Control With Your Foot

Controlling the soccer ball with your foot is one of the most basic and fundamental skills in soccer- but it still needs to be done properly. Here’s how you can control the ball so you don’t lose it to another player.

1) The ball is being passed to you so look up as it is coming towards you

2) Position yourself so that you can receive the ball on your kicking foot

3) Turn your kicking foot sideways and let the ball roll up against it

4) Let your foot cushion the ball- if you’re foot is to tense the ball will bounce off it and roll away from you

5) Take another touch to move the ball out of your feet

Of course the harder the ball comes at you the harder it is to control it. But just keep practicing it until you really have the ball under your command.

Control With Your Chest

This is a bit more tricky unfortunately. Some balls will be harder to control than others, but just keep at it. Here’s what you need to do to control the ball on your chest.

1) The ball is coming towards you in the air so look up

2) Position yourself so that you are underneath the soccer ball when it gets to you- you should be in the place where the ball will naturally hit your chest. This is all about judgement.

3) Lean back slightly from your hips upwards so that ball has a slightly angled surface to land on

4) Bring your arms up in the air to keep your balance as you lean back to let the ball hit your chest

5) Try to cushion the ball with your chest so it does not bounce away from you

It may take absolutely ages, years in fact, to get this soccer skill just right. But keep plugging away and you will gradually improve.

Control With Your Thigh

This is perhaps a bit easier than controlling with your chest…phew! Again, follow the guide.

1) The soccer ball is coming towards you so look up

2) Position yourslef so that you can control the ball on the thigh of your kicking leg- use the other leg to balance on

3) Lift your thigh up so it’s in the air and angled slightly downwards towards the ground- so that the ball drops to your feet

4) As the ball arrives let your thigh cushion it so that it doesn’t bounce away from you

5) The ball drops of your thigh- you have killed its speed and controlled the ball

Now you’re done with controlling the soccer ball, why not try passing?