World Soccer Magazine Article

Nike Freestyle Soccer Competitions

If you have seen a video footage of the Nike commercial of five people performing soccer tricks, or just any other person in the neighborhood, you have probably been amazed and impressed at their agility. Soccer tricks involve hard work, constant practice, and, of course, talent which, mixed together, are visually stunning. The smooth, seemingly child’s play moves might seem a backyard pastime but people have gone into competitions showcasing their individual skills with the soccer ball.

The most notable are the ones held by Nike. Nike has set up freestyle soccer competitions across the globe. A famous provider of sports equipment, shoes and clothing, Nike held one of the most interesting of competitions last 2003 in Malaysia. Nike also put up stalls for the crowd of nearly 2000 spectators who were enthralled. There were nearly 200 competitors in freestyle soccer tricks who showed off their tricks ranging from juggling to pancakes where they used their head, feet neck, shoulders, and a variety of other body parts into a combination of awesome routines.

To start off this event, the division of Nike based in Malaysia, of course known as Nike Malaysia, sent promoters out to universities and shopping malls to promote the event. Those who wanted to enter the competition were required to send their video to the company. These videos should be a video of them performing soccer tricks and were posted in the web. Anyone who accessed these videos were asked to vote. Nike chose the best freestylers to compete and out of them came four winners. These were Mohd Razif Nasruddin, Loh Eu-Soong, Nik Mohd Harrif NikAzlan, and Mohd Izzat Nasruddin. They all won Nike products and were asked to compete in Nike’s Freestyle Face-Off event in Singapore, which was also held in 2003.

Nike helped freestylers break into a competitive ground. This event has made soccer tricks into a genuine sport and more people have become interested in competing. The freestyle soccer tricks began to grow. Freestylers developed tricks as spin-offs of the old ones, each trick becoming more complex and spectacular. More competitions were being sponsored and more freestylers are showing off their stuff.

While before freestyle soccer tricks has been part of the game itself, to be utilized in scoring a goal, it has now become a real competitive sport, with more competitors winning prizes and more athletes enjoying it. Leagues and teams may eventually be established in this sport although that may not be a better route for this particular sport. As for now, freestyle soccer tricks enjoy its own place in the sports arena and, thanks to Nike; it is continued to be recognized all over the world.