Soccer Chief

Be a GREAT striker! - Keys to be the BEST in the Forward Soccer Position

forward position in soccer

One could say the main objective of a striker is kicking the ball accurately and scoring, but in reality, it's a lot easier said than done. The Forward Soccer Position has a great responsibility in the game, and scoring the goals does not always come easily. So if you want to become the goal-scoring figure of your team, here are the keys that will help you achieve it.

If you are a striker or your passion is to become one, you must have good footwork, a sharp mind, you must shoot with great precision and have great speed on the pitch to beat your opponent.

To become a good forward player in soccer, it is also important to look and understand the work of some of the great forward players who have made soccer history, such as Gary Lineker, Mario Kempes, Cruyff or Gerd Müller.

Pele, Di Stefano, Cristiano Ronaldo, Moussa Dembele, Kylian Mbappé or Harry Kane among many others, are some of the most recognized by fans and fellow professional players, so if you want to learn from the best, you can always start by watching them and paying attention to past matches that are already out there (as well as keeping a close eye to some of the current great players of our generation).

What do forwards do in soccer?

how to play forward in soccer

When it comes to the objectives that soccer forwards have, it is not only limited to scoring goals. They have a great responsibility with their fellow teammates because they are fundamental pieces in the offensive labor of the team.

The forward position in soccer should be held by a player who is intelligent and who also has the skills to quickly solve key plays that can end up in goals. He must always apply and perform the techniques perfected in training to increase the chances of scoring a goal.

A striker must pay special attention to developing great shooting skills and concentrating on scoring goals without forgetting that soccer is a team sport and other teammates can do the same. One of his goals is to shoot the ball accurately and with intensity, that way the chances of generating a corner kick, a deflection, or a rebound that end in a goal are higher. But remember, you're not the only one shooting at goal.

The pressure you exert on defenders is essential. An agile player in constant movement is the most dangerous and will manage to generate chaos in the defense because if he'll keep them tired and always guessing. At some point, they will make mistakes, and forwards will have the opportunity to take advantage of the open spaces and score a goal.

When playing a game, you will also have to pay attention to the rest of your teammates, and in particular to other strikers when you are working with them. It is important to approach them when they have the ball to open spaces and shorten the pass. If you move away from the position you were previously in, you will leave free spaces for your teammates when defenders follow you.

What should a forward do in soccer?

Not every player plays as technically as Messi, but it is always important that forwards develop craftiness to challenge and throw defenders, making moves with great ball control and cunning, making defenders work harder.

Challenging opponents can be quite the spectacle, but it would it is also essential for strikers to develop skills and technique with both feet. A great forward in soccer should be able to shoot, dribble, and drive the ball with both the right and left foot.

Another virtue is that of not limiting your playing space, because, even if you play forward, you can never stand still on the pitch, waiting to receive a pass or get the ball from a kick or deflection. A good striker must also return to the midfield or even defense and support the rest of the team.

Other important techniques that a forward should work on and develop to stand out are jumping and headshots, which are very popular when thinking about strikers and are also very celebrated plays when they end up in a goal.

In the following video, you can see examples of soccer striker positioning so that you can put theory into practice through the visualization of the following plays, in which you will see from how to look for and find empty spaces behind the defense to how important communication can be in a match.

How to play forward in soccer?

How can I improve as a forward in soccer?

Technique, vision, shots, and speed are some of the things you will have to take into account to improve your game. The following soccer tips for forwards will help you become one of the best players on your team.

The technique is undoubtedly the most important part in this sport, so you must perform some training focused on improving your shots, to get to score more goals and also when making passes to your teammates in search of the goal because the objective of a soccer forward is also to help produce the goals, not just to score them.

Speed is another element to take into account, as an offensive player needs to set a good pase and use this skill to have an advantage against the other team. It will also be necessary to make passes with great precision and to have a vision of the whole field to effectively plan every movement.

I guess you are wondering how to train to improve your aim or score more goals. To do this, it is also important to practice shooting the ball into the goal immediately from the air, either with your head or your foot. When practicing it, you must be always on the move to simulate the game in a match.

If you want to look good on the field and not give the defense time to act, hitting the ball before it touches the ground will be a highly valued skill in a match and you must also learn to control the ball with your whole body when it is received from the air, bringing it smoothly to the ground.

In the following video, you will learn how to score goals when getting face-to-face with the goalkeeper through the recommendations of footballer Luis Suarez. In the video, you will learn several tips to be a great goal scorer at a technical level, as well as getting the motivation to trust your instincts, because a good goal scorer must have a lot of confidence in himself.

How can I improve as a forward in soccer?

What makes a good forward?

soccer forward tips

Good Soccer Forwards take care of a large part of his team's offense, score goals, generate goal opportunities for his teammates, and provide assists. They are skillful and intelligent players on the field who apply perfected techniques such as shooting and dribbling, with masterful ball skills.

The game of a soccer forward position usually comes from long balls and aerial crosses, so the control of the ball, in this case, is crucial not to lose the ball and to advance to the box with both confidence and strike with precision.

We hope this article has helped you to improve in the soccer forward position and that you can put everything you've learned into practice soon. But don't forget that only with effort and training, you will be able to stand out and help your team to win.