It has been shown that a structured warm-up reduces the risk of injuries. For soccer players, there is even a scientifically supported warm-up. This program has been proven effective in preventing injuries in soccer players older than 14 years.

The program is called FIFA 11+ and was put together by the FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association). Research shows that performing this program reduces the risk of injury in soccer players by 30%.

The warm-up consists of three parts with a total of 15 exercises and must be performed at least twice per week:

Part 1: Running and stretching (six exercises).
Part 2: Core and leg strength (six exercises at three levels).
Part 3: Agility at high speed (three exercises).

Duration of the warm-up
The duration of the program is about 20 minutes. For a pre-match warm-up, only the running exercises are performed (part 1 and part 3). Part 2 is too taxing at that time.

Example

Below is an example of the entire warm-up. Under the video the warm-up is discussed per part with examples of each exercise separately.Note: for the pre-match warm-up, skip part 2 (exercises 7 through 12).

Part 1

The first part consists of running drills. Place two rows of cones in a straight line next to each other and split the team in two. Each half of the team stands behind a row of cones. Then perform the following exercises. This part takes about 8 minutes.

#	Exercise	Example
1	Jog straight ahead at an easy pace (2x).	View
2	Jog at an easy pace and rotate the hip outward.	View
3	Jog at an easy pace and rotate the hip inward.	View
4	Jog at an easy pace and at each cone sidestep around your teammate.	View
5	Jog at an easy pace and at each cone make shoulder contact with your teammate.	View
6	Run forward quickly and then backward.	View

Additionally, stretching exercises can be done.

Part 2

The second part of the warm-up consists of exercises that are divided into three levels. You can choose at which level you do this part of the warm-up. Always start with level 1. If that has gone well several times, then you can try it at the next level. This part takes about 10 minutes.

Level 1

#	Exercise	Example
7.1	Plank. 3 x 20-30 seconds.	View
8.1	Side plank with bent knee. 3 x 20-30 seconds (both sides).	View
9.1	Hamstrings, fall forward. 3-5 repetitions.	View
10.1	Stand on one leg holding the ball in front. 2 x 30 seconds (both legs).	View
11.1	Squats with toe raise. 2 x 30 seconds.	View
12.1	Jump straight up. 2 x 30 seconds.	View

Level 2

#	Exercise	Example
7.2	Plank with alternating legs. 3 x 40-60 seconds.	View
8.2	Side plank with leg raise. 3 x 20-30 seconds (both sides).	View
9.2	Hamstrings, fall forward. 7-10 repetitions.	View
10.2	Stand on one leg, throw the ball. 30 seconds (both legs).	View
11.2	Walking lunges. 10 lunges/steps (both legs).	View
12.2	Lateral jumps. 2 x 30 seconds.	View

Level 3

#	Exercise	Example
7.3	Plank, single-leg hold. 3 x 20-30 seconds (both legs).	View
8.3	Side plank with knees extended. 3 x 20-30 seconds (both sides).	View
9.3	Hamstrings, fall forward. 12-15 repetitions.	View
10.3	Stand on one leg, balance perturbations with a teammate. 2 x 30 seconds (both legs).	View
11.3	Squats, single-leg, with a teammate. 2 x 10 repetitions (both legs).	View
12.3	Box jumps, jump in different directions. 2 x 30 seconds.	View

Part 3

The third part of the warm-up consists of running drills. This part takes about 2 minutes.

#	Exercise	Example
13	Run straight across the field at high speed. 2 x 40m fast out (and easy back).	View
14	Bounding, with large steps and high knee lift. 2 x 6-8 boundings out (and easy back).	View
15	Run, plant, and turn away. 2 x 40m out (and easy back).	View

Finally

It is important to always perform the exercises correctly. If you develop symptoms while doing the warm-up, it is best to take it a bit easier. Ask a physical therapist for help if your symptoms persist.

The entire warm-up schedule can be downloaded here in PDF format.

Warm-up exercises

Example

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Finally

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