Disclaimer

 As a footballer it is important to balance your training. As you get older, as a footballer, you tend to prioritize strength training over all else. But you must also train your touch, stamina and dribbling to be able to play at a high level. It is a common misconception that a defender does not need to know how to dribble or an attacker does not need to know how to defend. Every player must have some knowledge on every aspect of the game. They should be able to understand each other's struggles and be able to understand each other. So while you should be training your body to be in top form, you should also make sure to train your brain. 

Physicality is another large part of an defender's game, for it allows you to keep the ball. The ability to push attackers off the ball and win it back in crucial positions is very important. Therefore an defender should maintain a good level of both upper body and lower body strength in order to perform well. 

In younger age groups this is not so relevant as you don’t really need to push players off the ball and mainly focus on keeping the ball and playing it around. But as you get older and start to play on a full size pitch, you will need a good amount of strength to stand a chance against the stronger attackers.

 A good example of this strength can be Ruben Dias or Upamecano who both use their strength to stop the fast attackers.

If you are wondering how to improve your strength, see the gym page on this website for more information.

Stamina is very important in football, the ability to keep running at the same speed the whole game, can put you above everyone else. It allows you to create more chances, more options for your teammates, and stop attacks throughout the game.

If you train two times a week, and have a match on the weekends, then you might not need to do any fitness training, however as the level increases, you might have to start doing cardio sessions. This can include going running, cycling or swimming. I advise doing something that you enjoy, as cardio can be tiring and if you don't enjoy it than you are less likely to stay consistent and increase your stamina. 

It is important that you don't overdo it with the cardio. I advise not running after an intense training session or match, for this can result in injury. But still try to include at least 1 hour of cardio or sport inn your daily routine.