How do they get so good??

There are tons of professional footballers in the world. We have them, Arsenal have them, Man United have them, Norwich have them, Wolves have them and even Rushden and Diamonds have them but .. but .. all the players aren't the same standard.

So, have you ever stopped and think ... what makes Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, Pele, Pepe Reina and Kenny Dalglish so different from Clinton Morrison, Massimo Taibi, Paul Konchesky and Christian Poulsen?

Is it just really, really hard work or gift from God because IMO, some attributes cannot be "trained"?

And no, I don't think where a person comes from makes a difference!

To be honest Adryan I think their born with the skills they have and just require a good coach to get the best out of them.

So, have you ever stopped and think ... what makes Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, Pele, Pepe Reina and Kenny Dalglish so different from Clinton Morrison, Massimo Taibi, Paul Konchesky and Christian Poulsen?

Most people can learn positional play, improve fitness and strength etc but you can't learn natural ability with the football and the likes of Messi, Zidane, Kenny were born with it.

But the players with the ability still need to work on all the other aspects of the game in order to reach the top as there are many footballers and some of them we see on local parks that have ability but not the attitude or desire to make it in the game.

For me, things like penalty kicks, crosses, free kicks, corners and all that can easily be practised.

Things like influence (like what Gerrard has) in terms of being a captain or the fact that players like Xabi Alonso can make a perfectly timed, perfectly weighted to a perfect spot are gifts!

Things like being aware of your teammates' positions, the surrounding and vision also can't be trained, IMO.

I guess having the skills and traits of a good footballer is only so much. You also have to work hard and have the right attitude and desire to go on and be the best.

Unfortunately not many have brains.Concentration in top class sport is everything.

Good subject matter Adryan and I was in the middle of a considered response earlier when the power shut down!! So having forgotten the main text it must be said that a natural talent has to be honed to as near perfection as possible and this applies to athletes in general, any implication regarding the geographical location is a conundrum but where a particular environment seems to synch with a type of sport the athletes of that region will excel - marathon events and the peoples of Africa spring to mind with the endless plains in the country and hunting on foot.  

Things like being aware of your teammates' positions, the surrounding and vision also can't be trained, IMO.

Good point Adryan. You can train a player to play in a position but you can't train awareness of their teammates.

I don't think you can be born a great footballer, I refuse to believe it.

It comes down to commitment, hard work and perseverance.

I don't think you can be born a great footballer, I refuse to believe it.

It comes down to commitment, hard work and perseverance.

I agree in part but, some are born with a gift that sets them apart from others. There are many players that will be committed, work hard and persevere but they will never be as good as some others. A bit like not every musician/composer can be a Mozart, no matter how hard they work at it.

I think plays Like Messi Pele and so on are born with a skill and lots of practise make them great at what they do.I played darts against Phil Taylor a few times and he always said you are born with a skill and then plenty of practise makes you even better.

It is 10% talent, 90% mentality

Talent, devotion, passion for the game, and lot of hard work.

Training and improving a natural talent, having the individual abilities to become a great player, such as being able to read other players both team mates and the opposition, balance, work ethic etc.

Combination of genes and hard work.

For me, things like penalty kicks, crosses, free kicks, corners and all that can easily be practised.

Things like influence (like what Gerrard has) in terms of being a captain or the fact that players like Xabi Alonso can make a perfectly timed, perfectly weighted to a perfect spot are gifts!

Things like being aware of your teammates' positions, the surrounding and vision also can't be trained, IMO.

I guess having the skills and traits of a good footballer is only so much. You also have to work hard and have the right attitude and desire to go on and be the best.

All those traits and those skills are as you say a gift, but all of them can be trained aswell. It's just that the celing of potential and learning curve for a certain skill or trait, when it comes to improving through training and experience, all depends on how naturally gifted or talented you are in that area. But everybody can improve in any area.

All the players train, also Poulsen and the others (I can't believe it but it's true) who make you think -If they play in the PL , then I can play there too!-
So I don't think it is about training.. It's natural talent, passion, intelligence, awareness.. It's about playing with heart and soul (not only with feet)..Playing for the team, for the supporters and not only for themselves.

With the likes of Maradona and Messi, them being very small was very helpful in the way that Michael Phelps has big feet so naturally they are gifted with the tools to be good at what they are. For me though I look at someone like Zidane who's quite tall and really marvel at what can only be described as an art form. He is the one and only player who has left me speechless. I don't think anyone can give an answer for that talent. A player of supernatural proportions.

Zidane The Scientist

With the likes of Maradona and Messi, them being very small was very helpful in the way that Michael Phelps has big feet so naturally they are gifted with the tools to be good at what they are. For me though I look at someone like Zidane who's quite tall and really marvel at what can only be described as an art form. He is the one and only player who has left me speechless. I don't think anyone can give an answer for that talent. A player of supernatural proportions.

Zidane The Scientist

Great video - thanks!

I think that where you are from is quite important or at least where you grow up, because where you grow up can dictate how you play the game and your developement. If you were to grow up in england, football is a large sport and is so there will be large amounts of kids taking part which creates a more competitive enviroment for skills to grow and also a better chance for greater skilled players. Opposed to in Australia where football is fourth in the football codes and at the lower levels coachs lack a adequate amount of footballing knowledge.

I agree in part but, some are born with a gift that sets them apart from others. There are many players that will be committed, work hard and persevere but they will never be as good as some others. A bit like not every musician/composer can be a Mozart, no matter how hard they work at it.

Yeah I guess, you can be born with the foundations to become a great footballer, but you aren't born a great footballer.

I think if it was just as simple as good coaching, there would be a lot more coaches and footballers son's playing professional football.

 

The potential is already given to you when you were born. It's up to you then to work hard and fulfill it and to continue working and staying on the right path for 20 odd years.

If it was all about coaching and working hard, there would be a hell of a lot of world class footballers as s@int said.