The 10 Best Habits for Footballers:
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Fam,
If you’re looking to improve your game and become a standout player on the pitch, developing the best habits you can on and off the pitch is crucial.
Whether you’re aiming to play professionally, collegiately, for your academy team, or you just want to be the best player on your current team, these habits will set you apart and make a significant impact on your performance on and off the pitch.
Why Good Habits Matter for Footballers?
Building good habits isn’t just about improving your skills; it’s about creating a foundation that supports your overall growth as a player and a person.
Hereâs why cultivating the best habits is crucial for you:
- Consistency in Performance: Good habits ensure that you’re consistently performing at your best, both in training and during matches.
- Injury Prevention: Proper habits help prevent injuries by promoting good mental and physical form which ensures adequate recovery.
- Mental Toughness: Developing the right habits strengthens your mental resilience, which will help you stay focused, motivated, and most importantly, disciplined.
The 10 Best Habits for Footballers:
To become the best footballer you can be, and reach your ultimate potential on the pitch, focus on incorporating these habits into your daily routine.
Each one plays a vital role in enhancing your overall performance.
Habit #1: Consistent Training
Consistency is king. You can’t expect to improve if you’re only going to the pitch or to the gym when you feel like it.
Make training a non-negotiable part of your routine.
Whether it’s a session working on the wall to improve your first touch, a training with a friend, or a leg workout in the gym, consistency will help you build muscle memory and improve your overall performance.
Pro Tip: Schedule your training sessions just like you would any other important appointment.
-This way, you’re less likely to skip them.
**Put them in your calendar and show up to your appointment on time and prepared just like you would to any other meeting!
Habit #2: Proper Nutrition:
What you put into your body directly impacts your performance and how you feel mentally and physically..
Eating a balanced diet rich in proteins, carbs, healthy fats, and plenty of fruits and vegetables will give you the energy and stamina you need to perform at your best.
I’m very big on the 80:20 Rule:
80% of the Time, Eat According to Your Goals:
20% of the Time, Eat What You Love
I also teach my clients the simple rule of using yourself as the “ultimate guinea pig”:
*It may sound weird but essentially you are just testing foods on yourself and seeing how they make you feel.
If you eat something and it makes you feel bad afterwards: you stop eating it.
If you eat something and it makes you feel great: continue eating it.
Another Pro Tip: Stay hydrated! Carry a water bottle around with you wherever you go so you remind yourself to stay hydrated. For an extra bonus, throw a pinch of high quality sea salt in each liter of water.
 Drink water throughout the day and consider a sports drink during and after intense training sessions to replenish electrolytes.
Aim for at least 3 liters of water per day to keep your body and brain heathy.
Habit #3: Rest and Recovery
Your body needs time to recoverâŠ
You donât need to wake up at 5 AM to be the best footballer possibleâŠ
I actually think this is a mistake a lot of footballers make..
They try to be on âgrind modeâ 24/7 and they donât understand the importance of recovery.
The truth is, you can do as much training as you want. If you arenât recovering properly (especially sleep), you wonât improve. Even worse, if youâre under recovering, you may burn out and get injured or get sick.
Aim for at least 7-9 hours a night to allow your muscles and brain to repair and grow.
Incorporating rest days into your training schedule is just as important as the workouts themselves.
Tip: It doesnât matter how many different types of techniques you do like: foam rolling, stretching, sauna, cryotherapy, etc. If youâre not sleeping properly, nothing else matters.
Do your best to go to sleep and wake up at the same time every single day. It will make a massive difference in your mental and physical performance.
If you can get to sleep before 22:30, that would be even better!
Habit #4: Mental Toughness
Football isn’t just a physical game; it’s a mental one too. Developing mental toughness will help you stay focused during matches, handle pressure, and bounce back from mistakes.
Visualization techniques and positive self-talk can be powerful tools to keep your mind sharp.
Tip: Before sleep every night, try this meditation:
This meditation will help you focus on the present moment and will help you with external pressures and stresses that come your way, whether it be on the field or of the field.
Visualization:
Before a game, take a few minutes to visualize yourself making key aggressive actions and succeeding on the field. This mental rehearsal can boost your confidence and performance.
