Essential Drills to Improve your Soccer Ball Control

Essential Drills to Improve your Soccer Ball Control

Football or soccer players need to keep improving their performance through practice. This will help to keep a steady performance in the field. But it would help if you had the right direction and guidance.

So, are you ready to make an impression in your next game? We spoke with a soccer coach about tips to help improve your control over the ball. These drills will help you to dominate the game on the field.

• Juggling exercise

This is the essential skill you should master as a football player. It is not just about showing off your freestyle but controlling the ball’s motion. So, this drill is about control, balance, and cushioning the soccer ball. This will help you tackle the ball from any direction during the game.

You must use your torso to hold the ball up high and then release it on your foot. You need to kick the ball up and wait for it to return to your hand right next to the hip level. To master the skill, you must repeat it for 30 seconds.

Next, you must juggle the ball twice before you take control of the ball in your hands. This is again going to be repeated for 30 seconds. The drill will also help you understand your weak foot so that you can practice 2x more. 

• Dribble minefield

This freestyle soccer drill allows you to improvise the ball’s position. Here you have to dribble the ball across the cones and ensure that they do not touch these cones. This will help to maintain coordination of the ball and your feet. You need an open field to practice this exercise and do it regularly without skipping the routine. 

You get to learn the skill to move the ball in different directions. So, whenever you change the direction, the ball goes along. However, you can use a substitute if you don’t have cones.

• Shuffling the ball

You must keep the soccer balls between your feet and pass the ball from one foot to another using light touch. You should not skip the count and maintain a skipping motion. You should continue for 30 seconds to 1 minute, which suits them best. Further, you can increase the timing based on your control power over the ball. 

This helps maintain your body balance and ensures you touch the ball lightly. This will help you move the soccer ball across the field or change direction during a tackle. During a game, you must have the skills to take the ball from one corner to another. This is where you must take control of your leg’s movement while you touch the ball.

Finally, try toe taps

Toe taps is a drill where the ball doesn’t move from its position and is placed on the ground. Now, you have to set your base in front of the ball and touch the top of the ball as if you are in a climbing motion. Repeat the entire exercise for a minute if possible. This will help you maintain your balance with the ball and strengthen your legs. Every drill is about understanding the position relative to the ball and your body.