FIRST TOUCH IMPORTANCE

The most underrated yet most vital skill to have.

Forget the 30-yard screamers for a second. Forget the flashy step-overs. If you want to identify a player's true quality, don't watch what they do with the ball. Watch what they do the moment they receive it. The first touch isn't just a skill; it's the decision-maker, the pace-setter, and the game-breaker, all wrapped into one instant.

Benefits of having a great first touch include:

• It Creates Time and Space

The ultimate currency for any footballer is time and space. In fact, football in its essence is a game of exploiting space at the perfect time. Modern football is played at a brutal pace. Defenders close playerss down in seconds. A heavy touch traps you and limits your options. A good first touch does the opposite: it creates yards of space. By taking the ball away from pressure and into space, a player effectively buys themselves an extra second—an eternity at the top level—to pick their next move. It's the difference between being able to look up and pick a pass and being forced to panic and clear it.

• It Dictates the Game's Tempo

A team full of players who consistently have a good first touch controls the game. It allows for quick passing combinations that break lines and disorganize defenses. Think of Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, or PSG under Luis Enrique. Their relentless dominance is built on a foundation of players who can receive the ball under pressure and instantly move it on, accelerating the play in the blink of an eye. Having a player like Bernado Silva or Mahrez is beneficial in the build-up.

• It's the Foundation for Everything Else

An incredible first touch is the fundamental skill upon which all other attacking play is built. A perfect cross means nothing if the winger's first touch takes the ball out of play. A visionary through ball is wasted if the striker's touch is heavy and allows the keeper to smother it. Every brilliant pass, shot, or dribble is almost always preceded by a great first touch that sets it up.

Nothing is more aesthetically pleasing to me than seeing a player take a brilliant first touch. Some of the players I have seen with wonderful first touches include:

1. Lionel Messi

2. Riyad Mahrez

3. Neymar Jr.

4. Ronaldinho Gaucho

5. Bernardo Silva

6. Zinedine Zidane

7. Dimitar Berbatov

8. Pedri Gonzalez

9. Andres Iniesta

10. Thiery Henry

A good first touch isn't just important; it's essential. It's the quiet skill that screams a player's quality. It’s the difference between reacting to the game and controlling it. While physicality, speed, and shooting power are fantastic assets, they can be neutralized. A poor first touch, however, is a crippling limitation that will be exposed at every level.