Youth Football

The 2018 World Cup Finals in Russia were meant to be the most controversial yet. Warnings of violence between fans, political turmoil between the host nation and the rest of the world, and concerns about stadia all proved to be a waste of time. Russia 2018 was a triumph, in every way a World Cup Finals can be. We saw...

All of the greatest footballers the game has ever produced started on the road to success with something very simple — a love of the game. Before Lionel Messi signed his first professional contract, he simply loved to play the beautiful game. Yet all too often, this love and passion for football is superseded by other factors. For some, a...

Regardless of what you think about England’s performances in the 2018 World Cup, there’s no doubt that this run is capturing the imagination of the country. Politicians are talking about the team in Parliament, airline captains are announcing results at 30,000 feet and throngs of fans are enjoying beer baths in open-air “World Cup zones”. There’s magic in the air...

It’s hard to read anything about grassroots football these days without hearing about the hardship that local clubs, associations and players are being forced to endure. There’s more money in the game than ever before, yet there are still thousands of young players being forced to play on dangerously worn pitches every weekend. After several years of public pressure, the...

European football’s showpiece event isn’t just about the game’s elite; it’s about the grassroots game too. While the game’s richest and most talented players are given the ultimate stage on which to shine, the people who play the game on playing fields and municipal pitches also get their day in the sun. UEFA’s Equal Game initiative is all about giving...

Wayne Rooney is about to become the latest European football star to see out their career in America. It seems the lure of MLS is too much to resist for the world’s biggest stars. But why is this? More importantly, is it hurting the development of the game Stateside? When Kaka signed for Orlando City, he picked up a cool...

The FA has finally started to take the issue of abuse at grassroots football matches seriously. New codes of conduct and various initiatives related to Respect have already been put in motion — but former Leicester City and Wales midfielder Robbie Savage has his own thoughts on the issue. Robbie may have played at some of the most famous football...

Young children need lots of time with the ball in order to develop their touch and control. Unfortunately, there are still too many kids playing 11-a-side football on pitches that are too big. Games involving four, five or six players on each time have been shown to be much more effective at developing the skills of youngsters. Not only that...

The behaviour of some players and parents in grassroots football has been a major cause of concern for many years now. But over the last decade or so, the situation at youth level seems to have become worse — despite the existence of the FA’s Respect campaign. So bad has the problem become, grassroots referees were planning to strike on...

In light of recent developments in relation to the sexual abuse of young footballers in the UK, it is incumbent on all coaches and football administrators to ensure their club is safeguarding the children it is responsible for. In reality, the safety and well-being of children playing the game is the responsibility of everyone. Each club, association, school and private...