If you’re like most footballers, you’re making two huge mistakes with your game play. You’re suffering from fitness and intelligence.

Don’t believe me? Imagine watching your favourite football team in the stadium where all players are unfit and don’t read the game right.

How motivated would you be to go watch their next games?

Fitness

Take some time off in your busy lives and do cardio for 1-2 hours a week (running, cycling, rowing, climbing, etc). If it seems impossible, then break it down to half an hour a day. The important thing is to break your daily cycle with some physical activity in it. This helps reduce the probability of getting injured in matches.

Intelligence

The next time you watch the EPL or La Liga, observe the captain. See the determination, style of play, man marking and communication. Most captains are intelligent players. To play like one you’d have to think like one. Football is not ‘only’ about scoring goals, it’s also about enjoying the game, because if all players are enjoying, then you play an intelligent game which is beyond winning (team work).

The El Salvador League will be starting in a couple of weeks. It’s time to start preparing and feeling the Gurkha football vibe.

Get fit and Intelligent on the field. It’s the only way to play beautiful football.

In 1998, when France won the world cup, Zinedine Zidane had football fans glued to their seats because of his spectacular passing, dribbling, shooting, heading, positioning, agility, technique, skill, ball control and strength.

You like to play football every day but cannot commit making the line of improvement seems almost impossible. But don’t lose heart, you’ll be pleased to hear all footballers have strengths and weaknesses. Zinedine Zidane trained everyday especially on his weaknesses (which became second nature to him).

After your game, ask your coach or team mates to identify your weakness – poor passing, wrong positioning, holding the ball too long and so on. Once you know your weakness start fixing them. For example, if your weakness is ball control juggle the ball 10-30 mins a day. If it’s fatigue, start running 15-30 mins three times a week.

To be a better footballer, fix your weaknesses by spending at least 5 hours a week on improvement. Before long your weakness will become your strength.