Michael Skubala

Since its creation in South America, the popularity of futsal has exploded and is now enjoyed by around 60 million participants globally. Futsal has captivated audiences around the world, becoming one of the fastest growing sports. In response to this exponential growth, futsal has become a contemporary topic for academics and practitioners alike seeking to understand the sport. Unique to futsal is the deep fascination that exists both for futsal's value as an individual sport and for its huge potential to enhance soccer player development. Powerful anecdotal stories ignite intrigue to the massive potential of futsal to support soccer player development at all ages and levels. This lightning-fast small-sided game condenses the most exciting parts of soccer into a high tempo yet incredibly strategic sport. Futsal - The Perfect Game to Develop Soccer Skills brings together, for the first time, the scholarly, academic world and the practical applied settings in which futsal exists. Drawing on detailed research, the authors create an evidence-based argument for the inclusion of futsal in talent development programs for soccer, while exploring the nuances of its application with players in a practical setting. Futsal - The Perfect Game to Develop Soccer Skills is the perfect book to support stakeholders, technical directors and coaches, and to help educate a mixed audience from both academia and sports-practitioners at all levels.

Futsal: Skills, Strategies and Session Plans is a comprehensive guide to one of the fastest growing indoor sports in the world. Credited by football superstars for its invaluable skill development, futsal is both an exciting sport in its own right and a technical tool that has propelled players such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the top. This practical book offers expert advice and session plans, addressing how these practices not only enhance futsal performance, but also aid the development of football players. Focusing on increased time pressure, less space, multiple decisions and more touches on the ball, the wide variety of activities will provide players from grassroots to the elite level with a fun, fast and competitive challenge. Featuring over fifty session plans inspired by work with the England national team, along with contributions from some of the world’s top futsal coaches, this technical guide offers a unique insight into the sport.