This week, we’re going football mad on UKMums.tv, joined by the team at Flair for an introduction to the incredible Messi Training System collection!
About the Messi Training System
The Messi Training System promises to take outdoor training to a whole new level. The collection is based on professional training methods and equipment, and it’s endorsed by the football legend Lionel Messi. This means budding footballers can now train harder and smarter with their hero!
A great place to start with the collection is the Soft Touch Training Ball! It’s ideal for young children practising aim and control.
It has an extendable, height adjustable cord and the size-2, solid foam ball is printed with an image of Messi in his No10 shirt, so children can practise with their hero!
For older children there is the Pro Training Ball Size 3, which is made from a durable TPU material that will withstand endless hours of training.
The Tricks & Effects Ball has a streamlined design that will let children make the best plays, and help them shoot like a pro! It’s available in size-3 or size-4.
For a high resistance ball with quality rebound, there is the Flexi Ball Pro. Available in size-3 and size-5, this ball has a hi-tech air chamber and a surface texture for better control.
And there are accessories, too. There is the Messi Large Foldable Goal, which comes with a ball and pump! And for a smaller set up, there is the Messi Small Pop-Up Goal.
Help your children improve their football skills
There’s a piece of equipment to practise all football skills in the Messi Training System. So, if you’re trying to decide which item to purchase first, think about what your footballer needs to work on….
Dribbling
Messi and other great dribblers keep the ball close at all times, as they move – almost as if it were glued to a short rope around the ankle.
A great item to practise foot control is the Soft Touch Training Ball. It’ll give children practice in keeping the ball close when dribbling, with the advantage of not having to chase after the ball before these skills are mastered! The cord is detachable, so when children are feeling confident, it can be removed.
Quality Touches and Ball Control
Messi’s first touch and ball control is absolute magic! A great first touch allows you to keep the ball close, bring it under control quickly and efficiently and move in the direction you want to go.
The Soft Touch Training Ball will be ideal for young beginners first honing these skills, and the hardwearing Pro Training Ball Size 3 will be a natural progression to this. However, a more advanced player would benefit greatly from the Flexi Ball Pro. It’s specifically designed to improve control.
Passes
One of the hardest things to master in football is judging the weight of pass. But it’s a key skill that any good footballer will need!
It’s going to depend on what level your child is at with his/her football training. The Soft Touch Training Ball is great for beginners; the Pro Training Ball Size 3 would be a good follow-on ball to practise passes from that. Whilst advanced players are going to get a lot out of the Flexi Ball Pro.
Shooting Accuracy and Penalty Practice
Football penalty shootouts are one of the most high-pressured situations in sport. The only way to improve shooting accuracy and penalty kicks is practice, practice, practice (and a lot of footy drills)!
For this we suggest two items from the range. The first is the Flexi Ball Pro to practice the perfect trajectory and penalty technique. And also a goal – either the Messi Small Pop Up Goal if you’re short on space, or the Messi Large Foldable Goal.
Goalkeeper Training
A football team will quickly fall apart without a good goalie. So, if your child has their heart set on becoming a goalkeeper, be sure to invest in a good goal set up.
For this we would recommend the two items in the Messi Training System collection: the Large Foldable Goal. It comes with a ball and pump included so siblings, friends and parents can put the goalie-in-training through his/her paces!
Tricks
Technical skills are what make the best players in the world stand out. You’ve got the Maradona Turn, the Elastico, the Stepover, the Cruyff Turn, the Nutmeg, La Croqueta, the Trivela, the Rabona, the Rainbow Kick – and too many more to mention!
So what’s the best ball in the Messi Training System to practise all these tricks and effects? Well, the Tricks & Effects Ball, of course!
Love the look of the Messi Training System? It’s available now from Smyths Toys and Argos.
Feature image credit: Accidental Hipster Mum
