Step 1: How to Pass a Soccer Ball

Introduction

Passing the ball means kicking it to your teammate. Along with dribbling, passing is one of the most important skills in soccer as it occurs very frequently throughout the game. By passing the ball, a team rotates the possession among its teammates.

A pass can either be grounded or aerial. It can be short or long. Depending on the situation, different types of passes are executed. However, the short grounded pass is the one which is used most frequently as it is easy to execute and receive.

Technique

The most basic technique employed in passing the ball is using the inner side of the foot, as shown in the picture. The area marked by the red circle shows the surface where you should make contact with the ball while passing. This is because the large surface area of the side of the foot makes it easier to get a full contact on the ball and hence deliver the pass accurately. Accuracy is the key in passing , as a misplaced pass can give away the possession to the opponents. Also, remember to follow through. Following through means that once you have kicked the ball, let your kicking foot continue to move in the same direction for a fraction of a second. Do not just touch the ball and stop the movement of your foot. This improves the accuracy and makes for a steady pass.

Here is a video by LiveStrong that explains how to pass a soccer ball.

How to Practice

You can either use a wall or any object that will rebound the ball towards you once you kick at it. You can practice this passing drill with a friend, but since this guide is focuses on individual practice, we would recommend you practice using a wall or some kind of barrier like a garage, fence, etc.

Here is what you do -

1. Kick the ball with your inner side foot (as shown above), so that the ball hits the wall and comes back to you.
2. Now with your other foot, touch the incoming ball, stop it and kick it again.
3. Repeat this process
4. Try to improve your accuracy by making sure that you do not have to move much to receive your rebounded pass.
5. Once you are comfortable using your inner side foot, try using your outer side foot to make contact with the ball.
6. As you get better, try reducing the distance between you and the wall. This would increase the difficulty level as you would get lesser time to react.

Here is a video by ExpertVillage that shows how to practice passing soccer drills using a wall.

Important Tip : Use both your feet to practice this drill. Using your dominant foot might be easier but not utilizing your weaker foot can have negative consequences in your overall game. Always use both your feet to practice any soccer drill.

Practice Objective

You should continue practicing this drill till you naturally feel comfortable using both your feet to make a pass. One hint that you are comfortable doing this drill is when you are naturally able to practice without having the need to look at the ball. If you find you are able to keep your head up and make more than 10 continuous passes using both feet (in all 20 passes), then you have achieved your objective.

Step 2: How to Dribble a Soccer Ball

Introduction

Dribbling is the most used skill in the game of Soccer. Without learning this skill, it is impossible to play the game. Dribbling involves lightly tapping the ball with your feet, dragging it forward or in a particular direction with every touch. This is what is referred to as ‘running with the ball’.

Technique

Now as far as dribbling is concerned, there is no fixed technique to carry the ball. The skill of dibbling is open to a lot of creativity, and this fact makes dribbling one of the most exciting skills to learn. In its most basic form, you will use the area of the shoe which is just around the laces, slightly towards the outer side, as shown in the figure. However, other surfaces like the inner side of the area around the laces, as well as the area immediately below the laces is also used while dribbling. Remember to lock your ankle, i.e, do not keep the ankle too loose when you take a touch to move the ball forward. Also, one of the important points to remember is that your touch should not drag the ball too far from your feet.With every touch, you should try keeping the ball as close to your feet as possible.

Here is a Youtube video by LiveStrong that explains how to dribble a soccer ball.

How to Practice

Here is what you do -

1. Either set up two cones or mark two points on a surface, which are 15-20 yards from each other.
2. Stand at one point with the ball. Start dribbling the ball with your dominant foot using the technique mentioned above, and move towards the other point.
3. When you reach the other point, dribble back to the original point by using your other foot.
4. As you get better, try to use other surfaces of your foot to knock the ball forward. Also, try to increase your speed once you are comfortable practicing at a slow speed.

Here is a Youtube video by OnlineSoccerAcademy that shows how to practice dribbling a soccer ball.

