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Receiving

Soccer Fundamentals Explained: The Best Skills to Have and How to Improve Them

By Parker & Walsh Leave a Comment

soccer fundamental skills

There are a variety of skills that everyone needs to master in order to be successful playing soccer. You likely have heard coaches or other people in the game calling these skills the “soccer fundamentals” which are particularly important.

Some of these skills are fairly obvious. For example, even if you’re a beginner I’m sure you know the importance of knowing how to pass the ball.

But what exactly makes something a fundamental skill, and more importantly, what can you do as a player to learn these fundamentals most effectively?

For Beginners: What Are these Fundamentals Anyway?

There’s no soccer coaching body that publishes an agreed-upon list of a set number of “fundamentals.” If you search online or read a stack of soccer coaching books, you’ll find a widely varying number of them, as well as some discrepancies as to what gets counted as a fundamental.

But there are commonalities that you’ll see almost everywhere. These are the key skills that all players need to master no matter the level they are at or the positions which they are playing.

We briefly describe each soccer fundamental here, with some links into other articles that go into more detail on each skill. I will say that fundamentals are much different for goalkeepers; this article is talking about field players.

Fundamental #1: Passing

What’s the quickest way to get the ball from Point A to Point B on the field? Some may think it’s by dribbling, but passing the ball is the fastest and most efficient way to move it across the field.

This helps get more teammates involved at key positions on the field, break down the defense, and ultimately get the ball in dangerous attacking positions.

In other situations, passing can actually be more of a defensive move, allowing you to relieve pressure from the opponent and catch your breath while preparing to gear up for your next move up the field.

At a most basic level, any time your team is in possession of the ball and passing it around, the opposing team is chasing and getting tired, which gives you the advantage.

Any great team is able to pass the ball at a high level (even if they ultimately decide to favor other parts of the game in their tactics), and thus any great player needs to be proficient in passing.

This is why we consider passing among the most important of fundamental skills and something that every player, regardless of position, needs to spend a lot of time refining.

Fundamental #2: Receiving/First Touch

This is the other side of passing; the player who receives the pass. You may know this skill as “trapping” but that term has fallen out of favor because it signified stopping the ball dead. Receiving, on the other hand, is getting the ball under your control in a fluid motion so you can make your next move.

We’ve included first touch in here too which is a related but slightly different idea. Your first touch is not just when you receive a pass by a teammate, but any time you gain possession of the ball, be it from a crisp pass or a awkwardly bouncing ball.

Fundamental #3: Dribbling

Although passing is a more efficient team strategy for moving the ball, any good player also needs to be confident in their ability to dribble.

By dribbling you can take players on and get past them. You can dribble to create your own shot. You can even get yourself out of a dangerous situation or tight space by moving into a better position.

In short, it’s about as fundamental a skill as you can get, and one that all players need to work on and master.

Fundamental #4: Shooting

Some may challenge the idea that shooting is something that all players need to learn how to do well, and thus question its fundamental status. After all, isn’t it just forwards who need to know how to shoot?

This is incorrect.

Midfielders regularly get up into the attacking third and need to be ready to shoot when they have the space and opportunity. Most defenders will do the same on occasion, and will also likely find themselves in the opposing team’s box on corners and other set pieces.

With this in mind, it’s still very important that defenders and midfielders learn to shoot with proper form, because they may only get one chance to do it and need to be ready to take advantage.

Fundamental #5: Defending

Similar to shooting, defending is another fundamental skill that some mistakenly think is only for defenders.

But defending happens in all areas of the field and needs to be done by all players. A forward who loses the ball needs to apply the right pressure so the team can win it back. Every player needs to have the skills to put in a strong tackle when defending.

Fundamental #6: Heading

Heading is another key skill that is necessary for all players, no matter their position. It’s a diverse skill: forwards head the ball for a shot on goal; midfielders jockey to win airballs in the center of the pitch; and defenders must head the ball out of their box and into safety.

In addition, learning proper heading form is extra important because repeated improper heading can increase the risk of concussions and even brain damage. As the safety of heading continues to be investigated, there may be changes to it, especially at the youth levels.

Drills for Learning Soccer Fundamentals

There are countless ways to improve these fundamentals. You naturally work on them in game situations, with the benefit that you will experience them in realistic situations and naturally connected to each other.

But games and scrimmages aren’t enough for working on your fundamentals. A full sided game won’t give you enough touches and repetition of any skill to make a major difference all by itself.

Instead, you need to work on these skills in isolation. If you’re on a team with a good coach, he or she should already be designing drills that work on these skills. These might include give and gos with a partner; dribbling at a cone and performing a move; or 1v1 challenges.

But in addition, it’s a great idea to work on these fundamental skills through individual training.

Best Ways to Improve Soccer Fundamentals By Yourself

For passing, you can practice with a partner if you have one, or you can pass against a wall or a soccer rebounder. Make sure you’re using both feet, and passing with all surfaces. Work on passing on the ground as well as driving and chipping balls.

Pass with the inside of your foot, the outside, and the laces. Pass one touch, and two touch while receiving the ball with multiple surfaces as well. This helps you work on two fundamental skills at once.

When you’re receiving the ball and working on a proper first touch, make sure you stay on your toes and keep your head up. You also want to work on receiving the ball across your body and receiving the ball on the short hop

Dribbling is the easiest fundamental skill to practice by yourself. You can dribble around your yard, or even around your house or apartment. As with passing and receiving, make sure you are using all surfaces including the inside, outside, and laces. Work on dribbling through a set of cones or other objects, and work on performing a move while dribbling, like feints, cuts and step-overs.

