Ground moves live at the intersection of soccer, break dancing and hip-hop. These stylish dribbling moves, inspired by the play of Brazil and France in the 1998 World Cup, form the foundation of freestyling, made famous by Ronaldinho in a series of Nike commercials. This form of soccer is played, not so much in a game of 11 on 11, but as either an individual exhibition or at a freestyling tournament.
Step 1
Warm up by dribbling the ball from the inside of one ankle to the other to begin work on the Twist. Dribble forward, brushing your left foot over the ball from left to right, such that you keep the ball connected to your foot, rather than pushing the ball in a standard dribble. Roll the ball until it hits the inside of your right ankle and rebounds forward. Lean forward and stop the slowly moving ball with your extended left foot. Double the Twist by stopping the ball and rolling it back the way you came.
Step 2
Roll the ball backward with your left instep to perform the Lizard, tapping the ball to your right instep, which continues to guide the ball backward. Bend your knee as you guide the ball back to extend your leg behind a defender marking you closely. Whip the ball with your instep into space behind the defender. Whirl 180 degrees to accelerate past the defender on the other side from the moving ball, pick up the ball and accelerate.
Step 3
Dribble the ball forward and step over the rolling ball with your right foot to begin the Pro-Flow. Turn 180 degrees counterclockwise and rest your right foot on top of the ball. Drag the ball behind you, pivot and accelerate past your defender. Or fake a pivot and instead drag the ball ahead to continue in the same direction.
Step 4
Tap the ball forward one time gently, straight toward a defender with your right foot elevated and your toes pointed down, and hop forward. Tap the ball forward a second time, again with the right foot so it appears you are headed right toward him, but as you tap, snake the front of your foot to the right side of the slowly moving ball and shove it on a diagonal to the left side, twisting your leg and whole body in the direction of travel. As a variation, flick the ball up on the first tap and use your knee on the second tap to send the ball behind the defender's back, using your quickness to pick up the ball and accelerate.
Tips and Warnings
- Practice ground moves wherever you go, taking a ball with you on the way to school and practicing moves that rebound the ball against curbs and around tree trunks, pretending you are in a 1 v. 1 duel in a game, recommends Expert Football. Participate in small-sided games, such as informal pickup games, 4 v. 4 tournaments or futsal to work on your ground moves in a setting more conducive to picking apart a defense than an 11 v. 11 league game, where defenders will be more serious about stuffing your ground moves. Study the players on Brazil's men's national team and in European leagues for inspiration. Or look at online video tutorials of France's Zinedine Zidane to break down the elements of a flashy ground move that appeals to you.
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