Important Tip : When you start getting comfortable with dribbling, start keeping your head up while dribbling. Initially this may be very tough, but start doing this once a while and you would slowly get used to it. This is very important as it will help you improve your vision. However, do not get overwhelmed if you cannot achieve this in the beginning, as this is a very difficult skill to master. We will cover it in the advanced steps. The idea right now should be to incorporate this whenever you can.

Practice Objective

You should continue practicing this drill till you naturally feel comfortable running with the ball and using more than one surface of your foot to carry the ball forward. If you are able to dribble the ball back and forth between the two points 10 times ( in all 5 rounds), without losing control of the ball and at a decent speed, the you have achieved your objective.

Practice Duration

A 20 minutes practice session should be sufficient.

Usefulness in Game Situations

To understand the importance of correct dribbling, take a look at this Youtube video byleomessirules10 which shows the dribbling skills of Linoel Messi, who is arguably the best soccer player in the world.

Step 3: How to Shoot a Soccer Ball

Introduction

Shooting the ball means kicking it with force in a particular direction with the objective of scoring a goal. It is an essential skill not only for forwards, but for midfielders and defenders too, as there will be situations where any player, irrespective of his or her position, will be required to shoot. If you don’t shoot, your team does not score.

Technique

There are three parts of the foot that are used in three different types of shots:

1. Shooting by a hard pass

For this type of a shot, the part of the foot that is used is the same as that used for passing, that is the side foot, as shown in the figure. The only difference is that the ball is hit much harder than while passing, as the intent is to beat the goal keeper and score.

2. Shooting by curling

For this type of a shot, the part of the foot that is used is the inside of the foot, just below the part where the laces start.

The correct technique involves wrapping your foot around the ball as you strike it, so that the spin on the ball makes it swerve in the air.

3. Shooting with power

For a powerful shot, the area of the foot that is used is called the instep. This is the area of the shoe where the laces are present. You can see the marked area in the image.

The correct technique involves planting your non shooting foot to the side of the ball, about 6 to 7 inches from the ball, in the direction of the shot. As you strike the ball with the instep, make sure the knee of your striking foot is directly above the ball, and that you get a good contact with the ball. This will need practice, so make sure your initial attempts are practiced slowly till you get used to it. Also for this type of shot, make sure your body is leaning slightly forward as you hit the shot. This will make sure the shot does not drift too upward.

Here is a YouTube video by EpicSoccerTraining that demonstrates the technique used for all three kinds of shots.

How to Practice

Here is what you do -

1. Practice all the three ways of shooting. The first method of shooting by hard pass is fairly simple, hence do not spend too much time on it. The other two should be practiced by using the technique described above.
2. The key is to practice to slowly, till you get the technique right.
3. Use a wall so that the shot comes back to you every time, and hence you do not waste time in collecting balls.

Important Tip : The biggest mistake made by beginners is that they associate a hard shot with swinging their leg with lot of power. This is completely wrong. You should focus on getting the technique right. The power will come once you are hitting the ball correctly, with the right posture. It may take some time but it is the only way to learn proper shooting.

Practice Objective

You should continue practicing this drill till you are able to shoot all the three ways with power, without having to compromise on your technique. Shooting is a skill that should be practiced for a short duration, along with other drills, as developing a good shot takes time, and spending too much time just shooting can lead to groin injuries in the beginning.

Practice Duration

A 10 minutes practice session should be sufficient.

Step 4: How to Juggle a Soccer Ball (keepy-ups)

Introduction

Juggling the ball refers to keeping the ball in the air by bouncing it off your feet, chest, head, thighs and other parts of the body. While it may appear as a fancy skill that is used for showboating, its usefulness goes much beyond that. Learning how to juggle a soccer ball can improve your touch as well as your overall balance.

Technique

While a soccer ball can be juggled using any part of the body, the primary parts used in this activity are both the feet. The area which makes contact with the ball is mostly the front part of the laces of the shoe and the area below that, as shown in the figure.

