The Quaresma trivela is one of the most recognizable strikes in modern soccer. Ricardo Quaresma, the Portuguese winger, made a career out of hitting the ball with the outside of his foot so it curved wildly away from goalkeepers and defenders. Fans call him the king of the trivela, and when people search for the best trivela player, his name comes up first.
The trivela is when a player uses the outside of the foot to shoot, pass or cross so the ball bends from inside to outside. Quaresma did not invent it, but nobody used it as often or as boldly. Below you will learn the story behind Ricardo Quaresma’s trivela, how to strike it step by step, and how to practice it.
Who Is Ricardo Quaresma, the King of the Trivela?
Quaresma came through the youth system at Sporting Lisbon, the same academy that produced Cristiano Ronaldo. He was a flashy, skillful winger who loved to take players on and try the unexpected. During his career he played for Sporting, Barcelona, Porto, Inter Milan, Chelsea on loan and Besiktas in Turkey, among other clubs. At Inter he played under his fellow countryman Jose Mourinho.
With Portugal, Quaresma was part of the squad that won Euro 2016, and he scored the late extra-time winner against Croatia in the round of 16. He also played at the 2018 World Cup, where he produced one of the most famous trivela goals ever.
The word trivela comes from Portuguese, and the technique is closely related to the outside-of-the-foot strikes made famous by players like Roberto Carlos. What made Quaresma special is that he used it everywhere on the field: crosses from the right wing, through passes, free kicks and long-range shots. Because he was right-footed and often played on the right, he could bend crosses in with the outside of his foot without needing to switch to his left. That made him unpredictable for defenders who expected him to cut inside.
Quaresma’s Trivela Goal Against Iran
At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Quaresma scored a stunning trivela against Iran. Receiving the ball on the right edge of the box, he struck it with the outside of his right foot and curled it around the goalkeeper into the far corner. It is the perfect example of the technique: a small run-up, a quick swing and huge bend.
How to Do the Trivela: Step by Step
The trivela feels strange at first, because your foot works the opposite way from a normal inside-of-the-foot curler. Follow these steps with a right foot (switch everything for the left).
- Approach straight or slightly from the left. Unlike a normal curled shot, you do not need a wide angle. Many players approach almost straight on.
- Plant your support foot a little behind and to the side of the ball. Leave room for your kicking leg to swing across your body.
- Turn your kicking foot inward. Point your toes down and in, so the outside of your laces faces the ball. Lock your ankle.
- Strike the inside half of the ball. Hit the ball slightly left of center with the outside of your foot, between the little toe and the laces.
- Swing across your body. Your leg moves from left to right, brushing across the ball. This creates the sidespin that makes it bend from left to right.
- Follow through out and away. Let your kicking leg finish toward the outside. For a cross, stay more upright; for a shot, keep your body over the ball to stop it rising.
Using the Trivela for Passes and Crosses
Quaresma was just as dangerous passing with the trivela as shooting. Practice short outside-of-the-foot passes first, then longer bending crosses. The trivela pass is great when a defender is blocking the path for an inside-of-the-foot pass, because you can bend the ball around them without changing your body shape.
Common Trivela Mistakes
- Toes pointing up. This sends the ball high and wide. Point the toes down and in.
- Hitting the center of the ball. You will get power but no bend. Strike the inside half to create spin.
- Swinging straight through. The leg must move across the body to create curve.
- Using it all the time. The trivela is a weapon, not the answer to every situation. Use it when the angle calls for it.
- Trying full power too soon. Learn the contact at short range before you try long shots, or you risk hurting your ankle.
Trivela Practice Drill (30 Minutes)
- Warm-up passing (5 minutes): With a partner 10 yards apart, pass with the outside of the foot only. 20 passes each foot.
- Bend around a cone (8 minutes): Place a cone halfway between you and your partner. Bend outside-of-the-foot passes around it. Move back to 20 yards as you improve.
- Trivela crosses (7 minutes): From the right side of the field, dribble toward the end line and bend crosses with the outside of your right foot into the box. 10 crosses, then 10 from the left with your left foot.
- Edge-of-the-box finishing (7 minutes): Copy Quaresma against Iran. Start on the right edge of the penalty box and curl trivela shots toward the far post. 3 sets of 5 shots.
- Cool-down (3 minutes): Light juggling and stretching of the ankles and hips.
The Coerver Angle
At Coerver Coaching we teach players to be comfortable using every surface of both feet, including the outside. That ball mastery is what makes skills like the trivela possible. Players who can pass, dribble and strike with the outside of the foot become harder to read in 1v1 situations, because they do not need to change their body shape to play the ball. Quaresma is a great example of what happens when a player has the technique and the confidence to try the unexpected.
To keep building your striking technique, read about the various ways to strike a soccer ball, including the tres dedos, and our guide on how to cross a soccer ball. For more outside-of-the-foot magic, see the art of the rainbow flick, another trick Quaresma loved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best trivela player?
Ricardo Quaresma is widely considered the best and most famous trivela player, which is why fans call him the king or father of the trivela. Players such as Luka Modric are also well known for outside-of-the-foot passes and goals.
Did Quaresma invent the trivela?
No. Players struck the ball with the outside of the foot long before him. Quaresma made it his trademark and used it more often, and more spectacularly, than anyone else of his era.
How many trivela goals does Quaresma have?
There is no official count. He scored many outside-of-the-foot goals for club and country, and set up even more with trivela crosses, but no reliable tally exists.
Is the trivela hard to learn?
It feels awkward at first, but with regular practice most players can learn a short trivela pass within a few sessions. Power and bend over long distances take longer.
