Apart from being the finest footballers this planet has ever seen, what do Pelé, Andres Iniesta and Cristiano Ronaldo all have in common?
Futsal unites this trio and was a key factor in their development on the road to becoming icons and role models for millions of aspiring young footballers across the globe.
After using a sock stuffed with newspaper as a makeshift football in the derelict city of Bauru, Sao Paulo, Edson Arantes do Nascimento – more commonly known as ‘Pelé’ – turned to futsal before writing himself into football’s history books during a glittering career that spanned two decades and over a thousand goals.
“Futsal was important in helping to develop my ball control, quick thinking [and] passing,” said Pelé. “Of course, you have to have an aptitude for both futsal and normal football and you must have the capacity to adjust because of the differences in the games. But for dribbling, balance [and] concentration futsal was very, very important. No doubt.”
A ringing endorsement from a global phenomenon should surely be enough to help futsal take off in the UK, but, sadly, England is well behind leading nations Brazil and Spain where professional futsal leagues are the norm.
Futsal is also huge in the Middle-East with Iran sitting seventh in the FIFA Futsal World Rankings, while Japan and Azerbaijan are ninth and 13th respectively. In comparison, England are 85th – a sign of how far behind the British game is but, yet, a positive indication of the progress that England are continuing to make under coach Pete Sturgess.
In March 2013, the England national team made it to the main qualifying round for the 2014 European Championships in Belgium, which is the furthest the side has ever progressed, only to come unstuck against tough opposition in the shape of Slovakia, Turkey and eighth best team in the world Ukraine.
The number of people taking part in futsal in the UK is increasing all the time, but coverage is limited and more people are inclined to play 11-a-side or in six-a-side Power League. Now professional clubs have started to introduce futsal at academy level in order to produce more technically gifted players that could potentially compete at a higher level.
Football clubs across the world use futsal as an effective training method, with coaches believing that the sport can help the players develop their technical ability, ball manipulation and possession retention.
THE FUTSAL
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Legends