world cup thread

[NuurAbSaal]

I have no idea how long it takes to get good at football, but ten years... I doubt that.

If you look at how long it takes to get good at basketball, I'd say it's probably in the same range. Most of the basic rules are similar, I think. Of course the field is much larger, and you have twice the players plus a goalkeeper, but other than that...

Then again, I know nothing about the rules of basketball, really (despite having played it in the vast majority of recess periods from age 12 to 15).

Well, it of course depends on how much time/effort you can or are willing to put into learning your sport of choice. Your age certainly also plays a role.

If you have a natural talent for, say, basketball, two years of training with a good coach in a good team can get you to a level much higher than any hobby player, obviously. If all you do is shoot some hoops with friends every other week, you'll become better no doubt, but you'll be stuck at the hobby level forever I imagine.

I played a lot of streetball (as it's called here, mostly 2vs2 or 3vs3 on one hoop) with a good buddy at age 19-22. During summer break we got to 30 or more hours time played per week, depending on the weather. And while we improved our personal and cooperative skills by a lot, the "pros", meaning guys who actively played in clubs in the oh-so-weak Austrian Basketball league, would still trash us 1vs1.

Now (with my bias against football ), I'd say basketball is harder to master than football. I've also known people that are well past 40 who are still great players, if you don't rush them around the field for 90 minutes.

And, getting to the point: I'm rather certain you can be good enough for a company team in less than two years, at age 40.

take care
Tarabulus

Afterthought: If by "good" you mean "good enough for the best league in the world", 10 years might be about right, if you start at an early age.