Working on Turns in Soccer

Soccer turns: How to turn with the soccer ball – in today’s football skills tutorial, we will teach you how to turn with the soccer ball both when you receive a pass and when you dribble and want to turn around an opponent.

Leave the defender in the dust with this soccer turns.

Looking at masters of the turn with the football like Hazard, Isco, Silva, Busquets and Pogba, we can learn how the pros perform the turn and in today’s football skills tutorial we will teach you how to learn to turn with the football in a match to maximize the space around you and make sure to turn most efficiently with the ball to create chances for your team.

Our football skills tutorials aim to teach you how to perform and learn different football skills, and in our latest how to turn with the ball tutorial, we will give you the analysis, the technique and the training tips you need to turn better with the football.

Part of the art of turning with the soccer ball is being aware of where you are on the field and how much time you have. Your teammates around you and whoever plays you the ball should let you know – send a message verbally along with the pass. But it’s your responsibility to know what you want to do with the ball and what you can do, before you get it.

A master at this was Barcelona’s Xavi, who always checked his shoulders before he got the ball. Taking a look around him before he received the ball.

Field size: 30 by 20 yards

Number of players: full team; groups of three

Age range: 10-12

Description: One player in the middle works on receiving the ball and turning as two other players pass the ball into the player’s feet from both side.

Player cushions the ball with the inside of the foot and turns so the ball is out in front of their feet. This way they can make the next pass immediately and not have to take another touch. This is the main turn to work on, where you cradle the soccer ball with the inside of the foot and rotate the ball around in the other direction.

But practice a wide range of turns: shoulder feinting one way and turning to the other side, letting the ball run through your legs, stepping on top of the ball with the bottom of the left and then the right to turn, chopping the ball back with the inside of the foot, and turning to the right and the left with the inside and outside of both feet. Players should try to turn in two or three touches. Start out doing the turns at a slow pace, until players can do the turn correctly.

The players serving the soccer ball in should play a crisp pass to the player’s feet. First touch and control is precise and out away from one’s body. Switch the player working on turns after this player has done ten total turns.  Later, incorporate a defender into the drill, where players have to try and beat a defender to the line or a small goal.

Equipment needed: Cones and practice vests.