Does Size Really Matter When it Comes to Soccer?

Taller players have a natural advantage in virtually every major sport, especially those that revolve around running. Like soccer.

Taller players have longer legs, which means they take bigger steps and can cover more ground in less time than their shorter counterparts. Soccer can also get very physical when players are fighting for the ball, and taller players can use their size to win these battles. For these reasons and more, soccer clubs – from the pros down to youth –  often prioritize taller players when scouting.

But does that mean a shorter player can’t be just as successful as a taller player, or just as dominant on the field? Absolutely not. Size matters in soccer until we start looking at one of the most overlooked aspects of the game: soccer IQ.

Why Size Doesn’t Really Matter

One of our founding mentors, Mike Parkhurst, was an undersized Centerback. That didn’t stop him from winning trophies in Europe and the MLS as well as playing for the US Men’s National Team.

The commonly cited example is Lionel Messi: an iconic soccer player of short stature. If you’ve watched Messi, you know he’s far from how we envision the quintessential athlete, and yet he manages to outmaneuver taller and faster players over and over again. How does he do it? By tapping into his soccer IQ. That’s one of the key elements that makes Messi great.

To clarify, soccer IQ refers to a player’s ability to make good decisions during play, and a good decision is one that helps the team. When you have a high soccer IQ, your decisions can stop the other team’s attack before it starts and create opportunities to score from seemingly nothing.

If you are a defender and the striker you are marking is faster than you, how can you stop them from scoring? If you can anticipate where they are going to try to receive the ball, you can position yourself  to stop them from getting the pass in the first place and stay a step ahead. On the other side, if you’re a striker and the centerback is taller and faster than you, you can use their blindside to get a step ahead of them when your midfielder is looking for you.  

Soccer IQ stems from knowing how your teammates – and the other team – will behave in different situations. This allows you to anticipate what they will do next and make decisions that support their strengths and favorite techniques. When you know how to anticipate what will happen next and make quicker decisions, your height or your top speed isn’t as important.

How Soccer IQ Elevates Your Game

As you progress through the game and move up levels, the game gets quicker. We see it all the time – a player that never dominated in the younger levels of youth soccer all of a sudden is the star when they move up a level. Before, more athletic players can make up for mistakes with their size and speed, but at higher levels their decision-making puts the behind smaller, slower players.

A high soccer IQ is a surefire sign of a promising athlete. It shows the player cares more about their team’s success than their own, and denotes the ability to think clearly under pressure. Who wouldn’t want someone like this on their team?

How to Improve Soccer IQ

Young athletes can build their soccer IQ by watching professionals make smart decisions in actual games. With video analysis programs like BGTV, athletes can watch players in their positions move the ball around taller opponents by executing clever techniques that support their teammates. Eventually, players can implement these techniques in their own games and put their heightened soccer IQ on display.

Start boosting your soccer IQ today with BGTV.