To juggle the ball, you should give it a back spin by kicking it upwards with the area of the shoe described above. The backspin helps in keeping the ball towards your body when it bounced off your foot, or any other part that is being used.

Remember to keep your toes pointed slightly upwards, and keep your legs straight.

Here is a YouTubevideo by TheSoccerEssentials that explains how to juggle a soccer ball.

How to Practice

First of all, remember that juggling is a skill that cannot be learned overnight. It can only come with consistent practice. Having said that, the practice routine described below is the fastest way you can learn how to juggle because it is goal oriented. Learning juggling without a goal oriented practice routine can get you frustrated very quickly. Here is what you do -

1. Hold the ball, and drop it onto one of your foot (start off with your dominant foot, as it can be easier). Kick it up using the juggling technique described above. Once the ball comes up, hold the ball. Repeat the process with your weaker foot. Carry on doing this till you get feel a degree of comfort. You will feel that when the ball does not drift away from your body and you are consistently able to kick and hold every time.
2. Now is time to start COUNTING. By that what i mean is, you should repeat the step above, but this time instead of holding the ball after you hit it the first time, let it go down and try to hit it back up with your other foot, and THEN hold the ball. So instead of holding the ball after one touch, you are holding it after two touches, one from your dominant foot and the other from your weaker foot.This may take a little while to get used to, but provided you practiced the first step well enough, you should get this soon enough. NOW, once you are able to achieve this, count “TWO” in your mind.
3. From here on, the aim it to just get better. Since you are at “TWO”, your only aim when you are practicing the juggling drill should be to increase your count. So once you have achieved “TWO”, your next target is to get three touches before you hold the ball. So if you start off with your right foot then a count of ‘THREE” means – drop, right foot , left foot, right foot, hold. Once you achieve that, it is obvious that your next count target will be “FOUR”.
4. Keep practicing like this, and keep increasing the count. A good target to have is 20. But really speaking, the sky is the limit.
5. As you get better, try to use other parts of your body, like your thighs, chest, and head.

Important Tip : It is a MUST to learn juggling with both feet. Learning juggling only with your dominant foot will defeat the purpose of this drill, so make sure you always practice with both your feet.

Practice Objective

As mentioned above, a good target to have is 20. So if you are able to make to 20 counts ( 10 from the left foot, 10 from the right), then you will start to see the benefits of this drill.

Practice Duration

A 20 minutes practice session should be sufficient.

Step 5: How to Receive or Trap a Soccer Ball (Without Pressure)

Introduction

Ok, let me tell you straight away that this step and the next one, are the MOST IMPORTANT STEPSin this guide. They lay the foundation of a good soccer player. Without learning the skill taught by these steps , everything else can fall out of place.

Receiving or trapping the ball is a skill that separates good players from mediocre ones. Unfortunately, most beginners overlook this skill as it is not too obvious to notice in games. However, the fact is that this is the skill which comes into play the most during the game, because to do virtually anything with a soccer ball, you first have to receive it. And unless you know how to receive a soccer ball properly, every thing else will go in vain. So focus on learning the art of receiving a soccer ball very carefully.

First, let us have a look at how to receive the ball when the opponents are not close to you, or are not pressing you.

Technique

The technique used in receiving the ball when there is not much pressure around you is to receive the ball in such a way that with ONE TOUCH you are FACING TOWARDS THE OPPONENT’S GOAL.The biggest mistake made my beginners is that they take two or more touches to receive the ball and face goal side, i.e., one touch to receive the ball and the other to turn around with the ball and face the goal. This is NOT CORRECT as it uses up too much time, ad by the time you turn and put your head up, your opponents would close you down and dispossess you.

The CORRECT way is to make the motion of receiving the ball and turning into one. You receive the ball while turning. In this way, in one touch of the ball, you are facing towards your opponent’s goal and can immediately gauge the field to make a pass or take a shot.

