In soccer, defending is key to winning games, and championships. It’s a crucial aspect of the game, and if you don’t know how to do it properly, you and your team can struggle. I’ve been working on my defensive game lately and looking for tips and pointers on the right and best ways to defend. As I was watching some YouTube videos I thought, “Wait, who better to ask than one of the best defenders in the world: Borussia Dortmund’s, Neven Subotic.”
I caught up with Neven and asked about the keys to successful defending. Here’s what he had to say:
My biggest tip would be to watch the ball and follow its movement. If the attacker is running at you fast, you have to run backwards fast to keep pace and most importantly push him to one side. If you close him down so that he can only go to one side then half your job is already done. Then you know that if he pushes the ball out in front, you can get in his way and take the ball. But, if he decides to go towards the side that you closed down, then he has to slow down or push the ball back. Also, don’t try and stab unless you are 100% sure you will get the Ball, most of the time the opponent makes a mistake and almost “gives” you the Ball.
Thanks Neven for the awesome tips! Hope this helps all you soccer players out there who are looking to improve your defensive game as well!
