Q&A for How to Be a Good Soccer Striker

Running hard up a hill is a good way to improve leg strength and speed. Combine that with strength training in the gym (squats, leg press, etc.).

It's all about balance. Eat a healthy diet with lots of fruits, lean meats, veggies, and whole grains. Minimize the junk food.

To be a winger or a striker you need ideally: Pace, good shot/cross, control, strength, positioning and instincts as to where the ball will go and when to make a run. Even if you don't have these attributes, you can always get better through practice and some things like pace are not essential but just ideal.

Train, train, train. Hit the gym every day, and rotate between distance and sprints, side to side and strength. Football is one of the most difficult sports because you need everything, whereas in track or cross country you only need to know how to run. Set a goal and try to meet it.

Dedicate yourself to soccer, and make sure that this is the what you want to do. Learn everything there is to know and train as much as you can to enhance yourself as a player mentally, emotionally and physically. Getting involved at a young age is ideal. Train on a regular basis and attend special training camps offered by clubs and associations. Join teams in your school or region. Try to join a team/club that has an experienced coach and clear structure. Practice as much as you can and give your best in every training session. Practice almost every day, regardless of weather. If you are going to school or have a job, you will need to keep balance. There is always room for improvement, so routinely evaluate yourself and your skills. Determine the right position for you and focus on developing the skills you're missing. It’s a good idea to practice with more experienced players. Finally, ask your club if they have contacts with other clubs that need professional players.

If you are not genetically gifted speed-wise, use your teammates. You are faster without the ball than with it.

Communication. Ball control. Precision. If you cannot communicate you will not receive or make the ball go where you want it. Control, you cannot keep possession or line up a quality shot without control. Precision, you must be able to place the ball where you want it, where the goalie and defending team is not.

Definitely, but usually, these strikers are either extremely fast and/or extremely strong. You need to be fast because you will be able to latch onto loose balls, drift out wide to confuse the defense and run straight through gaps. You should be strong to get into the back lines face, more likely to be better in the air, and hold up the ball for mid-fielders to come.

Relax. A tense shot more often than not is off target. To prepare, practice shooting all kinds of shots with no pressure. Remember, even the pros blow shots from time to time. Create game pressure situations in your training session. For example with a goalie in goal, an offensive player starts with the ball at the top left or right corner of the large area of the box with their back to the goalie and a defending player at the top of the little area on the far side of the goal, facing the player with the ball. When the goalie says "Go", "Turn", etc, the offensive player must turn with the ball, visualize their shot, adjust their cadence and shoot. The defender and goalie create pressure.

By always reading the game. You should know the players you are playing with. It is always about timing and ensuring that you are in the right place or creating space for yourself as well.

Pressure is the one of a striker's biggest fears, so you'll need to figure out how to work around it. Become comfortable playing near the opposition. Practice with a teammate.

Slow down, and pass back to your teammates. Or, give it a go taking on the opposition because your teammates should be supporting you.

It is best to keep it clean and consume food that can build muscles and give you energy, so fruits like oranges and bananas are needed, oats are good, yogurt and greens are also vital.

Midfielder, so you can take the ball off the other team and kick to the striker. Don't forget to practice!

One feint is the shoulder feint. Dip your shoulder in one direction, but then plant your foot and quickly sprint the other direction.

Absolutely. Some of the best strikers are slow, but they are strong and can hold off defenders. Make smart runs, and there's no need to run a lot.

Accept that you will probably lose. Work your hardest, though; some of the best performances come when you know you will lose because you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. In fact, it will probably be easier to play against them because you can do it without pressure, so enjoy it. Also, you can learn from them. If they are better, try to emulate them and learn new skills.

If you can dribble well it is a good asset as a player; it is good for strikers, wingers, and wingbacks.

Being a threat really depends on your height most of the time. If you want to be an aerial threat and you're not as tall as others, you could try practicing with ankle weights to give you more power in your legs for the jump. This also helps your speed, which could help you be more of a ground threat as well.

Slow down. To beat a player in front of you, you (as the attacking player) must make them commit to moving in one direction or the other. Simply go as soon as they commit. Do not get frustrated if your window of opportunity closes, you will get another at some point. Try again, or pass to a teammate. To beat a player chasing you or to your side, move over into their path, shielding the ball. They cannot make contact without drawing a foul. Then mentally prepare for the goalie and/or your shot.

Make sure you have the correct stance when striking the ball. Plant your foot 1.5–2 feet away from the side of the ball and then strike with your other foot.

Speed is an important quality as a striker. Try running and doing short sprints. Another thing that helps to practice running is kicking the ball away from you and trying to stop and control the ball before it reaches a certain point.

Do you mean you are a defender? If so, you can go until a little farther than the middle line. Pass to other positions. If you mean a defender is marking you, pass! Pass and communicate with teammates to get a stellar performance of your goal.

Mostly all players do weightlifting and they are very fast, but increasing your weight means you have to work harder to move the same distance as someone lighter. Make sure you're doing a lot of cardio as well.

Yes, definitely. Height doesn't really have an effect on this position.

Try not to run into offside traps, never stop moving, and do not run into space where teammates can't pass to you.

It is always hard for a striker to keep possession, especially seeing that in most cases you are in the offensive half. Also, the best way to keep possession is by making runs and tracking back. In some games you must observe the defense and what they do when on the ball to see how you can get it back.

Encourage your teammates, especially when a mistake or bad pass happens. Adjust your style of play to flow with your teammates. Shoot the ball on target, and don't force bad shots or lose possession.

You score goals every match, and you are comfortable around the ball, even when facing a defender.

Keep the pressure on, which will sometimes make your opponent kick it away. You can also try and attack the ball or get support from your teammates.