As beautiful of a game soccer is, it comes with bumps, bruises, losses, bad performances, plateaus, etc. It is not a matter of if, it is when.  Players need to be prepared for these set backs and to develop autonomy in their mental toughness.  The players who go on to do great things are not the ones who need to ask everyone and their mother how they played. The great ones learn to water the flowers of their own self belief.