How to Be a Great Soccer Coach: 5 Essential Traits
Greatness in soccer is easy to spot in a player—total commitment, relentless drive, and a win-at-all-costs mentality. But greatness in a coach is harder to
Greatness in soccer is easy to spot in a player—total commitment, relentless drive, and a win-at-all-costs mentality. But greatness in a coach is harder to define. Legendary coaches like Phil Jackson, Pat Summitt, and Don Shula share common traits: they play the long game, prioritize legacy over short-term victories, and stay deeply attuned to the rhythms of their sport. For soccer coaches aiming to reach that level, here are five essential traits to develop.
1. Master the Fundamentals
A great soccer coach must know the fundamentals of the game inside out. Only then can they teach players to master the more challenging aspects of soccer. Every player arrives with a different aptitude for the basics—talent exists on a spectrum—and your job is to manage that spectrum so the entire team performs to its full potential. A top coach continually reinforces fundamentals, ensuring players never drift too far from their core roles. You have to master the scales before you can play like Jimi Hendrix.
2. Know Your Team Inside and Out
It sounds simple, but truly knowing your team is a hallmark of a great soccer coach. You must understand each player’s individual moods, eccentricities, strengths, and weaknesses. Great coaches use their players strategically, like a chess player moves pieces on a board. Phil Jackson knew Michael Jordan was his star, but that didn’t stop him from maximizing Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen. Take time to get to know your players on a personal level—the whole team will benefit.
3. Balance Support with Tough Love
Effective communication is essential. A great soccer coach knows when to affirm players—enough to keep them confident, not so much that they rest on their laurels—and when to show tough love. A good coach never berates a team for failures caused by the coach’s own decisions. Instead, they speak with passion, intelligence, grit, and conviction. Victory is never achieved by one person; it comes through physical, verbal, and spiritual communication among the group.
4. Protect Your Players
Soccer carries a risk of injury, but protection goes beyond physical safety. A great coach takes pre-emptive measures to prevent harm. Protection also means managing volatile players—for example, a hot‑headed player prone to fighting with opponents must be guided so they don’t fly off the handle and earn a costly violation. When you protect your players, they will protect you in return. It is always a reciprocal relationship.
5. Benefit from Playing Experience
Many legendary coaches—Doc Rivers, Bill Russell, Steve Kerr, Joe Torre—were once players themselves. They understand the game from the inside and have proven to be effective communicators with their teams. Star athletes eventually face the choice of retiring or staying in the game in another capacity. These men chose to keep giving their lives to the sport that nurtured them, aging gracefully into teachers who pass wisdom to the next generation of trailblazers.
Master these five lessons, and you will be well on your way to becoming a great soccer coach.
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