When night begins to fall over Portugal, thousands of young and not-so-young people lace up their boots and give free rein to their love of football. Whether in a more organised way (as registered players) or simply in a casual kickabout, football is part of the genetic heritage of the Portuguese — but, just as with other sports, buying a state-of-the-art training kit and starting to kick a ball around is not enough.

Beyond t-shirts, training trousers and proper footwear, football players should pay special attention to warm-up exercises. If even professional players with the guidance of qualified coaches still pick up injuries, it is easy to understand that without a proper warm-up before training or a match, and without guidance, the thousands of amateur players who take to pitches and makeshift grounds across the country every day are exposed to a much higher risk of picking up injuries that can affect not only their football but their daily lives.

The warm-up phase in football and other sports is therefore essential for anyone about to start physical activity, as it helps the body prepare for the effort ahead by gradually bringing the cardiorespiratory and motor systems up to a higher rhythm — and preventing those frustrating injuries.

In addition, warming up before physical activity activates the muscles and also helps to improve performance during training.

With this in mind, if you are already properly kitted out with a t-shirt that wicks away sweat and helps keep you dry during physical activity, some training trousers or shorts and comfortable, suitable footwear, it is time to take to the pitch and… start training!

To help you do that, we have put together some warm-up exercises that will help you prevent injuries during your kickabouts with friends.

Warm-Up Exercises

• Stretching

These stretching exercises are essential for preparing the calves, adductors, lower back, hamstrings and quadriceps — the muscles that work hardest during a match and that are key to training without injuries.

To warm up the hamstrings and calves, stand up and slide your arms down along your body until you grip one foot with the hand on the same side. Rest that leg on the heel only while lifting the toes to help warm up the muscle.

Keep the leg fully extended, without bending the knee. Then slightly flex the knee of the opposite leg.

Hold this position for 10-15 seconds and then repeat the exercise switching legs.

For the quadriceps warm-up, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bend one leg back and grip it with the hand on the same side. In this position, slowly pull the ankle back and slightly upward, bringing the heel towards the glute. After holding this position for a few seconds, repeat the exercise with the other leg.

Finally, focus on the lower back. Lie on the floor, bend your knees towards your chest and hold them with your hands. Then gently draw your knees towards your chest in a smooth movement and slowly return to the starting position.

Take your knees to one side and hold for a few seconds. Keeping your knees held, move them to the opposite side. Repeat these movements several times.

• Running

Now for the running. After working the muscles, it is time to get the boots going. Start with five minutes of continuous easy-paced jogging and then move on to these activation drills:

- Lateral running;

- Running backwards;

- Normal running, touching the ground with both hands, jumping up and continuing to run;

- Trunk rotations while running;

- Pace changes while running;

- High-knee running;

- Sprints.

• Ball work

Once the previous two steps are done, it is time to bring in the ball. Among the most popular ball warm-up exercises are:

- Rondo: standing in a circle, players try to pass the ball to each other without the player in the middle winning it.

- Passing: organised in pairs, start with short passes and gradually increase the distance to build precision.

- Dribbling: while several players simultaneously perform running exercises, two others pass the ball between themselves without it touching any of the runners.

With all these warm-up exercises, you will be ready to take on the pitch!