Futsal goes way back in 1989 in the Netherlands for the very first competitive World Cup holders. Lately, futsal grows as a sport in England and Scotland in the form of five-a-side football, according to FIFA. The difference between futsal and five-a-side football is that futsal is on the indoor surface whereas five-a-side football is on an artificial grass surface. So, the focus of this post will be on futsal.
Futsal: What is it ?
Futsal is a short name for Futebol de Salao, and translated into Portuguese as “room football”. It is another type of football in a small space, typically 5 aside indoors, and using a smaller but heavy ball. Most Brazilians began their footballing career in futsal, some became successful in football and some become successful in futsal, for example, Ronaldinho, Robinho, Falcao, and the rest.
Futsal Ball
A typical futsal ball is slightly smaller and heavier that produces 30% less bounce on a futsal court.
How Big is a Futsal 5-aside Court ?
The court is usually hard on surface but varies depending on the quality of its surface, usually made of artificial material.
Court Size – International Standard
Length: 38–42 m (42–46 yd)
Width: 20–25 m (22–27 yd)
Difference Between Futsal and Football
- Ball Control – A starting point for any footballer to hone their ball control skills along with their own individual practice. Any futsal player touches the ball on average 80 times or every 29 seconds whereas a football player touches the ball on average 30-40 times.
- Finding Space – A futsal player must find or create space to either receive a pass from his teammates or to intercept a losing ball from an opponent.
- Decision Making – A futsal player must make the right decision or his team will be penalized swiftly. Decisions come from whether in passing, shooting or tackling. Improving in decision-making comes through experience in playing kick-about, and at a higher level such as in tournaments.
Where should I begin?
Ideally, futsal is the best place to start before going into football with the above skills; ball control, finding space, and decision-making are the essential ingredients to compete on a football field.
