Oscar – The secret of our samba success: When you’re a kid in Brazil you don’t worry about tactics and coaching… you just  dribble the ball and score

Oscar dos Santos

Oscar dos Santos

I learned how to play football as a kid through trial and error, playing every day in the street or in the park. When you start kicking a ball about in Brazil, there are no tactics. Whoever can dribble the ball and score just does it. And that’s what I learned to do.

I played futsal (small-sided indoor football) right up until I turned professional at 16. I think Brazilian football has reached the level it has because of futsal. The pitches are smaller. The goals are smaller. You have to be faster in everything you do; particularly, you have to make quick decisions.

If you’re dribbling, you have to do it by controlling the ball in a much smaller area. If you’re shooting, you must be much more accurate because the goal – the target – is smaller.

A lot of Brazilian players are self-taught like me.

  • Chelsea star Oscar and author Tom Watt have produced a book that offers an insight into Brazil and the playmaker’s development
  • Sales of the book will help a project in Sao Paulo helping homeless children

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/worldcup2014/article-2638246/Brazil-Chelsea-star-Oscar-The-secret-samba-success.html#ixzz332zqtdfl