Drills To Improve Football Footwork

Footwork is what separates elite players from the rest.

Footwork is not a ‘nice to have’. It is completely mandatory for any player who wants to feel comfortable and confident on the ball.

Neymar, Coutinho, Mahrez, Ronaldo. What unites all of these modern masters? They all built their early skills on the street football scene, where playing under pressure in tight spaces was the key to victory.

Then, when they went pro and hit the pitch, creating space and taking chances was so much easier. They've all said this themselves.

That's why they are so composed, relaxed and confident even under pressure.

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Footwork refers to the movements and positioning of a player's feet during play. Good footwork enhances a player's agility, balance, and ball control, making it easier to execute complex moves and maintain possession.

But bad footwork means players lose control of the ball often, and give away possession. We can't let that be us!

Essential Footwork Drills

Here are 2 footwork drills that will start making a real difference, real fast.

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Fake Pass Push

Perform a fake pass by rolling the ball with your instep and stopping it with your outstep.
Touch the ball diagonally with the inside of your opposite foot.
In a game situation, you could explode out into the space or pull the ball back and exit the other way.

If you get stuck, start your free trial with us and we'll be able to give you personal support!

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Footwork Cone Drill - The Roll Touch

Setup: Place 5-8 cones, 2 steps apart
Execution: Roll the ball through the cones with one foot, and touch it forward with the other foot. Then repeat, so you're building control with both feet. opposite way around.
Tip: Start slow - this is not an easy drill! Only increase speed when you're confident you can execute the move well.

Mastering footwork is essential for any football player aiming to excel on the field. By incorporating these drills into your training routine, you'll improve your agility, control, and overall performance.

Want more advanced tips and drills to improve your footwork?

The drills we've shown you in this article are suitable for beginners, but we understand if you want more elite learning. Our Street to Stadium training app features hours of content helping you to become a better player in the fastest time possible.

Here's just a short list of things that our members are currently using our training app to prepare for: