From The Talent Code, by Daniel Coyle

One reason lies in the math. Futebol de Salao players touch the ball far more often than soccer players—six times more often per minute, according to a Liverpool University study. The smaller, heavier ball demands and rewards more precise handling—as coaches point out, you can’t get out of a tight spot simply by booting the ball downfield. Sharp passing is paramount: the game is all about looking for angles and spaces and working quick combinations with other players. Ball control and vision are crucial, so that when Futebol de Salao players play the full-size game, they feel as if they have acres of free space in which to operate. When I watched professional outdoor games in São Paulo sitting with Prof. Miranda, he would point out players who had played Futebol de Salao: he could tell by the way they held the ball.  They didn’t care how close their opponent came. As Prof. Miranda summed up:

“No time plus no space equals better skills. Futebol de Salao is our national laboratory of improvisation.”

Click here to sign up for OTA Fall Indoor Soccer (Futsal) League in the Balboa Park gym.

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