Well-developed foot skills are an important element of an effective soccer player. Soccer players use their feet more than any other body part, so it's vital to master the basics if you want to be able to kick, pass, shoot and dribble well. The guidance of an experienced coach can help you reach your potential, but regular practice is the only way to master these skills.
Basic Kicking
Kicking the ball powerfully and accurately is a basic soccer skill. A kicked ball travels faster than any player runs, so sharp passes to your teammates can quickly clear the ball away from your goal area or initiate an attack on the other team's goal. Shooting the ball also requires power and accuracy. As you approach a goalkeeper, look for areas of the goal that the keeper will have trouble defending. Kick the ball hard to increase your chances of success, but not so hard that you sacrifice accuracy.
Special Kicks
Sometimes kickers must send the ball far distances to open players, a skill that requires excellent aim and leg strength. A corner kick occurs after a defensive player knocks the ball past the rear line during an attack on goal. The referee places the ball at one of the corners, and an offensive kicker attempts to cross it in front of the goal so a teammate can kick or head it in. If an offensive player knocks the ball past the rear line, a goal kick occurs. The referee places the ball on the corner of the goal area, and the goalkeeper kicks it forward to an open teammate. A referee may punish other infractions, such as rough tackling, by awarding free kicks from other areas. A penalty kick is a severe punishment that allows an aggrieved player to shoot the ball at the goal from a short distance away.
Dribbling
Dribbling is an essential foot skill. When you run with the ball, short taps with your foot keep it speeding in front of you. The key is to run as fast as you can without letting the ball get too far ahead. To beat defenders, you must feint and dart around them while tapping the ball just enough so that it passes them, a skill that takes a long time to develop. Advanced players perform dribbling tricks, such as rolling the ball side-to-side with the bottom of their feet to fool defenders.
Trapping
Trapping refers to stopping a speeding ball without losing control of it. Using your foot to trap the ball is effective, especially for low, speedy passes. Allow the ball to contact your foot, then absorb its momentum by pulling back your foot slightly. Done correctly, the ball will stop in front of you, allowing you to dribble, pass it to another player or take a shot on goal.
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