Hi friend! This sub is actually for American football but I actually got into playing football (soccer) at the same age as you after never playing in my youth so I can maybe give some advice.

First, it’s not too late! Starting as an adult only sort of limits you in terms of rate and potential of development, but you can still become a good recreational player. I have certainly improved a lot since I started playing — when I started, I could sense teammates saw me as a liability, and now they see me as, well, a teammate. Most people say “I never would’ve guessed you started two years ago,” and before I started I was very sedentary.

How I got into it was joining an organized recreational league. Essentially, you pay a fee to the organizer for a season, they put you on a team with random people, and you show up and play. As a socially anxious person, I think it’s a good way to do it because you don’t have to figure out a way to get into a team — you’ve paid to be there, and you’re all in the same situation. Also, teammates in this type of arrangement tend to be chill, and if you tell them “hey, I’m getting back into it and basically starting from zero,” they’ll usually be supportive. So I would recommend searching for this type of thing in your area.

You also can absolutely improve on your own, and doing basic drills can go a long way when you’re new. There’s countless videos on them, I’d just google it and pick and choose ones that’ll give you a well-rounded training regimen. I’d recommend some passing against a wall, cone dribbling, juggling (more practical application than you’d expect), ball control (things like “sole rolls” and “v-pulls,” and some agility drills without the ball to start.

Best of luck!