Courtesy: MFA Web Site

MFA Magazine Editorial - Futsal: A Solid Foundation

23-04-09

Ever since FIFA laid the groundwork for organised five-a-side football 13 years ago, Futsal, as it is now universally known, flourished worldwide.

Having its particular rules, with each squad consisting of 13 players (Futsalplanet note: or 12??) from whom only five can be rotated and made use of during the 40-minute playing time divided into two halves, Futsal, the name for indoor football, is a spectacular game of intense commitment and played at breakneck speed. This makes for a sport which reaches high levels of excitement on the playing area and in the stands.

Malta has been experiencing this feeling since the MFA started organising competitions 10 years ago. Participating teams as well as interest have increased since those days, with international participation of our teams and representative sides featuring regularly on our calendar.

The MFA is aware of the importance of grooming talent in Futsal, since the game, besides generating activity amongst our young people, is a stepping stone to 11-a-side football.

Such countries as Brazil and Spain have long recognised the importance of this game in terms of youngsters developing their talents and exhibiting their skills in limited spaces and eventually also being able to move on to the traditional 11-a-side football.

Games played by budding footballers in mini-pitches built all over our islands and organised festivals, such as the current one being held jointly by the Technical Department of the MFA and the Sports Promotion Unit (SPU) within the Ministry of Sport, Youth and Culture, can only lead to a better holistic development of our younger generation, which comprises their technical and physical grooming in football.

There is no doubt that the mother association is working on the right lines in laying a solid foundation through the game of Futsal.








Posted by Luca Ranocchiari --> luca.ranocchiari@futsalplanet.com