Soccer has a universally positive role in bringing people from different cultures together and this is also one reason for its immense popularity. Having widespread influence soccer is liked by people of all age groups and that is why FIFA tournaments are considered the best league. Soccer has gained such a popularity that people of all ages have now started taking interest in playing the game as a hobby. Like any other sport soccer too has some basic rules to follow and with some additional tricks you can even ace the sport.
Avram Grant believes that every player has a unique way of playing but some basic skills can really take your game to another level. The soccer expert has a few basic tips that you can learn from no matter how experienced you are in soccer. For you to be able to show-off your soccer skills on the social media it is important that you learn the basic skills. These are five really simple but very effective skills that you can use in a soccer match. They might not be super flashy but the soccer expert promises they’re going to help beat your opponent in a lot of difficult situations. In order to master these skills you must first understand what they are.
Tip No. 1 – Cruyff Turn
A very famous move in soccer that is named after the legendary Johan Cruyff is the Cruyff Turn. The move is to do with players changing their directions as they play the game and hit the ball. As the ball rolls forward the players starts off by first stepping in front of the ball with their standing foot. This is then followed by the player bringing their strong foot towards the ball and tap it through their legs with the inside of the foot. The move is finally finished by the player sprinting after the soccer ball. Avram Grant points out that one must make sure to keep their knees bent and using their upper body for the turn to sell the effect even move.
Tip No. 2 – Drag Pack
Another notable skill is what is unofficially known as the drag pack. If you are in a tight spot with the opponent right in front of you this is a great move to get you out of it. With the ball in front of you, you start of by dragging it back to the sole of your strong foot. When the ball goes behind the standing foot of the player he simply has to tap it at 90 degrees with the inside of the foot. The player then has to run behind the ball and follow it. It is a really effective move that can also be used for passing the ball to your teammate.
Tip No. 3 – Classic Stepover
Classic stepover is another one of the skills that comes in quite handy when playing soccer. According to Avram Grant Number this is the first 101 skill that a soccer player learns. The basic goal of a stepover is to make the opponent think you’re going one way before suddenly changing your direction. The player simply has to use their weak foot to make a full circle around the ball. Just as the foot is placed back on the ground the ball needs to be tapped in the opposite direction with the outside of the strong fields. Once again the key here is to confuse the defender by dropping your shoulder and using the upper body to make it look like you are heading other way.
Tip No. 4 – The Roll
Unofficially called the Roll, this move is one of the most basic yet effective skills to have. This move works best when the defender is trying to attack for the ball and you simply roll it out of his range. If ball is slightly on the right side in front of the player you should roll the ball with your right foot and vice versa. This is because you need to approach the ball within the inside of your foot first. It is not the gaudiest feel in the world but you will be amazed by the many professional players rely on this very basic skills.
Tip No. 5 – Stepover Turn
Just like the Cruyff turn stepover should be used for changing direction when the defender is breathing down your neck. You start off by swinging your one foot over the ball before placing it firmly on the ground in front of the ball. You then use the same foot tap the ball to the opposite direction with the outside of your foot. Needless to say that it is absolutely crucial to bend your knees and use your upper body as a way of giving even more effects for the skill. The stepover turn looks cool, its supper basic and you might just break some ankles with it if you perform it correctly.
Some More Useful Skills
Shoulder drop is another super simple but super effective move and a skill that a player must be aware of. When you face the defender drop your shoulder faking going one way and then quickly going the other. Following this is the fake shot which is extremely effective if you do it at high speeds. For this move the more you can get the defender to commit the better. Start your shooting motion, but juts before you hit the ball stop your foot and then go away from the defender. Poke right go left is a move which is very simple and works really well if you are super fast. Wait until you are close to the defender poke the ball around him and then spring past him.
There is a variation of stepover where you take a touch to either side and after that you do a step over. Here you really commit to stepover motion to either side and after that you do a stepover. When you’ve caught the defender you should move in the other direction. While all these tips are super helpful for soccer players, Avram Grant claims that his personal favorite is “la croqueta”. This mover is famously been used by Andres Iniesta and Michael Landrup. Here you should wait until the defender lunges for the ball and then you quickly slide the ball from one foot to other pushing it around him almost like a double tap.
Closing Remarks
These were some super easy but very effective skills and tricks that anyone whether an amateur or professional can use in soccer match. It’s quite difficult narrowing the basic soccer skills to only a few, nonetheless it will give you an idea about how to go about the game.
