David Beckham is a famous, world-class soccer player who is known for his ability to cause a soccer ball to curve dramatically when he kicks it. His trademark shot has inspired the phrase and the movie “Bend It Like Beckham.” To kick a soccer ball like Beckham requires implementation of the Magnus effect. The Magnus effect is a physics term that refers to the behavior of a spinning object in the air. As the soccer ball spins, it creates a differentiation in air pressure that causes the ball to curve.
Step 1
Set up the ball on a high piece of grass or ground. Beckham is very precise about how he places the ball. Choosing a low area will make it hard for your foot to get under the ball for a successful strike.
Step 2
Take a few steps away from the ball, primarily in a direction perpendicular to the direction of your kick. Beckham normally takes four or five steps parallel to his target and one step away from the target before he kicks the ball.
Step 3
Approach the ball and plant your nonkicking foot so that it is pointed in the direction of your motion, not towards the target. Planting your foot in a direction opposed to your target will help force your body and kicking leg to turn over the ball, creating a spinning effect.
Step 4
Strike the ball with the inside of your foot in an direction that is both upward and to the side. The classic curving of Beckham's shot makes the ball curve up and down and side to side. By striking the ball with a motion that is at a 45 degree angle to the ground, both up and to the side, you can achieve the same curving results.
Step 5
Follow through the shot so that your kicking leg crosses over your planting leg and your torso is facing the target.
Tips and Warnings
- If the ball is spinning, but not curving, try adding more power. In order for the Magnus effect to work, the ball needs adequate power and spin.
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