It is time to continue with the compilation of the most attractive sports that we can practice in the coastal areas. I wrote the beach volleyball article (link) after realizing that there were many people who played it, but few who followed the rules correctly, although technically they defended themselves well. This same observation I have been able to apply to beach soccer, since where there is sand that allows comfortable sports practice, it is not at all strange to see several people with a beach soccer ball. However, as in beach volleyball, they do not play with the correct rules, and there are some variants of the regulations, with respect to soccer 11 that make this sport much more colorful and fun.
Therefore, following the style of the previous article, I will not dedicate myself to analyzing the history and evolution of beach soccer in Spain, but will simply comment on those changes in the regulations that I consider important and all the basic technical-tactical aspects that can help us to enjoy it even more.
In addition, as it cannot be otherwise, I will dedicate a final section to assess the aspects in which we can benefit from this sport in terms of health and training to improve our performance, without ever forgetting the possible damages that may be produced by the beach soccer practice.
Regulation
As I have said, there are a number of significant differences between this sport and 11-a-side football that we do not usually take into account and which are designed so that this sport adapts to the playing field that characterizes it, therefore, I think it is worth it. Let’s get to know them so that football fans have a fun alternative in summer.
So I will start with the first issue that should concern us: the field of play. And it is that we do not always find a regulation beach soccer field in the places that we would like, most of the time we improvise it, and that is why I do not give much importance to the dimensions, which are from 26 to 28 meters in height. wide and 35-37 meters long for official competitions. What does catch my attention is that there is no type of mark on the pitch, as it could hinder the game and even endanger the players. So how do you know where the midfield or goalkeeper areas are? For this purpose there are some flags located outside the field, and the imaginary lines that join them divide the playing field. Yes, imaginary lines, with the problems that these can pose to check if a certain action has been in one area of the land or another. Here you have a graphic of what the pitch is like, according to the FIFA regulations.
In addition to the problem of the lines, we can see that the measurements of the playing field are much smaller than those of a football field 11, which leads us to the following difference, the number of players who play a regulation game is 5 against 5 (one of them as a goalkeeper). So we might think that the tactic is more similar to futsal than to beach soccer, but that is a question that I will talk about later.
The last organizational aspect of the game that remains to be seen is time, and in the case of beach soccer, 3 periods of 12 minutes will be played at a stopped clock (time is stopped whenever the ball is not in play). Obviously the wear suffered in the sand is greater than on other surfaces, hence the need for two time-outs in the game.
Regarding punishable fouls and misconduct, the reasons for signaling a foul are similar to those for 11-a-side football (except for offside, which does not exist in this sport). What does change notably is the way the ball is put into play when these infractions are signaled, with several forms used:
- As a general rule, offenses committed (except in some exceptional cases) will be penalized with a direct free kick from the place where the offense was committed. Said free kick will be executed by the player who has been infringed, except in cases of serious injury in which he cannot put the ball into play. Differentiating if it has been committed in the half of the field of the team that has made the infraction or the one that has received it.
- In the first case, a direct free kick will be taken in which all the players (except the goalkeeper) must remain 5 meters from the ball, behind or to the sides of it. That is, it is forbidden to form barriers, the only obstacle between the ball and the goal will be the goalkeeper himself.
- In the second case, the players will have to be 5 meters from the ball, but they will be able to be in front of it, although never occupying the area between the ball and the goal, so no barriers can be formed either. The player who executes it can choose between shooting directly to goal or passing to a teammate, but the ball must always be put into play forward.
- Another remarkable way of putting the ball into play consists of executing a free kick from the center point of the playing field, the form of execution being the same as when we are infringed on our own playing field (second case of those discussed previously). When will this option be used?
- When a team keeps the ball in its area for more than 5 seconds without being pressured by an opponent.
- When the goalkeeper receives the ball with the hands of a pass from a teammate twice in the same play.
- When the goalkeeper throws the ball into the air and, without it bouncing, hits it with his foot.
- When the goalkeeper plays the ball with his feet outside the penalty area and introduces it into the penalty area to catch it with his hands.
- When there is a deliberate intention to waste time within one’s own half of the field.
- And finally, when there is “dangerous play” or the advance of an opponent within the own half of the field is impeded.
The maximum penalty for soccer is also present in beach soccer, and is indicated whenever an offense is committed (except those indicated above) within the penalty area itself. The form of execution is the same as in football, except that the place of execution is not marked on the field of play. It will be executed from the center point of the imaginary line that joins the flags that mark the boundary of the area. In addition, the sanction system is similar to that of futsal (yellow card as the first warning, or expulsion in which the excluded player must leave the field of play and may be replaced by another player after 2 minutes have elapsed).
And, to finish the regulation section, the last aspect in which there is a notable difference between soccer 11 and beach soccer is in the throw-ins. These can be done indistinctly with the foot or with the hands, and there must always be a distance of 5 meters between the players and the place from where the ball is put into play.
Basic technique and tactics
Of course, carrying out a deep analysis of the technique and tactics of this sport would give us to write an entire book, so as before, I will simply provide some small guidelines so that you can improve your experience playing beach soccer, but without having to take them at face value, because, as in all team sports, the possibilities are endless.
It is clear that the playing surface is the main influencer in the way of playing beach soccer, giving prominence to the aerial game, that is, the way in which less control of the ball is had in other soccer modalities, becomes the safest in beach soccer.
In addition, the participation of the players is much higher, since it is not the same to have a ball for 22 players than for 10, and the short dimensions of the field require great dynamism and mobility on the part of the attacking team, since defending a such a small field can be relatively easy.
All this makes beach soccer so spectacular, since it requires a large number of shots to be made, practically from anywhere on the field, and because the playing surface allows a great variety in the ways of shooting at goal. Therefore, the two most important elements would be the aerial pass and the auction, to the detriment of the tiki-taka that is so fashionable.
Benefits and harms of beach soccer
In order not to extend myself much more, the benefits and damages that the practice of beach soccer can cause can be similar to those discussed in beach volleyball. Do not practice them in case of ankle or knee discomfort, the unstable surface will worsen your situation. But if you do not have discomfort, you should not hesitate to practice it, due to the muscle and bone gains discussed in the previous article. In addition, we find the incentive that beach soccer is going to be an interesting cardiovascular tool, as I said before, it requires a lot of dynamism to cause danger on the rival goal.
Sources
- Regulation
