Content

• Part 2 of 2: Dribbling Drills
• Tips

1 Learn to gently touch the ball. In dribbling, every contact of the foot with the soccer ball is called “touch”. By gently touching the ball, you will be in contact with it more often, which at first will slow down your movements a little; however, once you get used to this technique, it will give you better ball control.

• The more often your foot touches the ball, the better you control its movement.

2 Keep the ball close to your feet. As you roll the ball between the inner sides of your feet, keep your knees slightly bent. Your body should be between the defender and the ball. This position will also allow you to change direction faster.

• When you keep the ball close to your feet, it is more difficult for the defenders to tackle it. Cover the ball with your feet.

3 Use the instep when dribbling. When dribbling the ball, roll it with the outer instep of your feet. Move across the field at a gallop (but don't rush headlong). Running at a gallop allows you to keep the ball close to your feet at all times. The placement of your hips and feet in this run will also help you move forward without letting go of the ball. At the same time, point your feet with toes forward. Maintain contact between the leading edges of the boot and the ball while maintaining balance and moving forward quickly.

• This technique is not applicable when changing speed, stopping, changing direction, or similar sudden changes. It is only suitable for moving quickly with the ball across the field.

4 While observing the ball, keep it on the lower periphery of your field of view. When practicing dribbling, beginners often concentrate all their attention on the ball, losing sight of their surroundings. Instead, you should learn to observe the ball with only the lower edge of your eyes as soon as possible.

• By observing the ball with your peripheral vision, you will be able to better control everything that happens on the field, noticing weaknesses in the defense, open teammates, advantageous positions for shooting on goal, and the like.

5 Change the speed of movement. Moving predictably at the same pace, you will become easy prey for the opposing defenders. Learn to change the speed of your movement. This allows you to change the pace in unexpected ways, confusing defenders and successfully outflanking them.

6 Cover the ball with your body. Cover the ball with your body when the defender approaches. Use your whole body, arms, legs and shoulders to protect the ball, keeping the defender at a safe distance from the ball. However, do not push the opponent away with your hands or feet. Dribble the ball far away from the defender with your foot, covering it.

Part 2 of 2: Dribbling Drills

1. 1 Practice dribbling the ball onto the field. Find a suitable area large enough for you to jog on with the ball. Touch the ball gently with the outside of your foot, directing it forward; try to keep the ball half a meter in front of you and do not let it go further. In open space, free of opponents, control of the ball is less important, and you can go from canter to a faster run.
2. 2 Practice speed dribbling. With this dribbling, you need to quickly move around the field, while controlling the ball. To achieve high speed, bend your feet slightly at the ankles, bending the socks to the ground. Touch the ball with the outside of the instep of your foot, in the middle toe.
   • With this technique, you should touch the ball after five to eight steps. Maintain the pace of movement, trying not to slow down when you touch the ball.
3. 3 Dribble the ball with one foot around the practice pieces. Place five pieces in a row about a meter apart and sweep the ball around them using one foot. As you dribble the ball around the chips, work on both sides of the instep as well as the inside of the foot. When you reach the end of the row, just turn around and do the movement in the opposite direction. Repeat the exercise, going back and forth three times, then you can take a break.
   • If the chips fall, you are moving too fast or you have insufficient control of the ball. Train at a slower pace until you stop knocking off chips.
   • Since it is extremely important in football to have good control of both legs, alternate your legs when doing this exercise. Walk a row of chips several times, then take a break and repeat the exercise with a change of leg.
4. 4 Practice passing the chips using both legs, moving in a crisscross pattern. For this exercise, you will need to raise both feet internally. Run the ball between the tokens with one foot, then return it with the other foot, pushing it between the next two. This side-to-side movement is good for practicing sudden direction changes during play.
   • In this case, it is not necessary to perform each movement of the ball between adjacent tiles in one touch. You can simply stop the ball with the inside of your foot before rolling the ball between the next pieces. Try to do the exercise at the highest possible speed while controlling the ball. If you have to watch the ball in motion, keep practicing until you can dodge the chips without looking at the ball.
5. 5 Practice passing a row of chips with both legs, moving from side to side. First, direct the ball between the chips with the inner instep of the foot of the foot farther away from the chips. If you are standing to the left of the chips, use your left foot. After that, with the outside of the second foot, advance the ball in the same direction, passing it between the same chips.
   • Step with your first foot without touching the ball. Then stop the ball with the inside of your other foot and guide it between the next pair of chips, repeating the movement in the opposite direction.
6. 6 Practice rolling inward movements. Place your foot on the ball and roll it between a pair of chips. The ball should be directed at an angle so that it rolls in front of the second, pivotal foot. Then stop the ball with the inside of that foot by changing your pivot foot and roll it between the next pair of chips, repeating the movement in the opposite direction.
   • As with side-to-side movement, after rolling the ball, step with your outside foot, then stop the ball with your other foot and roll it back with it. Stick to the correct order of movement so you don't get confused while doing the exercise.
7. 7 Practice rolling the ball between your legs without chips. You can simply move the ball between your feet without using training chips. Start with the exercise in place, without going forward. Just roll the ball between your legs using the inside of your feet. Practice doing this at different speeds and moving back and forth.

Tips

• When training, be sure to use both legs, and not just the lead. Good possession of both feet provides better ball control.
• Watch the professionals play. Watch the videos and pay attention to their feints and false moves.
• Develop skills first, and only then practice them at speed. The speed will develop as you train.
• Remember that during the game it is always better to give a good pass rather than try to outflank your opponent. The goal of dribbling is to get into a good position for a successful pass or shot on goal, not just a show of your dexterity.
• Do not lower your gaze, look in front of you and around to assess the situation on the field. Try to pass with the outside rather than the inside of your foot.
• You can combine the exercises given in the article and modify them by developing your own to develop certain skills.
• Try to find a partner who will act as a protector. You can learn to dribble faster and better by training with a partner.
• Learn to have good ball control, as this is the foundation of all other skills in football, such as dribbling, receiving the ball and passing the ball.