Best Games to Play With a Soccer Ball

Soccer is one of, if not the, most popular sport in the world. Watched by millions and enjoyed by even more, the beautiful game is simple to understand, yet difficult to master. However, whether you are looking to just have some fun with friends or further your soccer expertise, kicking around and playing with a soccer ball is a great way to do so.

And while little can replace an actual game of soccer, playing, shooting, and passing around with a soccer ball can be both relaxing and help with your dexterity and soccer related skills.

That’s why, below, we are going to review the best games to play with a soccer ball. And while opting for a soccer game is always a great choice, sometimes, whether due to a lack of participants or a lack of a full soccer field, you may just want to kick the soccer around a little.

As always though, be sure to be safe while playing any soccer related games. This includes drinking copious amounts of water, resting when fatigued, and even considering investing in a soccer headgear.

Best Soccer Balls to Play Around With

While many of us may have an old soccer ball laying around somewhere, it’s never a poor idea to have a few soccer balls in a soccer loving household. And while soccer balls are some of the most durable balls available, poor management and placement of a soccer ball can lead to degradation and quality issues.

If you’re looking to play some games with a soccer ball, be sure to have an available soccer ball on hand to do so. Some of the best soccer balls to play around with include:

• Wilson Traditional Soccer Ball – you can really never go wrong with the Wilson Traditional Soccer Ball. Traditional for a reason, it is one of the most popular soccer balls of all-time and features a classic design and look. Reasonably priced, the Wilson Traditional Soccer Ball is one of our favorites for playing a quick game or just shooting around.

• Adidas MLS Pro Ball – if you like to live the luxurious life, then the Adidas MLS Pro Ball can help you to do so. Beautifully designed and covered with the American and Canadian flag, this soccer ball exudes luxury and is beautiful to look at and even more beautiful to play with.

• Puma FIFA Quality Soccer Ball – we always recommend sticking in the middle when making any purchases. And that advice also relates to soccer balls. And although there is nothing wrong with either the high or low-end of the soccer ball price range, the mid-tiered price range features some of the more-quality components and features, without overdoing it. We really like the Puma FIFA Quality Soccer Ball which is extremely durable and capable. Without too much text on the ball itself, it’s still beautifully designed and appeared to hold well even after multiple and repeated use over the past few months.

Top Games to Play with a Soccer Ball

Once you have a soccer ball in hand and a few friends alongside you, feel free to tryout some of the below soccer games. These games don’t include an actual soccer match as, we would hope, you already know how to play soccer and are looking for a bit more variation and flair to the game.

• Monkey in the middle – monkey in the middle is a classic children’s game. The objective is to keep the ball away from one player, who is typically in the middle of the circle. However, as this is soccer, you will have to pass the ball to other players via your feet and are not allowed to use your hands.

• CHAIR – CHAIR isn’t widely played but it’s one that we used to play in high school and sorely miss. A game involving more skill, this game gets competitive quickly. With a group of players, the first player will attempt a trick-shot on the soccer goal, which must be matched by the following players. If unable to repeat, the player will get the letter C. Repeat, giving each player an opportunity to start the next round and the last player to not spell CHAIR wins.

• Like-for-Like – similar to CHAIR, like-for-like calls for a group of players to stand in a circle with sufficient spacing between themselves. A player will pass the soccer ball to another player, who must mimic the pass to another player. For example, if the first player passes the soccer ball with their left foot, then the second player must mimic that and pass to a third player with their left foot. However, once the soccer ball is passed to the third player, he has an opportunity to change the pass type. Continue play until a player fails to mimic the pass before them, in which point they will be deemed out.

• The floor is lava – another classic children’s game, the floor is lava is meant to test your skills in keeping the soccer ball off the ground. Pass the soccer ball amongst a group of friends, but don’t let it hit the ground or the round is done!

• 0-21 –0-21 is another game we enjoyed in high school and takes a lot of skill to compete on. With no goalie protecting the net, choose three spots on the field, ideally progressively further and more difficult away. The first shot, which we used to place at the penalty mark, would count for 1-point. The second shot, which we used to place halfway between the penalty marker and the half, would count for 3-points, and the last spot, which we used to place at the half, would count for 7-points. Taking turns, each player takes one shot from any of the markers, with the first player to reach 21 points winning.

• Free-for-all no goalie – lastly, one of our all-time favorite games to play with a soccer ball is free-for-all no goalie. Simple to play, it is an individual matchup, with each player for themselves. Each player will try to score a goal in the dedicated net and there is no goalkeeper. First to reach 14 points wins.