Small-sided games like 4v4 are highly valuable for player development at all levels.
These games require players to increase their technical skills & tactical understanding, rather than simply rely on their physicality.
Finding solutions to congestion and tight-space is extremely useful in full-sided soccer. 4v4 forces this scenario.
Consider the following:
- The US Womens National Team (the US World Cup team) is the best professional Womens Soccer Team in the world. See the USWNT Training in Portugal playing 4v4:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8uF2w5k3zQ
- FC Barcelona (Messi's team) trains using 4v4 possession activities in small spaces:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1ElfXRFIhA
Futsal:
Futsal is a 4v4 (+ goal keeper) adaptation of soccer played indoors in a smaller space. The benefits of outdoor 4v4 are very similar to Futsal.Consider the following statements from world-class professional soccer players on these small-sided games:
Lionel Messi: "In Argentina, when I was a young boy, I used to play a lot of futsal on the street with Newell's Old Boys. It was a really fun game that's helped me develop a great deal".
Xavi: "In futsal, you see whether a player is really talented. In normal football you don't necessarily identify talent as easily because it's so much more physical. But with futsal, you notice the small details in quality, class and tactical understanding."
Christiano Ronaldo: "In Portugal, well we played growing up was Futsal. The smaller court helped my footwork skills, the nature of the game made me feel so free when I played. If it wasn't for Futsal, I would definitely not be the player I am today."
Ronaldo: "I needed extremely good feet, because you're always attempting to beat opponents in the minimum of space. I loved the challenge of playing on such a small pitch"
Pele: "Futsal was important in helping to develop my ball control, quick thinking, passing…also for dribbling, balance, concentration…Futsal was very, very important, no doubt."
Robinho: "I played Futsal for many years and it helped me to become the player I am today. There you don't have time to think, you are always tightly marked and you develop a sense for performing in small spaces."
Clearly small-sided games in tight-space like 4v4 are excellent for technical skill development, and have been instrumental for most (probably all) world-class soccer players to develop into the players they are today.