Metal Soccer Goals
Metal soccer goals are the ones you need if you are looking for a durable and sturdy solution for your soccer needs. Whether you are a groundsman, youth or senior coach or player, you will find yourself greatly admiring the goals. And on the market, you can find them in all shapes and sizes, but not all fit every purpose nor are they of the same quality. Depending on your need, there are metal soccer goals for sale that will only bring you frustration with their unsuitability. Knowing what you want and need from a soccer goal will save you a lot of trouble.
With so many options available, you can easily find yourself in a “dear in headlights” state of mind. And I would like to help you avoid it, and choose the best one for your needs.
Contents
Metal Soccer Goals Reviews
There are big ones, and small ones, portable one and not so much, thick, thin, and in between. And each serves a specific purpose. Here is the list of some of the best in their classes, with short reviews describing their strengths, weaknesses and intended use.
FORZA Aluminum Pod Folding
FORZA is a well-known sporting gear brand, and it shouldn’t be a surprise that I’ve included their product on my list. Just as the name of this product says, it is a foldable aluminum soccer goal. It comes in two sizes, 5×3 and 6×4 feet. They are extremely durable and by size excellent for coaching U8 and younger kids. This doesn’t mean that teens and adults can’t use them. Just that if you are a coach in need of bigger dimensions goals, you will not find these suitable. Made out of 50 millimeters outer diameter aluminum tubes, they are exceptionally sturdy. But nothing less you should expect from two inches tubes.
They are powder-coated, which only increases the durability and weather resistance of aluminum. While they can be used for recreational soccer, these are first and foremost intended to be used by soccer academies. Which is why the likes of Manchester United FC use them. And that means that you shouldn’t doubt their quality, which unfortunately comes with a considerable price tag.
Pros
- High quality and durability
- Light and easy for transport
Cons
- Price
- Limited choice of sizes
Franklin Sports Premier Steel
Same as the FORZA Pod, the Premier Steel also comes in two sizes. But, they are 6×4 and 12×6 feet. Which makes it suitable for 7 a side or coaching U10 selections. Because they are made of rather narrow steel pipes, they are not suitable for competitive use. But they do still make excellent practice or backyard goal. This steel soccer goal is decently portable, as it can be folded flat. The base frame and posts are connected together by a simple hinge, and it is locked in place with a simple pin. While this way of keeping it securely upright or folded is simple and easy to use, pins are even easier to get lost.
As a friend of mine discovered, Franklin Sports doesn’t offer replacement pins but you can find very affordable substitutes at any hardware store. The whole goal is made of pieces of pipes that are easy to assemble or disassemble. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with a carry bag, though the pieces can easily fit in a duffel bag. And some users report rusting on the inside of pipes.
Pros
- Very portable
Cons
- No carry bag
- Netting is not very durable
Vallerta 12 x 6 Ft.
Vallerta’s goal is very similar to Franklin Sports one. It is also made of one and quarter-inch steel tubes that are powder-coated. But in this case, they are galvanized which should prevent any potential corrosion. Same as Franklin’s goal, this one is suitable for backyards and practice. It is easy to set it up, as most important parts are connected using sturdy wing-nuts which need to be hand tight. If you need inexpensive and stable steel soccer goals for backyard or recreation, these are an excellent choice.
Additionally, you will get a 1-year warranty on materials. Unfortunately, these do suffer from a few issues. Over time the crossbar can develop a sag. Which can be easily countered by rotating it for 180 degrees every week or two. While netting is of higher quality than Franklin’s, the velcro ties it is used with are not very durable, and there should be few more used on the base frame.
Pros
- Affordable
- Easy to set up or disassemble
Cons
- Crossbar can develop a sag
- Net velcro straps are not very durable
FORZA Alu60
With FORZA Alu60 we are entering the competition regulations territory. These goals come in ten different sizes, from 6×4 feet to full senior regulation size of 8 yards by 8 feet. They are made of 60 millimeters aluminum pipes, making them usable for some tournaments. They come in two styles, foldable and freestanding. Foldable have hinges on the side panels, which makes them relatively easy to transport and store. But keep in mind that these are made of pipes of slightly over two and a quarter diameter aluminum pipes and are not lightweight but two or more persons can carry them. Though this does make them very stable.
They are powder-coated using a high-quality polyester type of coating, which is very weather resistant. Which is expected, as the freestanding version is intended to be kept outside on the pitch. These aluminum soccer goals come with high-quality 3 millimeter HDPE netting. It is mounted on the goal using the push and twist type connectors which slot into the posts. These connectors can break, but FORZA has in offer packs of 20 or 40 of these.
