Mental Strength: Youth and Professional Soccer Players Beware — Soccer is a Game & Players Make Mistakes
Soccer is a Game of Imperfection. Mistakes are part of soccer—at every level. From grassroots players to World Cup champions, even the greatest professionals miss passes and open shots, and make costly errors that impact their team. The difference? They don’t let mistakes define them.
Soccer is a fast, unpredictable game, and no player—no matter how skilled—is perfect. For youth players striving to improve and coaches guiding them, understanding that errors are simply part of the sport is crucial. Instead of fearing mistakes, players should learn from them, move on quickly, and focus on what comes next. After all, the best in the world make mistakes too—what matters is how you respond.
As someone who gets to watch some of the best soccer players compete week in and week out in the EPL, there’s something that grabs my attention that supporters and aspiring players rarely notice. This thing, sometimes really obvious and at other times almost invisible to everyone but the expert, is a real determinant of progression in the game. It’s also a serious determinant of consistency. 
This thing, this fact … is this!
THE BEST SOCCER PLAYERS IN THE WORLD MAKE MISTAKES ALL THE TIME.
These best players respond differently. It might not be so startling, but it’s true. The very best players make countless mistakes. Now these mistakes might not be so obvious.
It might be related to positioning, or it might be something they didn’t do that the manager asked them to do. It might be related to focus. Perhaps they switched off for a second and let the striker get in front of them and score.
Or maybe it’s more obvious like a poor pass that’s led to a goal against or a lost header that eventually crashes into the net … a goal for the opposition.
The reality is that mistakes happen all the time. Goals are scored more through mistakes than through great play. Even…at…the…very…top…level.
Consider that for a few seconds. Consider that the best players, those with jets in their feet, those with hot feet that dance around the opposition, and those who dominate the challenge and command the back line. They make mistakes…time and again.
But here’s one of the secrets to why they’re so successful in the soccer game.
Most of them get on with the game. They are swift to adjust. They clear their mind quickly and think about the next play, the next move, and the following action that is meaningful to them.
That is what champions do. That is what you should do. And when you do, you’ll notice that your mistakes will reduce. Why? Because you’re no longer pre-occupied with them. Because you no longer run onto the pitch worried about where you’ll make them or where it might go wrong for you.
So the next time you go play, do so with these next few sentences emblazoned on your mind: “I may make some mistakes, but that’s okay. That’s acceptable.”
Even the best players make mistakes.
But I’m going to respond to those mistakes…I’m going to respond positively. I’m going to talk to myself positively.
I’m going to keep outstanding body language. I’m going to keep playing and playing until the final whistle…no matter what.”
.
A global sports psychologist and author specializing in soccer, Dan Abrahams is based in England and works with professional soccer players in the English Premier League (EPL). Abrahams has worked with hundreds of soccer players – many who play in the English Premier League (EPL). From working with players at Crystal Palace, QPR, Fulham, and West Ham among others, Abrahams counsels players on how to play at peak performance. Abrahams has authored several books and has a Soccer Academy as well.
