Cross it, cross it, you yell while sprinting with the ball. Imagine you are in a one-on-one situation, and you accelerate like you're being chased by a swarm of bees and strike that ball into the net, making the score two to one. All you had to do was work together to mend that ball into the net. Your opponent is fighting a losing battle. He tries to shoot the ball but ends up flailing around like a fish out of water, getting tangled in the net and narrowly missing the shot, losing the game. You have pulled off the greatest comeback in football history, and somewhere, a sports announcer is losing his voice from all the shouting.

       First of all, football is a sport that many people would love to play. It is the most popular sport in the world, and people from many countries engage in this sport. Soccer is a sport that imparts invaluable life lessons, with the most significant ones being teamwork and self-discipline. These life lessons can enhance your life. Football is 95% teamwork. You can not score at all without the art of teamwork unless you are Ronaldo or Messi, who defy all laws of gravity. In football, there are numerous strategies that professional teams utilize to secure victory.

       The first strategy that professional teams use is vision. Vision is crucial because you need to visualize where your teammates will move and pass the ball accurately to their feet. When you practice with them, you learn their maneuvers. For example, imagine that you are running down the field, and your team spots you. Your teammate must anticipate where you are heading. If you are ahead of the opposing team, your teammate must pass the ball either in front of or behind you. You have to calculate the trajectory of the ball and follow that curve to the goal. You are likely to succeed with this strategy because your opponent will not anticipate it. This is a strategy that professional soccer teams employ in their matches.

       The second strategy that professional teams use in the art of teamwork has to be effective communication. Effective communication is essential because you need to use verbal commands or hand signals to indicate where the trajectory of the ball is going so your teammate will know where to go. The first-hand signal is a far kick. This hand signal is crucial because your teammate needs to understand if you are aiming for a long or short pass. If you are shooting long and your hand is below your waist, your teammate will not move far enough, allowing your opponent to intercept the ball and take it to the other side of the field. The second type of communication is through your voice. For example, you are sprinting down the field, and your teammate is advancing with the ball, so you say Cross it; your teammate will hear that and pass the ball right to your feet, allowing you to score the game-winning goal. That is an example of using your voice to communicate and secure a victory. Let's be honest, nothing beats the sweet sound of a perfectly timed Cross it.

       The last strategy for the art of teamwork is to assign roles. Assigning roles is critical because you need a plan to win the game. For example, imagine a situation with a defender on your right and left. Your teammates need to be there right next to you, so come up with a plan before you start the match. Giving roles in football is very important because it helps each player know what they need to do, which makes the team work better together. When players understand their jobs, they can anticipate what their teammates will do and where they will go, helping the team move more effectively. This prevents easy mistakes, allowing the team a better chance of overtaking the opposition. Overall, clear roles help the team play well and improve their chances of winning. It’s like a perfectly choreographed dance with more sweat and fewer sequins.

       There are many other strategies in the art of teamwork that pro players use, but even lower-tier players use them all the time. Most of the methods mentioned are used everywhere, even in kids’ and pro games. These are just three out of one hundred million ways used by players. The main point of strategies is to find a plan and make it work to win any type of game, and if they will not work, find other ones until you're out of strategies, which means you are literally toast and will not succeed in the game. To ensure that does not happen, use strategies to help you mend your way to victory!

-Hanniel M.