Now a good question you may ask is – How do i know if there is an opponent putting pressure on me when i have my back turned towards the goal to receive a pass?

The answer to this question is to ALWAYS KEEP LOOKING AROUND YOU, whether you have the ball or not. Even when you are receiving the ball, you should give a quick look over your shoulder to check what’s happening behind you. This will make you aware of the the situation around you and hence, improve your decision making skill.

If you look at any professional soccer player, especially the midfielders, they are always looking over their shoulders to know what is happening around them. Remember to do this even when you are not receiving a pass. You should ALWAYS be aware of what is happening around you.

Here is a Youtube video by OnlineSoccerAcademy that talks about the points mentioned above, also describes the process of receiving the ball on the turn.

How to Practice

Here is what you do -

1. Stand around 8-12 yards away from a wall or a some barrier capable of rebounding the ball towards you.
2. Strike the ball against it firmly so that i comes back to you.
3. Now, the moment the ball strikes the wall, give a quick glance over your shoulder, and then immediately return your focus on receiving the incoming ball. It is important that this not done too late as that will make it difficult for you to focus back on receiving the ball.
4. To receive the ball, touch the ball with your foot while turning so that with one touch of the ball , you have turned as well as received the ball, as shown in the video above. Do this slowly as it is a tough skill to develop. For even a better understanding of how this looks like, check out the video posted below in ‘Usefulness in Game Situations’.
5. Practice this turn and touch drill 30-40 times minimum.
6. As you get better, try and increase the difficulty level by hitting the ball harder so it comes back to you faster, and also reducing the distance between you and the wall.

Important Tip : Practice this drill along with the one in the next step as often as you can because practicing the skill to receive the ball will develop your touch, which is THE most important thing in soccer. In fact, if you find overwhelmed by the need to check over your shoulder and learning the skill at the same time, i would suggest you t first practice receiving and turning aspect, and when you get a little comfortable doing that, you can start to look over your shoulder. But do not neglect it, as being aware of what is around you is a fundamental skill and can put you light years ahead of many soccer players.

Practice Objective

You should continue practicing this drill till you naturally feel comfortable with the whole process of checking over your shoulder and receiving the pass in the turning motion with one touch. There is no quantifiable way to assess this drill. Once you find you don’t have to think too much about the whole process, and find yourself receiving the ball with ease, you have achieved the objective.

Practice Duration

A 20-30 minutes practice session should be sufficient.

Usefulness in Game Situations

To understand the importance of receiving the pass on the turn and being aware of what is around you, let us analyze this Youtube video by leomessirules10 which shows a famous goal scored by the football club Arsenal in their UEFA Champions League match against FC Barcelona, back in February, 2011. The build-up to this goal will demonstrate the usefulness of the need to learn the skill of receiving the ball.

First of all, have at 0:09 in the video, have a look at Jack Wilshere. He checks over his shoulder with a quick glance to know what is happening around him. This awareness enables him to spot Cesc Fabregas, whom he finds with a one touch pass. NOW, look at the way Cesc Fabregas receives the ball at 0:12-0:14. If you notice, he turns his body and receives the ball on the turn so it takes him one touch to receive the ball and face forward. This quick process enables him to spot the run of Samir Nasri. And the rest is history.

Now what would have happened if Wilshere was not aware Fabregsas was ? Simple – he would not have been able to make that one touch pass.

Also, what would have happened if FAbregas took two touches – first to receive the ball, and the second to turn ? Simple- he would have been too late to spot Nasri’s run, and the Barcelona players would have already covered Nasri by then.

So, now that you know how important this step is, make it a point to practice it religiously.

Step 6: How to Receive or Trap a Soccer Ball (With Pressure)

Introduction

As mentioned in the previous step where we learned about receiving the ball when there is nopressure, the skill to receive or trap the ball when there is pressure is equally important to learn, as it will help you in getting out of situations where the opponents are pressing you.

