For reasons unknown to the world at large and the United States in particular, soccer has never approached the level of popularity in the U.S. that it enjoys in most other countries. Thanks to school and community soccer leagues though, the sport is still widely known and much loved. This affection has largely transferred to videogame soccer as well.
The world's most popular sport in action.
By the time U.S. gamers have picked up a soccer videogame though, they may have forgotten many of the fine points of the rules, and the subtleties of what some call The Beautiful Game.
Our Xbox.com Novice Guide to Soccer is designed to help bridge that gap, and bring a firmer understanding to how the game is meant to be played. Consider the following tips and you may find worlds of strategy, depth, and most importantly, accessibility the next time you play a soccer game.
The overuse of slide tackles in videogame soccer is
a common mistake made by casual gamers.
Offsides
The offsides ruling in soccer has long been a frustration for casual fans unsure of how it works. Suddenly, your player has a breakaway opportunity, and then the whistle blows and you toss down your controller in anger. To put one misconception permanently to rest, there is no "offsides line" in soccer.
The rule is simple. If at any time a player without the ball slips behind the last defender (not including the goalie), he is considered to be offsides. Obviously, this doesn't apply when you're playing on your own side of the field (the side with your goalie).
In videogame terms, this means that any time you see a player closer to the opposing goal than any of the defenders, don't pass him the ball. Instead, wait for the player to come back onsides, or take the ball yourself and bolt past the defenders.
Mechanical Memorization
When carrying the ball in a game like Madden NFL 07, a host of maneuvers is available to you. You can spin, juke, barrel ahead, stiff-arm, and more. That may seem like a lot until you play a soccer game, where there can be dozens of options open to you anytime you're dribbling the ball.
Yellow card upcoming.
From through passes to lobs, dekes, jukes, crosses, headers, sprinting, give and gos, on-the-fly play-calling and much, much more, there is simply an enormous number of moves and options available to a player at any given time. The solution to grasping them all is simple: patience and practice. Whether you have to spend time on the practice field or take the game manual to the bathroom for a bit of light reading, take the time to familiarize yourself fully with all the controls. Otherwise, you'll end up missing enormous chunks of the game.
Passing Basics
The art of the pass is the most crucial element of soccer, more important even than shooting the ball. Without good passing, you can't hope for quality ball control or a decent shot on goal. Each game breaks down their passing mechanics differently, but the following can be found in nearly any soccer game.
- Give and Go: The give and go pass works primarily as a diversion by passing the ball to a teammate only to immediately receive the ball back. By distracting the defender's timing and breaking them away from the initial ball-handler, you can typically get a little distance from the defender and perhaps a shot on goal.
- Lead Pass: Dribbling the ball takes effort and reduces speed. The purpose of the lead pass is to send the ball well ahead of your teammate, allowing him to sprint after it full bore and break away from a pack of defenders. When there is no defender ahead of your teammate for at least twenty feet, use the lead pass to press the action.
- Crosses: The crossing pass is used by players near the sidelines of the field. By "crossing" the ball directly across the field in the vicinity of the goal, this pass gives nearby teammates an opportunity to head the ball in for a goal. Consider the crossing pass anytime you're locked up on the sidelines and spot a teammate or two in the goal area.
- Lobs: The lob pass is intended for overcoming obstacles such as a tight cluster of defenders. Lob the ball over their heads to an open teammate. Or lob the ball over the head of an approaching defender and immediately sprint after it, effectively passing the ball to yourself.
Here comes the cross.
Slide Tackle Discipline
The overuse of slide tackles in videogame soccer is a common mistake made by casual gamers. Novice players tend to fall in love with the tactic, but unless it's perfectly timed, you're liable to get called for a foul or find yourself badly out of position.
Only slide tackle when you're sure you'll catch the ball and not the opponent. Instead of slide tackling, simply move the player into close proximity with the ball-handler and they'll automatically fight for the ball.
In Front of the Ball
Similar to the problem with slide tackling, novice players also tend to take aggressive angles on the ball only to find themselves hopefully out of position. As a general rule, always keep the ball in front of you when on defense until you're sure of your angle of attack. Unnecessary risks can lead to easy goals for the opposition.
Sprint only when necessary.
Wear and Tear
Soccer players are likely the most finely conditioned team sport athletes on the planet, but even they have their limits. Keep your players fresh and keep your finger off the turbo button unless you're on a breakaway or actively trying to outrun an opponent. There's no need to sprint around every moment you have the ball.
Subtle Striking
Striking the ball for a shot on goal in most soccer games isn't context sensitive. This means that if you're close to the goal and you charge up for a fully powered shot, it's likely to sail well above the goal. Bear in mind your distance from the goal when powering up a shot.
Also, in most soccer games, pressing a direction on the left stick determines the angle of your shot. Since most players are pressing "toward" the goal when they hit the shot button, they tend to overshoot the goal. Make sure you're aware of the left stick's position when you take a shot.
Defensive Play
The more aggressively you play, the more risk you take, so when you're comfortably ahead by a couple of goals, it's time to dial back the offense and start playing keep away. When you've got possession of the ball and the lead, go conservative with your passes and attacks. Keep the ball under control, instead of taking a chance on another goal. This is the same mindset as running out the clock in a football game when you've got the lead.
You don't always need to load up on a shot.
Player and Position Strengths
It's not uncommon for the novice player to use a center-back defender to steal the ball from an opponent and then streak all the way up field, intent on taking a shot with the same player. Unfortunately, a defender's speed and ball skills likely pale in comparison to the wide open striker. Make sure you realize which position the ball-handler plays.
On a similar note, take a close gander at the attributes assigned to each player on your team. Knowing that your center midfielder possesses blazing speed will help you decide which player should have the ball. Recognizing that your top striker is open in front of the goal means he should have the ball in his possession soon. Many soccer games apply icons to the player with the ball so that you can instantly recognize their strongest attribute and take advantage of their skills.
Here's an experiment worth trying: Get all your gamer friends together (especially the sports fans) for an afternoon of FIFA Soccer 07, Winning Eleven: Pro Soccer Evolution 2007™, or any other soccer videogame you can find and get busy with a whole afternoon of matches. Once you become familiar with The Beautiful Game, chances are both you and your friends will catch a glimpse of why soccer is the most popular sport in the world and a new gaming passion will be born.
Article by Ryan Treit
