Outside Back, Defenders

Not sure what skills you should display in your men’s soccer outside back highlight video?  Essential skills include speed, physical strength, good defensive footwork and smart attacking plays, plus:

• Defending: 1v1, small groups, crosses and corners in the air, chasing down players, blocking shots
• Intercepting, running forward and getting into the attack
• Showing timing, defensive shape, technical abilities, a clean first touch
• Keeping possession with your distribution
• Wings: making runs forward

Defenders

• Defending: 1v1, small groups, crosses and corners in the air, chasing down players, blocking shots
• Intercepting, running forward and getting into the attack
• Showing timing, defensive shape, technical abilities, a clean first touch
• Keeping possession with your distribution
• Wings: making runs forward

Midfielders

• Both sides of the ball: blocking passing lanes and getting into the attack
• Reading the game with off-the-ball movement
• Working hard defensively

Attacking center midfielders

College coaches want attacking center midfielders to have great pace and creativity in their plays, remain calm under pressure and showcase their ability to run at players 1-on-1.

• Playmaking ability
• Showing technical control in tight spaces
• Speed of play
• Clean first touch

Centers

• A recruit’s physical strength and height (on average, coaches want to see center backs who are 5’8” or taller)
• The ability to read different plays while maintaining their composure
• Overall speed and passing skills

Wingers

• Beating opponents down the line and turning the corner
• Crossing the ball, preferably with both feet
• Playing 18 to 18 with a good engine
• Making well-timed and creative runs
• Showing change of pace
• Defensive center-midfielders:

The most common things college coaches are looking for when evaluating a player’s recruiting video.

These include:

• A strong physical presence
• Technical control and versatility
• A good understanding of the spacing of a game
• Staying consistent and reliable
• Winning all balls in the air and distributing them to teammates
• Clogging up the middle and disrupting opponents’ attacks
• Clean first touch

Forwards

The essential skills to have as a forward is, including a great overall pace, ability to finish and score goals and how creative and confident you are in your plays.

• Goals and assists
• Getting behind the back line
• Dribbling, combining and timing runs
• Finishing with multiple surfaces
• Getting on the end of corner kicks and crosses and put them on frame
• Reading the play to know when your teammate is about to win the ball and check back into space to be an outlet pass
• Playing back to goal and playing others in

Goalies

College coaches want to see in a goalkeeper’s highlight video; quickness off the line, ability to distribute the ball and overall technical abilities.

• Skills footage and match footage; highlight skills that weren’t shown in match footage
• Shot stopping
• Extension and collapse diving to both sides, preferably in a variety of situations
• Collecting, parrying and boxing
• Breakaways, angle play and sliding saves
• Distribution: back passes, punts, drop kicks, throws, rolls
• Punting: follow the ball when filming to see the distance
• Goal kicks
• Showing footwork throughout the video