For shooting, take a look at our article on How to Practice Shooting by Yourself at Home for plenty of ideas.

These are only a few ways to get started practicing your soccer fundamentals. What other ways do you know of honing these crucial skills?

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Filed Under: Individual Soccer Training Tagged With: Defending, Dribbling, Heading, Passing, Receiving, Shooting

Backyard Drills: Receiving the Ball on the Short Hop and Dribbling

By Parker & Walsh Leave a Comment

For our first ever blog post, we shared 5 Ways to Improve Your Skills in Your Backyard. In that article, the second way to improve your skill was working on your trapping. Trapping the soccer ball is actually an older term that’s fallen out of fashion; the updated term is receiving.

There are four ways to receive the ball out of the air: sole inside, outside, and laces. The previous post discussed how to use your laces. This article will give you some ways to improve your skill of receiving the soccer ball out of the air on the short hop, as well as a couple of additional practice exercises.

Receiving the ball on the short hop means that the ball actually hits the ground and you receive the ball just as it hit off the ground on its way up.

Sole of the foot

Kick the ball up in the air out in front of you so that you have to chase after it for a couple yards and still get to it. You will need to reach out with the sole of your foot to receive the ball on the short hop to push the ball back down on the ground. You don’t want to kick the ball away from you. You want to make sure it is close enough to you to get another touch on it. Also, make sure you don’t stomp on the ball, but rather make it a more smooth motion

Inside of the foot

When receiving the ball on the short hop with the inside of your foot, you can kick the ball straight up in the air. I would recommend kicking ball up slightly to one side or the other because it will be easier to receive. If the ball is slightly to your right, then you will want to use your right foot to cut the ball to the left just as is bounces off the turf, and vice versa.

Outside of the foot

Similar to receiving using the sole of your foot, when using the outside you will need to kick the ball a couple yards away from you so that you can still get to it. You will want to reach out for the ball so that you receive the ball just as it comes off the ground with the outside of your foot. Remember, don’t reach too far or else you will be sniped. You will be cutting the ball back in the direction you just ran from.

Remember to make sure you are using both feet for each surface you are receiving the ball.

Figure 8

sole dribbling soccer drillFor this exercise, you will need two cones about two yards apart. Start with the ball outside of the right cone at a 45 degree angle. You will need to pull the ball with sole of your right foot back below and between the two cones. With your the inside of your left foot, push the ball between the two cones. With the sole of your right foot, roll the ball outside the cone. Next, use the sole of your left foot to pull the ball back below and between the two cones. Use the inside of your right foot to push the ball between the two cones. Finally, with the sole of your left foot, roll the ball outside the cone. Now you are back to the beginning. Perform the Figure 8 dribbling drill for 30 seconds to 1 minute. You may want to start out slow to get a rhythm, but make sure you quickly pick up the pace to perform this exercise as fast as possible. Remember, you will always alternate using your right foot and then left foot.

Inside Cut, Outside Push

Set up four cones in a rectangle. Start in the middle and outside the right two cones. Cut the ball with the inside of your right foot to the middle of the cones. Next, use the outside of your left foot to push the ball outside of the box of cones. Cut the ball with the inside of your left foot to the middle of the cones. Use the outside of your right foot to push the ball outside the box. You want to keep the ball dribble the ball on a straight line side to side. Make sure you cut the ball right underneath you. This will help keep the ball on a straight line and not allow a defender to poke it away.

inside cut outside push dribble exercise soccer

Filed Under: Individual Soccer Training Tagged With: Backyard, Receiving, Trapping

The Importance of Receiving the Ball Across Your Body

By Parker & Walsh Leave a Comment

receive-ballSoccer coaches often encourage their players receive the ball across their body. Some even demand it. When I was younger, for one, my coach Brian Jaworski told me that if I watched the English Premier League (EPL), I would see that all the best players receive the ball across their body.

I do watch the EPL a lot, and I’ve noticed that just about everyone receives the ball across their body, not just the best players. This post will explain a little about why this is such an important part of the game for both players in the center of the field and on the wings.

For players who receive the ball in the center of the field, like center midfielders, receiving the ball across your body is crucial for changing the point of attack.

In order to change the point of attack, you must be able to open your hips, allowing the ball to come all the way across your body and enabling you to see the other side of the field. This allows you to switch the ball to the other side of the field before the defense shifts or gives you new options and passing lanes because of the shifting defense. Either way you will be manipulating the defense in your favor.

For players that play on the outside of the field, (outside-mids, wingers, or outside backs), receiving the ball across your body keeps you balanced and able to quickly attack the middle of the field.

When players on the outside of the field allow the ball to come across their body, they stay balanced by receiving the ball with the inside of the foot. If you try to trap the ball with the outside of your front foot, however, you will either be reaching for the ball, making you off balance, showing your defender the ball, or both.

When properly receiving the ball across your body on the flanks, you will be able to attack the middle of the field opening up room for overlapping runs. Also, by cutting into the middle of the field, players will get defenders on their back making it difficult for the defensive player to get the ball and get back into a good defensive position.

Hopefully, by attacking the middle, you will be able to come across the field and get a shot off.

Filed Under: Soccer Game Tips Tagged With: Receiving, Trapping

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