One of the most exciting things about football is the rush of scoring a goal for your team. This is understandably one of the skills that children most often want to improve on. 

How can a player build their skills to become a successful Striker?

This is a popular question we hear at our training sessions and from our players. It can be hard to describe what the perfect Striker looks like as there are so many players that are successful and goal-scoring. 

However, they have a variety of personalities and physical and technical characteristics. 

Based on our years training some of the top Academy Players and our experience within the football world, we’ve put together a list of 9 top tips to be a goal-scoring striker, to increase your chances of reaching your targets!

1) Confidence: be sure of yourself

Confidence is key to making those shots. Confidence will be the determining factor as to whether you decide to take the shot. Without the confidence to try it, the ball would never make it into the goal!

Having self-confidence and trust yourself with the ball in match situations and in 1v1s will be one of the best ways to build the skills to become a Striker.  You must be self-confident from the minute each game begins. This is fundamental to being a striker. 

But how exactly? Some ways that you can show confidence is by:

• Having positive body language

• Making decisions confidently when you have the ball

• Play with no fear

• Show you want the ball

Make decisions like these and not only will it bring your goal tally up in the long run, it will also intimidate defenders and lift the spirits of your team. 

 

2) Take a shot: Every shot you don’t take is a shot you miss

Strikers are the players placed closest to the opposition’s goal for a reason - they have speed, flair, technique, power and all the ingredients to make an impact on the scoreboard. 

Shooting is something that must be second nature to you and if an opportunity within your range presents itself you must seize it. 

In practical terms, this means:

• Try your best to know where the target is at all times and remember that every shot you do not take is a shot you miss. 

• Practice practice practice! Your coach is your best resource. Ask them for tips on how to improve your technique. 

• Learn from your failures: Keep track of the shots you miss and try to determine why you missed and improve your performance!

• Remember your teammates! Sometimes the better option is to pass to a player who is in a better position.

3) Be an athlete

Strikers have to be in shape to keep up with the high-intensity gameplay they're expected to take part in. The should also have a quick reaction time so that they can jump on opportunities to score. 

Working out both on and off the field is essential for any football player, and especially important for Strikers. 

Speed/ladder work, sprints, box runs or jumps, strengthening, conditioning, mobility and agility work are key to beating defenders and creating more goal-scoring opportunities. 

Weekly matches can be demanding and so fitness will be fundamental to becoming the best striker in your league!

4) Watch the Pros: Learn from the best

Why do it all on your own when you’ve got generations of professionals to learn from? With all major games recorded, we have some of the top Striker’s techniques right at our fingertips at all times.

It’s fundamental to the education of players and strikers to watch professional games to see the work-rate, skill, flair and dedication on display. 

A great example to learn from is the Brazilian creativity or perhaps try watching some of the legends from past world cups to learn from excellent players and International or League teams. 

It’s often by watching and studying football that players learn and are inspired to take their game to the next level.

5) Quick Feet

Being faster than your opponents will lead to more goal-scoring opportunities. Being even a half-second faster than your opposition can lead to a winning strike.

Exercises like speed ladders, cone work, mobility, agility, ball manipulation, and quick touches are all examples of the type of work that is fundamental to becoming faster both on and off the ball. 

With practice, you can have the quick feet needed to move the ball with speed and precision. 

6) Get to know your team: Learn how each other plays

The more you play with your team, the more fluid you will work together as a team. 

Understanding playing styles, developing team chemistry, and learning to communicate are all ways to increase the number of goals you can score.

With practice and communication, you can learn how to make it clear that you would or would not like to receive the ball on a certain foot or turn.

7) Defend from the front: Learn how to press intelligently

Learning how to be active and present when you don’t have the ball is an essential skill of any Striker. You play a vital role in the game at all times - not just when you have the ball. 

Are you positioned correctly within the game? Are you relieving pressure from your defence? Dragging away the opposition’s players? 

Putting the opposition under pressure may lead to them making mistakes and you, in return, getting the benefits! You can create more goal-scoring opportunities by pressing and working intelligently and pivoting when needed. Alongside this, make sure you listen to your coach, they may see opportunities that you don’t. 

8) Set your own targets: You are your greatest challenger

If you scored one goal last week, challenge yourself to score two this week. 

Keep a track of your friendly, league, and cup performances. The idea is to keep track of your development so that you can continuously improve and learn from your mistakes.

Setting individual goals is a fundamental way to continuously develop your skills as a Striker. 

The simply truth is: Keep training, create new challenges for yourself, and identify areas in which you can improve to become a goal-scoring Striker. 

9) Have fun: Enjoy what you do

There’s no point in playing if you don’t enjoy what you do! Find the positives in your losses and celebrate your wins. 

When you see the pros, they celebrate their goals, enjoy football as a game, and love their career. Football is a great source of happiness and self-fulfilment - you will do well if your heart's in it. 

Final Thoughts

Because strikers are hard-working players, they tend to score the most goals. Obviously goal scoring is fundamental to the thrilling tension that makes football so fun to watch.

Alongside the personality traits of a good striker, practice, drive, and fun are key to hitting the target.

We Make Footballers have helped over 150 players sign at professional academies and over 2500 children join grassroots teams, our football training has helped them become the best players they can be. You can try our professional coaching for free by booking a session here. If you are trying to get some extra practice in and gain an edge on your competition, it may be worth taking a look at our 1-on-1 coaching options.