Futsal or "soccer in the room" is a five-a-side version of the sport.
The ball is smaller and heavier — creating more control. The field is tiny — putting a premium on vision, anticipation, and quick, accurate passes. The play is lightning-fast — forcing players to anticipate and adapt.
Futsal is the "perfectly designed game" to develop soccer talent. So it comes as no surprise that almost all Brazilian youth play futsal for years before they even step on a soccer pitch.
A lot of the moves I make originate from Futsal and to this day my ball control is pretty much a futsal player’s ball control. Ronaldinho
Futsal helps a lot because you need to think quickly. It’s a more dynamic game and today in Europe there’s not much space so you need to think quicker and futsal has helped me a lot with that. Neymar
During my childhood, futsal was all we played. If it wasn’t for futsal, I wouldn’t be who I am. Cristiano Ronaldo
“Futsal requires you to think and play fast. It makes everything easier when you later switch to football. 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.”Pele
“When you come to play normal soccer, it’s easy if you've come from Futsal.”Ronaldinho
“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.”Xavi
“When I was a young boy in Argentina, I played Futsal in the street and in a club. It was great fun and helped me to become the player I am today.”Messi