A guide to mastering dribbling techniques and skills in soccer.
Dribbling is the art of bypassing opposition players using quick feet and a variety of football moves usually seen in commercials. While excellent dribbling skills are necessary for a good game, they do not mean much if you are not at your physical best. To learn how to train properly for soccer, it is highly recommended to check out Total Soccer Fitness.
To become an exceptional attacking player, one must be able to beat opponents—the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, and Ronaldinho are all perfect examples of this. Ronaldo’s trademark move, the step-over, has left dozens of defenders worldwide on their backsides, deceiving both experienced campaigners and those just starting out in the game.
Other famous moves include the nutmeg, where a player passes the ball through an opponent’s legs, runs around them, and collects it. This is regarded as one of football’s greatest embarrassments. The roulette is a move perfected by French legend Zinedine Zidane, involving a complex 360-degree spin that, when performed at speed, is nearly impossible to stop. Some players have mastered moves so well they can perform them with ease, such as the "Cruyff turn," named after Dutch soccer great Johan Cruyff.
Although dribbling moves can appear impossible when first seen by a soccer novice, after practicing repeatedly, it becomes easy to get them right. Those fond of online videos will relish watching the "Olé" videos over and over—a mini-game originating in Brazil where the sole purpose is to embarrass your opponent with quick feet. On the pitch, dribbling serves many purposes. Against teams with a strong defense and tight man-marking, dribbling can draw more than one defender to the player with the ball, creating space for others to shoot or pass. A skilled dribbler whom defenders cannot legally dispossess often draws rash tackles, resulting in promising free kicks for the attacking team and yellow or red cards for the defense.
How dribbling is perceived around the world is an interesting issue when looking at coaching philosophies in different countries. While most football coaches in England tend to ignore dribbling instruction, preferring to concentrate on what they see as more practical skills like crossing and shooting, their counterparts in Brazil allow youth players to play with freedom. This difference is clearly visible on the national stage: whereas England has produced few players capable of dribbling near the level of the game's elite, nearly all of Brazil’s players can glide past opponents with ease, including some of their defenders. In conclusion, dribbling once appeared to be a dying art, but it has been brought back to life with the emergence of players like Ronaldinho and Edgar Davids. One can only hope that the next generation—featuring players such as Anderson, Kerlon, and Carlos Vela—will continue to execute the moves that bring so much joy to spectators.
How can YOU become a master dribbler? Follow these tips to learn how:
- Start off with a relatively easy move, such as the Cruyff turn.
- Watch examples of this move performed online, on sites such as YouTube or Google Video.
- Start practicing the trick, first alone on grass.
- Add in plastic cones to act as defenders.
- Ask a friend to mark you to make it harder while you perform the move.
- Try the move in a match.
- Once you complete the basic moves, move on to harder ones like the Elastico or Roulette.
One hopes you will be able to master the art of dribbling in no time at all! The easier moves should take a couple of days to learn, while slightly harder ones could take a week or two. Practice these moves extensively in street matches before trying them in semi-professional or professional games.
How to Dribble a Soccer Ball
A guide to mastering dribbling techniques and skills in soccer.
Dribbling is the art of bypassing opposition players using quick feet and a variety of football moves usually seen in commercials. While excellent dribbling skills are necessary for a good game, they do not mean much if you are not at your physical best. To learn how to train properly for soccer, it is highly recommended to check out Total Soccer Fitness.
To become an exceptional attacking player, one must be able to beat opponents—the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Thierry Henry, and Ronaldinho are all perfect examples of this. Ronaldo’s trademark move, the step-over, has left dozens of defenders worldwide on their backsides, deceiving both experienced campaigners and those just starting out in the game.
Other famous moves include the nutmeg, where a player passes the ball through an opponent’s legs, runs around them, and collects it. This is regarded as one of football’s greatest embarrassments. The roulette is a move perfected by French legend Zinedine Zidane, involving a complex 360-degree spin that, when performed at speed, is nearly impossible to stop. Some players have mastered moves so well they can perform them with ease, such as the "Cruyff turn," named after Dutch soccer great Johan Cruyff.
Although dribbling moves can appear impossible when first seen by a soccer novice, after practicing repeatedly, it becomes easy to get them right. Those fond of online videos will relish watching the "Ole" videos over and over—a mini-game originating in Brazil where the sole purpose is to embarrass your opponent with quick feet. On the pitch, dribbling serves many purposes. Against teams with a strong defense and tight man-marking, dribbling can draw more than one defender to the player with the ball, creating space for others to shoot or pass. A skilled dribbler whom defenders cannot legally dispossess often draws rash tackles, resulting in promising free kicks for the attacking team and yellow or red cards for the defense.
How dribbling is perceived around the world is an interesting issue when looking at coaching philosophies in different countries. While most football coaches in England tend to ignore dribbling instruction, preferring to concentrate on what they see as more practical skills like crossing and shooting, their counterparts in Brazil allow youth players to play with freedom. This difference is clearly visible on the national stage: whereas England has produced few players capable of dribbling near the level of the game's elite, nearly all of Brazil’s players can glide past opponents with ease, including some of their defenders. In conclusion, dribbling once appeared to be a dying art, but it has been brought back to life with the emergence of players like Ronaldinho and Edgar Davids. One can only hope that the next generation—featuring players such as Anderson, Kerlon, and Carlos Vela—will continue to execute the moves that bring so much joy to spectators.
How can YOU become a master dribbler? Follow these tips to learn how:
- Start off with a relatively easy move, such as the Cruyff turn.
- Watch examples of this move performed online, on sites such as YouTube or Google Video.
- Start practicing the trick, first alone on grass.
- Add in plastic cones to act as defenders.
- Ask a friend to mark you to make it harder while you perform the move.
- Try the move in a match.
- Once you complete the basic moves, move on to harder ones like the Elastico or Roulette.
One hopes you will be able to master the art of dribbling in no time at all! The easier moves should take a couple of days to learn, while slightly harder ones could take a week or two. Practice these moves extensively in street matches before trying them in semi-professional or professional games.
How to Dribble a Soccer Ball
By Howtodotips
A guide to mastering dribbling techniques and skills in soccer.