Effective 1v1 moves, open field, fairly easy

[NOTE: In 3v3 Soccer, your last player (defender) should refrain from risky moves unless they are very practiced. I constantly encourage the forwards to have fun with these fancy moves.]

1) Stop and Go. Dribble fast, then stop. When the defender stops, you go.

Maradona shows a stop and go, followed by Messi and Zidane...



2) Chipped Cuts. When you try to get around a defender, instead of simply cutting around him or her, chip the ball a foot or two off the ground, that way if the defender reacts by throwing a foot up to block the ball, it goes over his or her foot and you continue your run. The best way to chip cut is to make your step the chip, i.e. the first step in your run is also what chips the ball. Most players chip the ball and then run after it.

My son showing how to step/chip in one motion...



3) Sharp Cuts. Pelé did this wonderfully, almost like passing to himself, then cutting off in another direction.

Pelé showing some sharp cuts. Notice how he keeps the ball close when he dribbles...



4) Cruyff. Named after Johan Cruyff. You pretend to kick the ball, but instead, your kicking leg moves to in front of the ball and your ankle or heel punches the ball backward in the opposite direction you were coming from, almost like a behind the back pass. A more advanced version is Cristiano Ronaldo’s version, which he does on a full run as he’s being chased, where the ball suddenly cuts behind him and the defender. A forward can also score against a defender using the Cruyff.

My son showing the Cruyff, followed by Johan Cruyff and Cristiano Ronaldo...