FUTSAL AND FOOTBALL

Both futsal and football are exciting sports. For both of the games, the instruments used
are almost the same. Besides the concept of the games and the interaction of the players during
the games are also quite similar for both games. Most of the times, a lot of people may think that
have no differences between futsal and football. In contrast, that has some differences between
two games.
First of all, the differences between futsal and football are the rules of the games. For
futsal, they are only 20 minutes in a game which is shorter of the time period comparing to
football. During the games, no offside rules available in the futsal games and the players sent off
can be substitute after 2 minutes. The goalkeeper can hold the ball for 4 seconds and that is no
pass back to goalkeeper. While for the football game, the game only contains 45 minutes of the
time period. Other than that, the offside rules are available in this game and that is no
substitutions happen for players sent off. There is no time limit for goalkeeper to hold the ball
and I can pass back the ball to the goalkeeper once the ball was kicked out.
Furthermore, venues for both of the games are totally difference. Lets talk to the futsal
game first, for the futsal, the venue of the game should be run through over hard court surface.
The length of the court may be around 38 to 42 meters and the width is between 38 to 22 meters.
Instead, for the football game, the game runs through over soft surface which is on the field. The
length of the field may be around 90 to 120 meters. While for the width is between 45 to 90
meters.
At last but not least, the third differences for both games are about the players. In futsal
game, they have only 5 players who playing the game on the court. So, due to the limited players
in the games, every player should have strong individual techniques. That is why some people
will said that futsal can actually train harder for every player. Former Brazilian player Goncalves
(1998, p.94) states Futsal is excellent for developing technique, in particular that fast
movements with and without the ball. For the players, they undergo late retired when compared
to the football game and it may around 35 to 40 years old. But, for the football game, they have
11 players on the court. The players of the football game will undergo earlier retirement once
they achieve 32 to 35 years old. Sometimes, it is also depending on your ability and individual

professional technique. For example, in England, the players more focus to everyones technique
and ability to controlling the ball. Alberta (2007) stated that unless you (England) change your
whole approach to football, nothing will get better. The most important thing that can happen to
England players is that they improve their technique.
As a conclusion, although the futsal and football games have a lot of differences, there
are also have remarkable similarities among them which is the instruments used for the games
such as ball, gloves and so on. Concept of the games will always maintain all the single time. For
both games, every athlete should interact with one another such as teamwork, cognitive and
physical training. Mastery performance consists of athletes having highly refined decisions
making skills and to develop this attribute in athletes training must be designed to combine
cognitive and physical training as one as stated by Vickers et al, (2004). Thus, young football
players should be placed in a Futsal environment, as the dynamics of Futsal not only develop key
physical skills such as passing or dribbling but also vital perceptual-cognitive skills, such as the
ability tosspot cues and make better decisions leading to superior performance. Finally, it is
important to remind that although there have different ways in playing the both games, we
should maintain the main concept of the games and the purpose of playing a game.

References
Goncalves, T. 1994. Principles of Brazilian Soccer. Reedswain Inc.
Alberta, C. 2007. How will English Football Develop? [online]. Available at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/7137071.stm.
Vickers, J. N., Reeves, M., Chambers, K. L. & Martell, S. 2004. Decision training:
Cognitive strategies for enhancing motor performance. In M. A. Williams & N. J.Hodges
(ed.), Skill acquisition in sport: research, theory and practice. London:Routledge.
Oxley, M. 2008. The Football Foundation. [online]. Available at:
http://www.footballfoundation.org.uk/media-centre/press-releases/?EntryId=21112
Cuzzetto, C. 2004. Futsal Development Plan [online]. Presented to the BCSA Boardof Directors.
October 2004. Available at:
http://www.bcsoccer.net/bcsa/Portals/0/Member/file_downloads/Documents/Players/BCS
AFUTSALCommitteeBusinessPlan_2004_je.pdf.