Having played for some of the best teams in the world, these two LaLiga stars share their tips for young Filipino footballers.
When LaLiga brought former Barcelona and Atletico Madrid winger Luis Garcia and former Arsenal and Real Sociedad defender Nacho Monreal to the Philippines, the players were delighted to see the passion for football in the Philippines.
Football in the Philippines has indeed come a long way. The opportunities for young players are continuously growing nowadays, and so, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ask two former professionals who have played in the biggest leagues in the world what it takes to go big in this sport.
Nacho Monreal and Luis Garcia share their top tips for young Filipino footballers with The GAME.
1. Find the fun
Nacho Monreal and Luis Garcia both agreed that this is one of the most important pieces of advice that any footballer should remember — to always have fun.
“In my opinion, this is one of the best advice we can give them because when you do something, anything, you need to have fun and enjoy,” Nacho shares.
Luis agreed with Nacho’s sentiment, as he added, “If you’re going to the pitch with the pressure of becoming a professional or if you’re trying to be the best player, you are not enjoying. The moment you enjoy, you will deliver.”
2. Work hard
Hard work is essential for any athlete who wants to succeed, especially in football. As the most popular sport in the world, standing out as a football player is not easy and the competition is fierce. However, Nacho Monreal believes in having a mindset that does not involve competing with others, but rather, competing with oneself.
“Football is not easy, you need to give your 100% every single day, in every single training, and every single game. You need to try and be a better player than the day before,” he says.
Luis Garcia also believes that hard work goes hand in hand with discipline. “Football needs a special routine, a healthy life,” he adds. “After a good workout, you need to recover and all that, and these are the kinds of things that will help you to improve your game. You need to be very disciplined. It’s not about one day you do it and then the next day you don’t.”
3. Never give up
Finally, both players emphasize the need to never give up. Nacho Monreal and Luis Garcia have both faced their share of highs and lows as professionals and from experience, they can both attest to the fact that staying determined and consistent will lead to results.
“Never give up,” Nacho emphasizes. “There will be a lot of ups and downs, bad moments, injuries, but you need to stay focused and be consistent, and if you are, you will have more chances to become professional football players.”
Banner image courtesy of LaLiga.
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