Pros
- Extremely durable
- Competition appropriate
Cons
- Only marginally portable
FORZA Alu110
FORZA Alu110 is the full regulation line of goals, meaning that they fully conform with the UEFA and FIFA regulations when it comes to metal soccer goals. With posts of 110-millimeter diameter, they are just outside of the 4 to 5 inches regulation. In simple terms, they are more or less the same as the goals you can see on TV used by English Premier League clubs. They come in two versions, socketed for which are special bases built-in the turf needed. And freestanding which come equipped with wheels, in case of the larger size goals.
These goals are not built to be portable, but to be used in professional settings. The range of sizes is from 12×4 feet small metal soccer goals, and up to senior size, 24×8 feet. They all come with the highest quality 5 millimeters netting, which will last for years even left on year-round. They connect to posts using the same system as the Alu60 goals. Because these are the professional goals they come with a considerable price tag.
Pros
- Professional practice goals
Cons
- Price
How to Choose the Best Metals Soccer Goals
Choosing the best metal soccer net mostly depends on what you need and for what you need it. And it is always important that you are informed about the main characteristics of them, which should allow you to make an informed buying decision.
Durability
When you think about a metal soccer net, you would think about sturdiness and durability. You probably have in mind the mental image of MLS or Premier League goals. But not all metal goals are such. There is a wide range of aluminum and steel goals designed for backyards or recreational use. Their posts are usually around an inch and a quarter to two inches. If you plan on purchasing one such, you should make sure to go with the sturdiest you can find.
Size
Goals come in more than ten sizes, from the 6×4 feet appropriate for the youngest selections, all the way to 8 yards or 24 feet by 8 feet senior regulation size. If you are a coach or groundsman choosing a goal for your team, you should be mindful of what size you need. If you are buying a goal for your backyard, you should be going for the size appropriate for the space you have. Some quick ways to determine the size would be to allow for at least a single width of free space on both sides of the goal. In other words, the goal shouldn’t occupy more than one-third of the width of the space you can dedicate to playing soccer in your backyard.
Use
Some goals are intended for backyard use, others are for practice, and yet there are the match goals. The difference between these is how closely they conform to official regulations. Professional match goals need to conform to strict dimensions and safety standards. But those come with very steep prices and are not really worth buying.
Number of goals
This is the characteristic you should pay close attention to. Metal soccer nets usually come as single units. If you need only for your backyard, for you or your kid to practice shooting and have fun, the single goal will suffice you. Otherwise, you should think about investing in two of them.
FAQs
- Do I need a metal soccer goal?
If you are a soccer enthusiast, coach, or a parent of young soccer enthusiasts, in need of sturdy and durable soccer goals, your best choice is the metal ones.
- Do they come with netting?
Most do come with nets. Thus you will not have to bother yourself with hunting for the appropriately sized one.
- Do I need competition regulation goals?
In short, no. Institutions that need to conform to league regulations always are provided goals by technical partners, free of charge. While on the market, such goals carry huge price tags. If you insist on a regulation goal, you can end up paying almost three times more for the fact that it has one 8th of an inch wider posts. Purchasing goals for non-professional use can cost you very much if you insist that the size of posts fit in the arbitrary range.
- Is the price guarantee of quality?
Not always. Very often, you will find very similar metal goals from different makers that come at extremely different prices. And you should be careful not to be dazed by buzz words into buying a decent product at an unreasonable price. Metal soccer goals are made out of metal, but they shouldn’t cost you as much as one ton of that metal.
- What are the sizes of goals?
There are several sizes depending on the age of players and also the type of soccer games. Depending on the type, there are three main types:
– Beach soccer – regulation size is 18 by 7.25 feet
– Futsal – regulation size is 3×2 meters (9’10’’ by 6’7’’)
The third type is association football or grass soccer goal. They depend on the regulatory association or governing body differently classified by age groups. But they follow a somewhat standard range:
– 4-5 years old – minimum 6×4 feet, maximum 10×5 feet
– 6-7 years old – minimum 10×5 feet, maximum 12×6 feet
– 8-12 years old – minimum 18×6 feet, maximum 21×7 feet
– 12 years and older – 24×8 feet
Conclusion
In my humble opinion, there isn’t a more infuriating or more comforting sound than of a ball hitting metal goal posts. Depending on whether you are a player taking a sniping shot from outside of the box, or the defender who didn’t close the ball carrier in time. But besides this auditory esthetics of hitting the post, metal soccer goals are always made to last. And if you need a soccer goal, you can never go wrong buying a sturdy one. I hope that you have enough information to make an informed decision when buying one for yourself. But, if you still can’t make the decision, my recommendation is FORZA Alu60. It’s an exceptionally built soccer goal that comes in a wide range of sizes and will last you a lifetime.