What is dribbling in soccer?
Dribbling in soccer is controlling the ball with your feet. It’s the foundation for every other soccer move. Your kids will use it to bypass defenders, control passes from a teammate, and set themselves up for a powerful shot.
Taking the time to master good fundamentals and build muscle memory goes a long way toward advancing your game. In fact, the ones who master dribbling are more likely to play with confidence and score more goals.
But using your feet isn’t always natural, and mastering dribbling is a lifetime challenge.
When most kids first start playing, dribbling consists of kicking the ball and chasing after it. That’s a great place to start and technically is dribbling, but as competition ramps up, it doesn’t work very well. Let’s go over a few basics that will help you raise your dribbling to new heights.
Soccer dribbling basics (do's and don'ts)
Dribbling in soccer can be done with all parts of the foot. But there are three basic ways to dribble the ball and one to avoid.
DO: Use your instep
Dribbling with the inside of your foot gives you the most control and stability while moving and running. You can use the inside of the foot to push, tap, or slide the ball depending on how you are attacking the defender.
DO: Use your laces, or the top of your foot
You can also dribble with the top of your foot, often referred to as the laces. This is used for sprinting or when executing special fakes. Using the laces allows you to run in a more natural manner without turning the hips.
DO: Use the outside of your foot
When you need to change direction quickly, it helps to be comfortable using the outside of your foot to make a dribble. That way you can naturally progress without losing valuable time taking extra steps.
DON'T: Use your toes
Many people naturally want to use their toes to kick or dribble the ball. This is a mistake as you have less control and are likelier to have a bad touch (make a dribble that causes you to turn the ball over).
Taking the time to get comfortable using all three parts of both your right and left foot will make a huge difference.
But practicing dribbling does more than improve your dribbling. It helps with fast feet, balance, awareness, and fine motor skills in your feet and ankles, which can be hard in a hand-dominated world.
In fact, you can almost always pick the kids out who practice dribbling because they are in the center of the action and always find the ball at their feet, ready to set up a teammate for a shot or score goals themselves.
Want to improve your soccer dribbling skills?
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