The saying goes like this "Practice makes perfection", but the practice isn't always the funnest thing in the world. But if you like playing FIFA, practice might have just gotten a little better.

Studies have shown that football players who play sport simulation games such as FIFA have improved their game tremendously. The reason is very simple. FIFA allows you to see examples of how to do things, and how not to do things.

In a study done during the last FIFA Interactive World Cup where 1,000,000 FIFA interactive World Cup players joined, and 11,078 were asked a couple of questions, the results where pretty impressive.

Those 11,078 gamers where asked the question "Do you think that playing FIFA 12 improves your performance at football in real life?" 58% said yes while the other 42% said no.

It's hard to belive that playing a video game would actually make you better at something, but it's true. There is data that points towards the fact that playing FIFA does make you a better player.

43% of those players admitted to the fact that they had dreamt about playing FIFA 12. That means that you're always thinking about football whether that be fictitious or not; the point is you're thinking about football.

You're thinking about tactics, how to get past a defender, how to stop an attacker, and what moves to use to get past a defender or stop an attacker.

Football starts in your head, and your body memory. Your body will remember those movements that it saw before and that you have been thinking about all day. Once you try to perform those moves your memory will tell your body to try and duplicate the move it has stored in your brain, making it easier for your brain to tell the rest of your body what to do because it already knows it.

The biggest question that you're probably thinking right now is what aspects of your game does it help improve. The study was divided into five different skills your football mind learns from FIFA.

46% of the players noticed an improvement in their understanding of tactics. FIFA has some really cool features that help you understand the real tactical football both managers and footballers have to live through.

You're able to set up your custom tactics that allow you to decide whether to play an offensive style of game or a more defensive style of game. It allows you to pick how you want to attack the opposing team; whether that be with counter attacks, possession game, or long balls. You can also decide what kind of defensive style you want to play. 

You can also understand how certain formation works, whether that be 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. It helps you understand the different roles that each player must do.

23% of the players also experienced an improvement on their skill level. There is a feature on FIFA called the FIFA arena where you can pick a single player and work on some fancy footwork like Ronaldo's bicycles, or Ronaldinho's elastico move.

Here you can also perform a lot of juggling moves like rainbow flicks, around the world, and many more. This all goes back to your brain watching your character perform those moves, memorizing the process and telling your body how to execute all of those skilled moves.

17% of gamers saw that they had a higher awareness of other players out on the field. While playing FIFA you know that once you get the ball you know that there will be one or two guys coming after you to take it away.

Once you step out onto the pitch and you receive the ball, your brain remembers from playing FIFA where the opposing team players came from, allowing you to act upon that when playing the game. You will remember where they came from to make the tackle and beat easily.

10% of the players said that they had a higher passing rate after playing FIFA for a while. While playing you know whether you can squeeze the ball trough a tight space or if you will just end up giving it away.

This also happens in real life games, but your brain knows that a pass similar to the one you're about to attempt failed in FIFA, and most of the time you end up picking an easier pass that will result in a higher passing rate.

4% of players improved their skills in other things, whether that be their field vision, finish, first touch, and much more.

This is not saying by any means that if you spend 10 hours per day playing FIFA you will end up being the next Lionel Messi. Some of the improvements can be big and some may just be a small improvement in your skills.

Footballers still need to get an actual practice with a ball at their feet to actually improve all aspects of their game, but by playing FIFA you can help boost your improvements.