| Let's face it, even if you're not much of a soccer | | | | try out those special few that are extremely hard to |
| player, knowing how to handle a few soccer tricks | | | | master. Obviously, if you're practicing these moves |
| can mean a world of difference in your friends circle. | | | | by yourself, or with the help of a friend, you'll be able |
| Improving on your soccer tricks and skills isn't just | | | | to perform them with no or little resistance, which is |
| for impressing your friends and the ladies though. | | | | rarely the case in a real match (and if there's no |
| They can also get your match performance to a | | | | resistance, why would you perform them in a match |
| higher level, because they're surprising and effective. | | | | anyway?). So besides practicing the actual move, |
| I can give you a lot of examples on that part: | | | | you'll also have to work on the timing of your soccer |
| remember when Ronaldinho first started to perform | | | | tricks and skills. A couple of basic moves could include: |
| his famous Elastico move? (flicking the ball with his | | | | the Zidane 360 spin, the stop and go, the Puskas |
| outside of the foot to the left, then quickly cutting it | | | | V-move or the fake shot dribble. Under the advanced |
| with his inside) Nowadays, a defender that's facing | | | | category, you could try the Cruyff move, the |
| Ronaldinho in a one versus one duel will surely be | | | | stepover and double stepover or the Scotch. Moves |
| careful against this move, but when the Brazilian had | | | | that are quite difficult to master and are better off |
| just invented it, it was extremely surprising and he | | | | left for last, include: Ronaldinho's Elastico move, the |
| managed to create havoc whenever his Elastico | | | | "Brazilian" rainbow move or the Van Persie sweep. |
| would work. I'm not saying you'll be able to perform | | | | Start off with the basic ones and practice them |
| as well as Ronaldinho after you learn soccer tricks like | | | | thoroughly, until you feel you've mastered these |
| that, but it can definitely give you a surprising edge in | | | | soccer tricks. Of course, when you move on to the |
| a match situation. Another great example of soccer | | | | advanced moves, these will take a lot longer to get a |
| tricks and skills that can make a difference is Zidane's | | | | solid grip over, but you will have had already built |
| 360 spin. Although it's a very effective and simple | | | | some basic ball control skills from the basic dribble. |
| move, it wasn't until Zizou popularized it that players | | | | More difficult dribbles like the Elastico, or the rainbow |
| all over the World actually used it in matches. So, if | | | | kick will take a while to get a grip on, but don't get |
| you learn soccer tricks, you'll be able to gain an edge | | | | discouraged if you keep failing on executing them! |
| on your opponent, but that probably wasn't that hard | | | | With enough practice, there's no trick that you won't |
| to figure out anyway. The real question is HOW to | | | | be able to handle. The only thing that kills learning a |
| do soccer tricks and how to learn them correctly. | | | | specific trick is saying "I can't do this" and cutting it |
| Here's what I would suggest. Try to have a | | | | off your list. |
| step-by-step approach when you learn soccer tricks, | | | | Niv Orlian is the author & the owner of a Soccer |
| categorizing them on difficulty levels. Start with the | | | | Fans website that provides info on various topics |
| basic ones, move on to advanced moves and once | | | | related to soccer. For more info on how to play |
| you get both these categories well under your boot, | | | | soccer like the pros click here. |