The reduced playing area with futsal increases the need for skill, cognitive development and quick-thinking. It's equivalent to playing 37 v 37 in traditional football terms. Futsal players must feel comfortable receiving the ball in tight spaces, knowing they need not panic.

The hard surface futsal is played on increases the speed of the game to 7x that of football. This requires speed of thought, awareness of surroundings, thinking 2-3 steps ahead, 360° vision, recognising transitions of play and intelligent positioning.

Decision-making, concentration and teamwork are all critical, either to cut-out goalscoring opportunities when defending, or swiftly create goalscoring opportunities when attacking. Incisive passing is required to break through well-organised teams in such a compact space. This translates huge benefits to 11-a-side, for example in knowing how to cut through a team that has ‘parked the bus’.

On an individual level players learn to hold onto the ball, protecting it with their body and finding space to then link up with someone else. Off the ball players learn to move and feint in order to open up pockets of space for teammates to utilise. Teams learn to move as a collective in order to maintain possession of the ball, by continually creating passing lines. Movements must be made with an awareness of, and in response to, fellow teammates.