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What is Futsal?
The term is an
abbreviation of the Portuguese "futebol de Salao" or
the Spanish "futbol sala", both of which mean
"indoor soccer". It is a scaled down version of
conventional soccer and it is played by two teams of five
players each, including a goalkeeper on each side. It is played
on basketball-sized courts, on a variety of surfaces both
indoors and outdoors. The game does not require the use of
walls, but instead the normal touchline boundaries. The ball is
a smaller size (size 3 or 4), heavier and has a dampened
bounce.
Futsal is the official five-a-side indoor soccer game and the
only indoor soccer recognised by FIFA. Futsal is stated to
become an Olympic sport in 2008, which will create added
interest and deepen its growth.
How is Futsal different from classic soccer?
The
rules of the game are similar to classic soccer with certain
modifications to allow for the reduced space. Here is a brief
comparison of Futsal and soccer rules:
|
Soccer
|
Futsal
|
| Ball circumference
68-70 cm (27-28") |
Ball
circumference 62-68 cm (24-25") |
| 11
players |
5
players |
| 3
substitutions |
Unlimited
"flying" substitutions |
| Throw-in |
Kick-in |
| Main referee & 2
assistants |
Main
referee & assistant |
| Running clock
operated by referee |
Stopped
clock operated by timekeeper |
| 45-minute
halves |
20-minute
halves |
| No
time-outs |
1
time-out per half |
| Goal
kicks |
Goalkeeper throws ball into play |
| No absolute time
limit to restart game |
4-second
rule to put ball back into play |
| Offside
rule |
No
offside rule |
| (Goalkeeper) 6 second
rule on restarts |
4-second
rule to put ball back into play |
| Unlimited
fouling |
5 foul
limit, no wall after 5 fouls |
| No substitution for
player sent-off |
Player
sent off can be substituted after 2 minutes |
| Corner kick in
area |
Corner
kick on corner |
| Unlimited playback to
goalkeeper's feet |
One play
back to goalkeeper's feet |
| Some
contact, side tackling allowed |
No shoulder charge or side tackle. Non contact
slides allowed |
How does Futsal promote better
skills?
Futsal is ideal for developing a player's
technical and tactical skills
Intelligence
Soccer is a very complex game. If we
analyse every single game of its entire recorded history, we
will not find two absolutely identical
situations.
Futsal is a totally fluid game with
very few pre-planned situations, which means a player has to
improvise in order to meet constantly changing circumstances.
Futsal is the ideal medium to develop soccer
intelligence.
Technical proficiency
Futsal emphasises skill
rather than crude physical power. The smaller and heavier ball
is a great instrument in promoting individual technical
development. The number of ball touches a player gets is much
greater than with conventional soccer, allowing the player to
develop faster and more refined foot skills. One touch
receiving and passing are used in wall passes and rotations and
these certainly translate into success in the classic outdoor
game.
Total soccer
The small numbers of players in a
Futsal team makes it crucial for all players to defend and
attack. There are not predefined positions which players stick
to and get to develop typical defensive or attacking player
mentalities.
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