Habit #5: Study the Game:
Become a student of the game!
Watch professional matches, analyze players in your person, and study different coaches.
The more you know about the game, the better of a leader you’ll be when game time comes, which will help your team win games.
When you now the game, you will also be able to make smarter decisions on the field, which is the most important thing as a footballer.
Tip: Break down videos of your own games to see where you can improve.
Look for patterns in your play (what you did well, what you did poorly) that you can improve upon the following week to become a more effective player.
Analyze professional playersâ in your position. What do they do well that you can add to your game?
Habit #6: Goal Setting
Set specific, achievable goals for yourself.
Most importantly, you need to analyze where youâre at as a player.
What are your strengths?
What are your weaknesses?
What do you need to improve upon?
From there, you can determine what you need to work on and focus on.
Whether you need to improve your weak foot, your dribbling ability, you want to increase your speed, or improve your shooting, having clear objectives will keep you motivated, focused, and allow you to achieve the goal quicker.
Tip: Write down your 3 Year, 1 Year and 6-month goals and reverse engineer from there.
What do you need to do daily to achieve that?
Hereâs a template you can use to track your progress:
(Include Daily Improvement Sheet (Week 2))
Track your progress. Celebrate your wins, no matter how small, to stay disciplined and on track.
Habit #7: Teamwork and Communication
Football is a team sport, and great players know how to work well with their teammates.
Communicate clearly on the field with teammates.
Build friendships off the field to improve your relationship on the field.
 Always look to support and encourage your teammates in a positive way.
Tip: Grab a coffee or go out to dinner or hang out with at least one teammate every week.
Stay after team training 2-3x per week to do some extra work with a teammate.
Habit #8: Discipline and Dedication
The best players are those who show up day in and day out with dedication and discipline no matter how they feel.
It’s not always easy, but staying committed to your training, diet, and recovery will pay off in the long run.
Tip: Find a training buddy or a mentor who can help keep you accountable. Having someone to share the journey with can make it more enjoyable and motivating.
Pro Tip: Join the RicFit Skool community to join other ambitious footballers who are looking to achieve the same goals as you:
The players in the community will help keep you accountable and focused on the task at hand.
Habit #9: Honing Your Technical Skills:
One of the number one thing’s I see players struggle with is their confidence.
When I ask them, “how often do you train with the ball outside of team training?”
They usually tell me “not much.”
I then tell them, that’s exactly why they’re struggling with confidence. The way you make a difference on the game and the way you enjoy the game is being good with the ball at your feet. If you don’t touch the ball outside of team training and become comfortable with it, you’ll never be confident and love the game as much as you can.
Pro Tip:Â Spend at least 15 minutes 4x per week outside of team training working on getting comfortabe with the ball. I am a very very very big advocate of ball mastery because it allows you to master every surface of the foot.
That’s exactly why I developed me app.
Try it our here for 7 days free:
Everyone who gets on it feels an instant confidence boost! Don’t believe me? Check these out!
Habit #10: 10 Minutes of Mobility Per Day
Why Mobility Matters:
1. Injury Prevention
Mobility helps keep your joints healthy and flexible, reducing the risk of common football injuries like strains, sprains, and tears. When your body moves smoothly, you’re less likely to suffer from overuse injuries.
2. Improved Performance
With better mobility, you can move more freely and efficiently. This means quicker changes in direction, faster acceleration, and a more agile response to the game. Mobility helps you maximize your range of motion, allowing for more powerful and precise movements.
3. Enhanced Recovery
Good mobility aids in recovery by promoting blood flow and reducing muscle stiffness. This means you can bounce back quicker after intense training sessions or matches, keeping you at your best more consistently.
Here are 2 football specific mobility full sessions you can try out:
By focusing on these 10 habits, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a better footballer.
Remember, it’s all about consistency and a positive mindset.
Keep pushing yourself, stay disciplined, and enjoy the journey.
Keep training hard and smart, and make sure to reach out if you need help!
Your Football Mentor,
RicFit
Feel free to share your thoughts below and let me know how you’re implementing these habits into your routine.
We’re all in this together, striving to be our best on and off the pitch.
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