Is soccer the most difficult sport to learn?

[Sarcastic]

Baseball is harder to learn than golf. At least the ball is not moving at 90 mph in golf.

[Pinkhearts]

Football is easy to pick up and learn but is difficult to master and play at a high level.

The reason for this is the skill level of your opponents. Most people you play are probably very good at football and have experience playing it. Even though you can play the game now that you know how to dribble and pass and shoot, if your other technical skills don't match up you won't win.

In contrast for basketball, nobody will try to get really good at the sport unless you are super tall or super athletic. So most people will spend far less effort learning the game. And amongst the tall athletic freaks, only a few select people will have the passion and drive like Kobe has to work on his game. So it's easy to find a basketball player that has weak fundamental skills. It's just easier to master basketball if you're tall and athletic as there is a smaller pool of people who can challenge you at it. While for football, you can be sure there is always some no life loser out there who isn't especially tall or athletic but spends all his time kicking the ball around and therefore he will own you when you play him.

[moaz]

you can't learn soccer.
Either you have the talent and everyone recognize that from your first steps with the ball or you can run with all the millions of other untalented soccer players in the world and convince yourself that what u do is somehow semi-professional soccer (as I do).

[Go Getter]

Soccer is by far the easier to learn than any sport this side of sprinting.

All you have to learn is kick the ball into the goal and don't use your hands really. Everything else can be explain by the officials.

You have to teach downs, yards, player responsibilities [way more than soccer], and such in football.

In baseball you have to teach base running, hitting a baseball is way harder than kicking a soccer ball, you have pitch counts, so many rules/slang and small things to remember.

In basket ball it's hard for people to master foot work, timing, form, and team chemistry. A lot of people TRY to play basketball but simply can't.

*The OP said LEARN not play well though.

[SALFORD-RED]

In basket ball it's hard for people to master foot work, timing, form, and team chemistry. A lot of people TRY to play basketball but simply can't.

The exact same could be said for soccer and no basketball is easier to learn than soccer tenfold.

[Go Getter]

The exact same could be said for soccer and no basketball is easier to learn than soccer tenfold.

You can't play basketball until you are at least 4th grade and you can play soccer at what, 3 years old?

[SALFORD-RED]

You can't play basketball until you are at least 4th grade and you can play soccer at what, 3 years old?

In America maybe, but remember America does not = the world.

Olajuwon did not pick up a basketball until he was 15 and he was voted 50 GOAT. There are no instances of a 50 GOAT player in soccer starting to play at 15, every great is playing at 4 or 5 years old. It takes years and years to master the game not just 3 years then off to Houston for 3 Final Fours then lottery pick in GOAT draft of 1984.

In other words if basketball is so hard to learn how come it only took HA 3 years?

[chains5000]

You can't play basketball until you are at least 4th grade and you can play soccer at what, 3 years old?

Why?

[Go Getter]

Why?

Because you don't have enough upper body strength to shoot a field goal.

[SALFORD-RED]

Because you don't have enough upper body strength to shoot a field goal.

you cant play on fisher price my first basketball hoops and lower them to an acceptable height?

[Go Getter]

you cant play on fisher price my first basketball hoops and lower them to an acceptable height?

Learn and play the sport to me is being able to play the sport like it was intended.

I'm not saying soccer is the easiest sport to become good at or that playing it on a high level doesn't take loads of skill and talent....I'm saying that I have a 5 year old and he doesn't understand the basic principles of football, baseball, basketball, or golf but he pretty much knows what soccer entails.

*Again...this doesn't mean I think soccer is the easiest sport to play or become good at, I'm saying it might be one of the easiest sports to learn and teach.

[chains5000]

Because you don't have enough upper body strength to shoot a field goal.

Here they use smaller baskets.
The same with soccer, you can't put kids playing in a normal field or with normal goals.

[SALFORD-RED]

Learn and play the sport to me is being able to play the sport like it was intended.

I'm not saying soccer is the easiest sport to become good at or that playing it on a high level doesn't take loads of skill and talent....I'm saying that I have a 5 year old and he doesn't understand the basic principles of football, baseball, basketball, or golf but he pretty much knows what soccer entails.

*Again...this doesn't mean I think soccer is the easiest sport to play or become good at, I'm saying it might be one of the easiest sports to learn and teach.

Ah I see what u r sayin, that the basic principles of the game are the easiest to comprehend, yeah you are right about that. I was thinking more in terms of the mechanics involved but I see you are talking about the rules and plays.

[OhNoTimNoSho]

I think it needs to be clarified that up to what level is it easy to learn.

Is soccer easy to learn to the point of being able to play in the park with your friends. Yes in that regard it is easier to learn soccer than basketball.

But to be an elite soccer player i think is harder than basketball.

[Jackass18]

No, the Nigerian Nightmare didnt take up Football until he was in his 20s and became a Pro Bowler, there is no way that someone who started playing soccer so late in life could remotely get onto an All Pro/all star team.

Some positions in football are easier to learn than others. Look at Brock Lesnar, he had size, strength, speed, experience and athletic ability but couldn't even make a team. Then, take a position like QB.