For a prospective soccer player, there is a strong chance you may never go pro if you fail to master or become very good at ball control.
Every soccer player has to develop this skill because it is important in improving performance and playing in the sport. It is not a skill that should be ignored or under-developed.
Think ball control, think Dimitar Berbatov, think Thierry Henry, think Dennis Bergkamp, think Zinedine Zidane. Those are some of the past soccer stars who are famous for holding the ball like glue to their feet.
Are you keen to improve your ball control skills? As a coach, do you also desire to learn more about soccer ball control drills? This article has got you covered.
Let’s take a look at some of the best and most popular soccer ball control drills!
4 Ball Control Drills in Soccer
Here are four ball control drills you must add to practice.
Using Cones for Dribbling
This particular drill is designed to help you as a player improve your ball control while also developing your dribbling skills.
The whole idea is to manipulate the cones to hone your skull. There are well-known ways by which you can use them to improve your ball control skills in training.
You just need a small area to carry out this exercise with multiple cone arrangements. However, a basic way to set them up is in a straight line so that you can weave and dodge your way through.
You can start things off with the basic cone drill where you have to dribble the ball through the cones with just one foot.
You will place six cones about a yard or two away from each other, then you will caress the ball with one foot, let’s say your right, through the arranged cones from the first cone to the sixth one and back to the beginning.
Once you have mastered this ball skill you can now go ahead to challenge yourself to move at a quicker pace through the cones so that your touch can become more prepared for games.
A set is completed when you have done the drill at least five times. Then you can go ahead to change the foot. This is another importance of this drill because it helps to build control and ball mastering with even the weak foot.
Another variation is a combination of both feet but the outside has to be used to dribble through the cones. Similarly, there is also another variation done with the inside of the feet.
There are other variations of this particular soccer ball control drill to have full football ball control. With that in mind, using the cones to dribble in and out of the cones is one of the best tools for ball mastery drills.
This drill is important because it helps you to keep the ball within your reach as you weave through the arranged cones.
How to Run More Effectively With the Ball?
This is the next drill to execute after you have completed the ball control drills using the cones.
When you have finished and there is a bit of confidence, you can now challenge yourself to move quicker with the ball. This is a simulation of what to expect during match situations. It is an important soccer ball control drill.
To excel in this sport, one needs to keep practicing. Even some professional soccer players still struggle to run effectively with the ball. Failure to master that skill can limit the exploits of a player on the pitch.
When it comes to running quicker, it is not down to weight and your natural ability alone. Although they are key determinants, there is also a technique to master ball control.
When you run with purpose, the ball execution will even be better. That is why this drill is very crucial in mastering ball control.
This drill will help you enhance your ball control skills as well as improve your fitness along the way. In addition, this technique is to be used when you have the ball at your feet as well.
In terms of execution, you will have to weave through three cones and then another set of three cones that have been placed about 10 yards away on the opposite side.
You can first execute the drill without the ball and then introduce the ball. You have to make sure that the ball is close to your foot and closer to your toe (either inside or outside of your foot).
When moving in between the posts or cones, make sure that you are keeping the ball tight into the center and not expanding your body so that the body needs to break more.
Trapping and Ball Control
You will need help with this particular soccer ball control drill. This drill requires somebody to throw the ball into you and you have to control the ball and return it back to them.
Before progressing to trapping, you can start by controlling passes that are being rolled into your feet. It is important to stop the ball dead, and then return the ball with a pass.
Once you have been able to get a hold of this, then your partner can throw the ball in rather than roll it to you. It is better to start at a low height and progress gradually.
You are to trap the ball with the inside of your foot and kill the ball on the floor, then pass it back to them.
The next level to this skill is to control the ball in the air and return the ball on the floor to your partner.
Your partner is to throw the ball to you at different heights, for example, knee height, stomach height, chest height, or even head height.
The best way to master the skill is to work to be able to adjust your body to know the right structure to use to bring the ball under control.
Out of the other variations of the ball control, controlling the ball with your head seems to be the most difficult one. However, it is achievable.
You just have to keep your eye on the ball and cushion the ball with your forehead by opening your body up then allow the ball to drop again into your feet to bring it under control.
This drill and its combination will help you master the art of ball control in different situations.
Wall Passing
Without any doubt, this is a perfect way to practice and master your first touch and ball control without the need for help from your partner or friend. All you need for this drill is a ball and a wall.
