How to Play Soccer - Dribbling a Soccer Ball

Seeing a player dribble and attack defenders, feinting one way and then the next, or performing a series of stops and starts is one of the most exciting parts about watching soccer and developing great dribbling skills is one of the mandatory skills required of anyone that is learning how to play soccer

Basically, dribbling basically running with the ball, although there are a few fundamental things that you need to know. 

Firstly

The best technique when dribbling is to use the outside of the foot where ever possible.  This enables you to run normally, and so more efficiently and faster.  Of course if you change direction or make a feint, then you will use the inside of your foot or the instep (the top of your foot), but practising running and dribbling with the outside of your foot is the way to go!

Secondly

You need to keep the ball as close to you as possible, so that the opposition cannot get the ball.  How close is that?  Well it depends on where the opposition is and how fast they are.  If they area is congested and there are lots of defenders, then you will need to keep the ball within touching distance at all times, that is about a foot or so away.   If there is a lot of space, and you want to get forward very quickly, then keeping the ball about 5 yards away whilst running fast allow you to run faster.  There are times when you are not really dribbling but running with the ball, and there will be times when it is to you advantage to "knock" the ball past the defender and chase it, especially if you are confronted with the last defender and there is a lot of space behind the defender.  Can you guess what the advantages are?  The knock and run turns the challenge into a foot race, so if you are faster, then you will probably have a chance to shoot.  If the defender gets there first, you still have an advantage because he is facing the wrong way and you will get the chance to put pressure on him while he is facing the wrong way, and may get a throw in or even better, a corner.

Thirdly

When dribbling, particularly when close control is needed, it is far better to keep as low as possible, by bending the knees a little.  By doing this it is easier to deceive your opponents and change direction.  Being lower to the ground will give you more agility with your legs, and you will be more flexible.

How should you practice?

If you are by yourself, then there is little option but to dribble around stationary objects like cones, but try and make it game like and ensure that there is enough intensity in what you are doing to put pressure on yourself.  Simply going through the motions just wont cut it!

If there are two of you, then a game of 1v1 where there are two goals set 20yards apart and you can score in either goal.  You start by both of you having your back to the goals and one player tossing the ball over their head into the playing area and the other player saying "GO".  Having two goals that either player can score in will encourage turning and faking, a much needed skill in dribbling.

If you have a whole team at training, the using the dribbling square is a fantastic drill.

Mark out a square of 20by20yards and have equal numbers of players on each side, with all players facing inwards to the other side of the square, and each player has a ball. On your command the players dribble across the square to the other side and then back again.  The traffic and sheer number of players in the square forces players to look up to avoid collisions and to look for space to explode into, much like a game.  This drill is so much better that dribbling through cones.

Look for more articles by Nigel Reed on How to play soccer