Technique

The technique used to receive the ball when an opponent is putting pressure on you is to use a single touch to divert the incoming ball in a direction which will take you away from the opponent and create space.If you just receive the ball standing still and don’t move away from the defender, it will be easy for the defender to dispossess you. Hence, just like the previous step, checking over your shoulder to see where exactly the opponent who is pressing you is, is a must.

Here is a Youtube video by imgsocceracademies that describes one way to receive the ball when you are under pressure from the opponent. However, note that what you see in this video is just one of the ways to receive the ball. In the video, the player receiving the ball takes a touch in such a way that he pushes the ball in the opposite direction to where the defender is. This makes space for the player. Other way to create space is to make your touch take the ball to the side, left or right, depending on where the defender is. So if the defender is behind your right shoulder, you can receive the ball with a touch that takes the ball towards the left side.

How to Practice

Here is what you do -

1. Stand around 8-12 yards away from a wall or a some barrier capable of rebounding the ball towards you.
2. Strike the ball against it firmly so that i comes back to you.
3. Now, the moment the ball strikes the wall, give a quick glance over your shoulder, and then immediately return your focus on receiving the incoming ball. It is important that this not done too late as that will make it difficult for you to focus back on receiving the ball.
4. To receive the ball, run towards the incoming ball and take a touch in such a way that it pushes the ball in the same direction that it was coming from. Next time, run towards the ball and take a touch in such a way that is takes the ball towards your right hand side. To divert the ball towards the right, you can either use the inside foot of your right foot, or the outer foot of your left foot. The latter takes more practice. Similarly, take it to the left hand side the third time. Keep practicing this cycle. Do this slowly at first, as it is a tough skill to develop.
5. Practice drill 30 times. that would mean that each of three touches described above have to be practiced 10 times each.
6. As you get better, try and increase the difficulty level by hitting the ball harder so it comes back to you faster, and also increasing your speed when you run towards the incoming ball to take the touch.

Here is a Youtube video by PerformanceFFT, that should give you a fair idea on how to practice this drill.

Important Tip : Apart from the three touches described above, another way is to not take any touch at all, and just let the ball run in the direction that it is coming from. This can fool the defender who would be expecting you to take a touch. However, you just the ball run and leave the defender flat-footed. To do this successfully, you need to react quickly by turning the moment the ball is about to approach you, so that you have enough time to turn and get control of the ball once it has passed the defender. This is a very hard skill to do, so do not practice it till you get comfortable with the three touches described above.

Another option is to simply pass it back to a open team-mate using a one touch pass.

Practice Objective

You should continue practicing this drill till you are able to comfortably take a touch while running towards the ball at a decent speed , and change the direction of the ball without losing control.

Practice Duration

A 20 minutes practice session should be sufficient.

Usefulness in Game Situations

To understand the importance of receiving a soccer ball when there is pressure around you, take a look at this Youtube video by prodirectsoccer which shows the effectiveness of developing a great first touch when receiving the ball.

Step 7: How to Chip a Soccer Ball and Make a Long Pass

Introduction

Have you watched soccer professionals on television making 60 yard passes with ease and wondered “how to kick a soccer ball far ?“. Well you are not alone. The first thing you have to understand is that they are NOT KICKING WITH TOO MUCH POWER. It is all about TECHNIQUE. These passes are possible when you learn how to chip a soccer ball. Though usually chipping is associated with one-on-one finishing moves, the technique in chipping a ball has many other uses, like being able to kick the ball far and high without putting in much effort.

Technique

As far as chipping a soccer ball is concerned, the technique is to use the front part of the inside of the foot (as shown in the picture) in a “digging” motion to make contact with the bottom most part of the ball. To achieve this, tilt your foot backwards so that when it hits the ball, it should resemble a wedge which is able to slide as under the ball as possible. This has to be done because the aim is to get the ball to gain some height as it goes forward. The other essentials like the placement of your non-striking foot and the bend on the knee all fall into place once you practice the above mentioned technique.

Here is a Youtube video by EpicSoccerTraining that explains how to chip a soccer ball.