Test 1: Consistent circumference
Top strikers like Michael Owen, Ronaldo and Filippo Inzaghi use an irresistible combination of pace and ball skills to strike fear into opponents at club and international level, allowing them to outfox entire defences in seconds and score impressive and unforgettable goals.
How can you improve your dribbling?
It is very easy to practise your dribbling on your own. Dribbling is a skill that combines four basic elements:
- Control
Always keep the ball as near to your feet as possible. Always keep your eye on the ball and only look up occasionally to assess your opponent. - Pace
A good change of pace is probably more helpful that out-and-out speed. Practise slowing down and then racing away with a burst of acceleration. - Disguise
The most important skill when dribbling is being able to disguise your next move. Try to drop your shoulder as if you are going in one direction and then run the opposite way. Or try to feint, for example, pretend that you are about to kick the ball and at the last moment put your foot on the ball and drag it back. - Tricks
Tricks are the secret weapons of any successful dribbler. They include the step-over, the drag-back or a combination of the two. Practise and improve any trick that could give you even the slightest advantage over your opponents.