I think my kid's soccer team accidentally discovered the perfect World Cup strategy.

By @maraagain · Sports

I help coach my 8-year-old's soccer team. We have two kids who are best friends, one is an amazing defender and the other is a phenomenal goal-scorer, and they have the most wholesome on-field dynamic.

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Okay, so with the World Cup on, I'm watching all these highly paid, highly skilled professionals struggle, and then I go to my daughter's U9 soccer practice and see tactical genius at work. There are two kids on the team, let's call them Player A and Player B. They're inseparable best friends off the field, and it translates into the most effective soccer strategy I've ever seen. Player A is a brick wall on defense. Fearless, won't let anyone get by him. But he can't shoot to save his life. Player B on the other hand has one of those magic feet, the ball just goes where he wants it to. But he's terrified of contact and shies away from any defensive tussles. Individually, they have huge flaws. But together? It's incredible. Player A will win the ball, immediately look up, and send a perfect pass to Player B, who has already sprinted into the perfect offensive position. B gets the ball in open space, does his thing, and scores. He runs right back to A to celebrate every single time. They're like a little two-person engine. They don't have to talk, they just know where the other one is. Last game, they linked up for three goals. After the third one, I saw Player B run over to Player A and say "I only score because you get me the ball." It was the most pure, Ted Lasso moment I've ever seen in real life. Forget superstars, I'm trying to teach my whole team the power of having a best friend on the field.

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