Like every other one of these soccer ball control drills, there are many variations you can do.
To start things off, you will pass the ball with the inside of your foot against the wall and cushion the ball with the inside of your foot when it comes back at you.
To kill the pace at which the ball is coming, your body has to be positioned openly as this allows you to control the ball’s direction with your first choice.
You can go ahead to increase the speed so that you can control different ball paces. Overall, this technique can help your first touch in-game situations.
You need to alternate your legs after each session. This is to work on the weaker foot as much as the stronger foot.
Ball Control Skills to Use During a Game
Here are the ball control skills you need to use during a game.
The Drag Back
The dragback is one ball control skill that former Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets is known for. The Spanish midfielder is a master of this ball control skill, allowing him to easily retain the ball and switch direction of play.
It is a ball control skill that can create space and give you that extra yard of space you might need to release a pass or even take a shot.
To practice this drill, you will need a cone as your marker. You will then dribble towards that cone, and just as you approach that marker, you will stop the ball with the sole of your foot, which must now be followed quickly by the drag back into the other direction you want the ball to go.
After learning the skill, it is important to be able to sell it to the opposition so that you do not lose possession.
Meanwhile, you can create another variation of this drill by using the inside of your foot to push the ball behind your standing leg after stopping at the marker. It is a much quicker way to create space and outfox the defender.
Step Over
The step-over is another way of keeping control of the ball. Players like Robinho, Jay Jay Okocha, and Ronaldinho used this skill consistently throughout their careers. It is an effective way to take the defender out of your path.
To perform the step over, you will need to be dribbling with one foot, and then when you are close to the defender, you will have to perform at least a loop to fool the defender.
The stepover relies on the shift of the body weight from one side to another to get it done the right way.
Elastico
A move made famous by the former Barcelona man Ronaldinho and he would love to leave defenders in his wake with this signature elastico move.
In Africa and Nigeria specifically, this move is called “Snake Bite” – yes, you read that right. Picture the movement a snake makes before making a bite and the ‘idea’ is clear.
Moving forward, though, this skill requires you to be able to move your body before the hop. It is important to keep the ball always on the edge of your foot and the inside near your big toe.
It is quite difficult to execute, but with constant practice, you can master it.
Fake Shot Sole Roll
This is another skill aimed at ‘fooling’ the defender to go past them. It is mostly used to disorientate the defender to create a shooting chance or a cross into the danger area.
You will roll that ball out of your feet in front of you, then open up your body as if you are about to shoot or cross the ball, then take the ball back across your body to the other foot and this gives you ample time to decide your action.
The Cruyff Turn
This is a skill made famous by the great Dutch and Barcelona player Johann Cruyff. The first player on the receiving end was Swedish defender Jan Olsson. Olsson was dazed and confused and since then, it has been a signature move.
Just like all other skills, you need to sell it to the defender and ensure the bait was taken to quickly create space for yourself and move.
This skill is not quite easy to execute and only after a dedicated amount of training time, it can be mastered.
The Stanley Matthews Skill
This is another effective ball control skill that can be used easily, if done correctly, in a match situation. It is not quite as popular as the Chop or Cruyff turn. It is named after the former England and Blackpool winger.
To perform this skill, you need to do the following. When running at a defender, you have to be dribbling with the ball on the edge of your foot.
When you approach the defender, you will then take a big step with the non-ball-carrying foot to convince the defender you are going that way. However, you need to shift the body weight over to convince the defender.
The Chop
This is another great piece of skill that can frustrate the opposing defender when you are running at pace and trying to get the ball under control. It is the signature move of Portuguese great Cristiano Ronaldo.
The former Real Madrid man uses it to create space for himself or allow a teammate to attack the space he has created by dragging the defender away.
It is a great move to use as it allows you to change direction but keep the momentum going.
Final Thoughts
These soccer control drills have been carefully curated to help you get better in this aspect of your game. It is important to note that decision-making and awareness are also some of the lessons to take away in the end.
You cannot get to do a lot of things on the pitch if your ball control skills are underdeveloped. It is a technique that can make things easier or difficult for a player in tight match situations.
We have looked at the soccer ball control drills, and I am sure you’ve learned a few things. At this point, your ball control should be better than it was before reading this article.
