using the V8 to train your hips and feet, players can enhance their ability to produce force with their lower body, increasing power and distance on their kicks. This exercise can also help players maintain muscular symmetry with their legs, so you can be as effective kicking with your weak leg as you are with your dominant leg.

• Ball Control Drill 

This is a great video to check out for any athlete looking for exercises to work on their fine motor skills with the ball. With the versatility that the VertiMax V8 and Raptor offer, you can use either to replicate traditional soccer drills with added resistance on your waist or ankles. By performing targeted drills such as this, you can really focus on being precise with the ball while building up the quick-twitch muscles in your ankles. 

• Acceleration and Agility Drills

Increasing speed, agility, and acceleration is critical to any young soccer player’s development, as soccer games can flow from low intensity to high intensity in an instant. Having the burst and top end speed to accelerate ahead of defenders on a breakaway or sprint across the field to beat them to a loose ball will give players the edge they are looking for. In this video, this athlete is doing several agility and speed drills using the VertiMax Raptor’s resistance, including working on their lateral quickness, change of direction, straight-line speed, and backpedaling.

Here is another good video of an athlete integrating his footwork and agility drills with his kicking/ball control drills. First, they used VertiMax resistance with the passing component. Then they combine cones for defenders to maneuver around, which enables the player to get a realistic simulation of game situations and develop their physical and technical ability at the same time.

This exercise at the beginning of this video is a tremendous way for soccer players to develop their lateral mobility, quickness, and ability to generate explosiveness from their first step. Since it’s so critical in the sport of soccer to change directions, move laterally, and explode quickly when going after the ball, using hurdles and resistance from the VertiMax is an effective way to develop the unique movement patterns that are necessary to succeed.

• Vertimax V8 Header Drill

Being able to control the ball is absolutely crucial in soccer, not only with your feet, but with your ability to use your head as well. Check out the video below for a simple, yet effective header ball control drill, while also increasing power and explosiveness with their lower body through added resistance from the VertiMax.

• Goalie Drills: Improve Mobility and Explosiveness

Playing the goalkeeper position requires a distinct set of physical skills than other soccer players. There isn’t as much sprinting or straight-line running, as it relies more on lateral movement and the ability to jump vertically, sometimes at odd angles, to block attempts on goal. In this video, the athlete is working on isolating a single leg and exploding laterally, while also building up from a standstill to eventually a full speed/max effort save attempt. This is a great way for goalies to simulate game-like save attempts while using the VertiMax’s resistance to enhance explosiveness and fast-twitch muscle fibers needed to get a quick first step.

Here is another excellent video for goal keepers using the resistance on both her arms and legs while practicing catching the ball. This added resistance to the athlete’s arms develops quick-twitch muscles and improves reaction times to respond quickly to a shot attempt, especially at close range. The final drill in the video is also a good idea for young players to emulate, as it tries to train a goalie’s ability to have quick feet and their need to make multiple efforts in succession, similar to having multiple shots on goal in a row.

More Soccer Drills to Get Started

The best way to get started for newcomers who are just getting into soccer or are unfamiliar with strength and conditioning training is to check out soccer drills below. VertiMax will guide you through some basics and give you detailed instructions to make sure you’re getting off on the right foot.  Whether you’re a forward, defender, or goalie, VertiMax has all the information you need to get your game to the highest level.

Train Like The Elite World Cup Players

The World Cup is the most captivating international sporting event in the world, with diehard fans across the globe tuning in to watch the elite from their nation perform at the highest level. For those special players who are selected to represent their countries, there have been years of training leading up to this moment, requiring an incredible amount of discipline, dedication, and perseverance to make it to this point. For those who can win the World Cup, there has to be an edge in the way you train to give you a competitive advantage over the competition. To find that edge, the elite soccer players in the world turn to VertiMax to enhance their performance and take their game to the next level.

Not everyone can make it to the World Cup, but if you have dreams of playing at the highest level and want to start your journey on becoming one of the elite, then join the many World Cup teams and players who already swear by it and start training with the VertiMax toda

Sometimes, you need to switch-up your training program and do it fast. Check out the following blogs!

• 5 Soccer Training Drills to increase Power and Speed.
• Beginner Soccer Drills
• Soccer Training 
•