Dribbling

Dribbling means travelling with the ball. It is the name used to refer to a whole set of ball-control skills, including using the chest, knees and head as well as the feet. Good dribbling is a fundamental discipline of football and a successful dribbler is always an asset to his team.

Dribbling is most often used in offensive situations. One player keeps control of the ball and, as long as he does so, he has control of the game. He uses his agility to set up passes and buy time for his teammates to position themselves for attack. He must fend off tackles, plan his movements, and keep an eye firmly on the rest of the field.

Dribbling

The basic dribble in football involves propelling the ball in front of oneself with a series of small kicks. It is best practised by starting slowly and building up speed. Because it requires the use of both feet, many beginners find themselves held back by their ‘weak’ foot. The only answer to this is practice – and it does get better.

A large part of dribbling technique comes in shielding the ball from opposition players. Beginner dribblers often find themselves kicking the ball farther when they want to speed up, exposing themselves to tackles. The key to dribbling quickly is not to use more power but to make contact more frequently by moving the feet faster.

The best dribblers have a repertoire of dummies to defeat defenders, perfect control of their own pace and the ball, and most importantly a heightened awareness of what is happening around them in the field.

Very talented players have developed brilliant and unusual dribbling skills. See the young Brazilian called Kerlon Moura Souza – he dribbles on his head!