Confidence and Playing Time in Soccer
Soccer players may experience a loss of confidence and motivation when they find themselves on the bench or playing minimal minutes.
If players don’t stay confident while on the sidelines, their performance in practice will suffer, and they may squander the opportunities they receive when substituting during games.
For example, if you don’t play much in games, you may assume you are not talented or that your coach doesn’t have confidence in your abilities.
When you feel you are not contributing to your team’s success, your self-worth may also suffer. You may question your worth to the team or feel disconnected from your teammates.
Low confidence will detract from your motivation to work hard to build your mental and physical skills or improve your conditioning. Even worse, when you lack motivation, you may make excuses to avoid attending practice.
In addition, soccer players who don’t get much playing time further complicate the problem by comparing themselves to their teammates.
They may conclude they are less talented than their teammates, and nothing they do can change these supposed facts, not even working harder, smarter, or differently. This internal thought process leads to feelings of inadequacy and erodes confidence.
Another complication is the overwhelming pressure bench players with low confidence feel when they see more game action. They feel the need to play perfectly, or they will not get another opportunity to play. This mentality increases anxiety, interferes with making quick decisions on the pitch, and causes players to play tight.
Eventually, if you doubt your ability long enough, you may assume that soccer is not your sport.
The key to confidence is to:
- Prepare as if you are going to start.
- Compete in practice to sharpen your competitive mindset.
- Do the little things that other players may not be willing to do to become a complete player. Work on your mental skills to build the mental toughness to endure any competitive circumstance.
- Use your situation to fuel your motivation to achieve your goals.
Even elite players experience times when their playing time is reduced.
For example, midfielder Brenden Aaronson signed a 5-year multimillion-dollar contract with Leeds United in 2022. Following Leeds’ relegation from the Premier League, Aaronson joined Union Berlin on loan for the 2023-24 season.
Early in his stint with Berlin, manager Oliver Ruhnert questioned his physicality on the field.
AARONSON: “It’s been the toughest year of my life. Going from Leeds and then not playing much here [at Berlin], it’s mentally a battle all the time, staying confident.”
To complicate matters, Aaronson was initially snubbed from the USMNT’s 23-man CONCACAF roster; however, USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter had encouraging words for Aaronson.
BERHALTER: “The message for him was, ‘I know this hurts. I know it’s a setback but use it. Use it to make you stronger, and to keep going and to keep fighting your way through the obstacles that you have to overcome right now.”
Days later, Aaronson received a call-up to the USMNT from Berhalter. Aaronson never stopped working and preparing to the best of his abilities, which eventually paid off.
Confidence boosts motivation to chase your goals. As a result, your work and preparation further your confidence.
Stay Prepared – Approach every practice and training session with the same level of focus and intensity as if you were preparing for a game.
Be mentally and physically ready when your number is called. Keep your head in the game and get the intensity up when you get your chance.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- How to Overcome Adversity in Soccer
- How Good Soccer Players Become Great Soccer Players
- How to Stay Motivated When Not a Starter
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