1v1 Nutmegs

[WARNING! Nutmegs (sending the ball through an opponent’s legs) are dangerous because the player starts losing the ball after multiple successful nutmegs. Nutmegs will become one of your team's favorite moves and your players will keep trying it over and over again. I have to tell my players that beating opponents wide can set up a nutmeg, and that you cannot keep going back to the nutmeg. Nutmeg is a seasoning. For best results, use sparingly!]

One method that works surprisingly easy is: Brush, Brush, Tap, all with the same foot. So, if the player is using their right foot, the player will brush the ball to his left, twice, and as the defender moves and his legs start to open, the player taps the ball with the outside of his right foot.

Here’s a clip of my son showing this technique, followed by various clips of other nutmegs, including several by Pelé...



HINT: The easiest way to get a nutmeg to work is to get the defender moving and then passing through the defender’s legs while they are still closed. Many times when players try to pass through open legs that are moving, the legs are usually closed by the time the ball gets there.

More 1v1 moves, EXPERT skill required...

[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.]

Here are more, advanced moves my players had fun with. I'm not going to explain these moves because there are many tutorials on youtube that can show you how to do them, but this puts a name for the move if you want to find more examples:

1) Rabona, a cross-under kick that can allow you to be 45 degrees in front of the ball and still kick the ball forward.

My son showing a Rabona, followed by Cristiano Ronaldo, Pelé and Maradona...



2) Hocus Pocus, similar to the Rabona except a sharper cut that keeps the ball close to your body. Keeping your foot pointed toward the ground can help.

My son showing the Hocus Pocus, followed by Ronaldinho and Ronaldo...



3) Sombrero, a juggle that goes over your opponent’s head and you run around your opponent and collect the ball behind him or her. We practice this move by tossing the ball at the player while another player runs in.

My son showing a sombrero, followed by Robinho and Pelé...



4) Rainbow [Really cool if you can rainbow the ball over the defender and into a goal!]

Ilhan Mansiz rainbows...



5) Cow, a pass around the defender where the ball goes one way and the player runs around his opponent the opposite way to collect the ball behind his opponent. While this is a fairly simple move, the way Ronaldinho does it, receiving a pass and one touching the ball so it goes one way while he goes the other, that's beautiful...



6) Bicycle Kick

Maradona setting up his own bicycle kick and Pelé performing a common bicycle kick...



7) Scorpion Kick

Here’s a clip of René Higuita, the famous Columbian goalie, performing a scorpion kick as a ‘cheeky’ defensive maneuver, however this can be used anywhere on the field, including to score a goal...

Effective 1v1 moves, open field, EXPERT skill required:

[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.]

Again, these moves are somewhat complicated, but I’ll try my best to describe them. When executed correctly, spectators usually go wild!

1) Ronaldo. Named after the Brazilian. I’ve seen defenders actually turn and run in the wrong direction, completely baffled.

This move is like a pass to yourself. With your right foot forward and over the ball (and slightly in front of the ball), brush the ball back toward your left foot, which should be under your body, at the same time keeping your right foot forward and in the air. Your left ankle punches the ball forward (usually with a hop), toward the defender. Since your right foot is still hovering out in front, it can redirect the ball toward the left, right and even straight.

To practice this move, I have the player pass the ball back to himself, punch it forward and step on the ball. In other words, right foot passes back, left ankle punches forward, and right foot stops ball by stepping on it. This move is effective because defenders see the ball coming toward them and hear the kick, but at the last moment, your hovering foot redirects. And if you punch the ball, slightly angled toward the opposite direction of which you're really going to go, you can make the defender turn in the wrong direction.

Once you get it, this move is actually easier while on the run. My son showing the Ronaldo, followed by Ronaldo...



2) Pedalada. Robinho is the true master of this move, the multiple scissors.

The scissors is when your foot first moves behind the ball then around and out in front, coming to rest beside the ball again. A Pedalada is effective because your feet are moving around the ball and at anytime you can move your foot slightly and cut the ball with either your right or left foot, using the inside or outside of either foot. While this is a common move, most players kick the ball forward and then try to catch up to the ball to do their scissors. This isn’t ideal.

The best way to start a Pedalada, especially on a small field, is to stand over and slightly in front of the ball (your bottom over the ball), with one foot far forward. Your back foot brushes the ball forward and steps on the outside of the ball, thereby being the first scissor. In other words, you don’t need to send the ball first, your brush is what gets the ball rolling, and since you’re already over the ball, you’ve jumped right into your Pedalada thus eliminating the need for space.

My son showing the Pedalada, followed by Robinho...



3) Roulette. Zidane is the master of this move.

Some people call this the helicopter, where you spin over the ball. Most youth players do it incorrectly because they simply do a 360 over a ball that moves in a straight line. This move is more effective when the ball actually moves off path. And while a roulette can be done on the run, you can also do it from a stand still. This is the method I will describe.

Push the ball diagonally (forward/left) with the inside of your right foot, across your body and then stop the ball with your toe. The ball should be away from your body, your leg extended. Next, rake the ball back on the same path (diagonally back/right) with your right foot as you start to spin your body counterclockwise. As you spin, your left foot steps on the ball (that your right foot sent back) and brushes it forward/right. By now you should have spun about 330. You dribble in that new direction.

This move really works well when a defender challenges from the side. Your raking foot should be the one closest to your defender because you don’t want to shield the ball from your opponent. You're teasing them to go after the ball. So, if they come in from your right, you rake the ball back with your right, spin your back toward the defender, and cut in an angle somewhat in the direction your defender had just come from. This allows you to use their momentum against them, and use your spinning arms/elbows to push off your opponent.

My son showing the Roulette, followed by Zidane on the run...



4) Elastico. Ronaldinho is the master of this move. An optical illusion move where the ball appears stuck to the player's foot.

Stand behind the ball with your feet together. With your kicking foot, push the ball with the outside of your foot, away from your body. [HINT: It’s easier if you point your toes toward the ground.] As you push the ball, your pushing foot works its way around the ball. [HINT: Knicking the back edge of the ball with your foot is another way to get around the ball.] Once your foot is on the outside of the ball, cut the ball back with the inside of your foot.

My son showing the Elastico, followed by Ronaldinho...

Effective 1v1 moves, open field, medium skill required:

[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) Chipped Shot/Pass. This play is a simple chip, but extremely effective. The real skill and beauty of this move is learning how to chip while running, a much harder task. A hint is to set your plant foot well in front of the rolling ball so that when you execute the chip, the ball is somewhat under your body. While I usually discourage fancy moves from my back player, this move I allow and encourage. This also works as a shot on goal when a defender comes out.

My son showing the chipped shot over a ladder, followed by Pelé and Maradona...



2) Ankle Flick. This play is fun to watch because of the optical illusion it creates. The ball appears to be rolling in one direction and then mysteriously cuts and changes direction without any apparent influence. First, step past the ball, toward the defender. Next, use your ankle to push the ball forward, toward the defender, as if you are going to give him the ball. The defender will close his legs, thinking you will nutmeg him. At the last possible moment, twist your foot around so that the length of your shoe (remember you were using only your ankle at first) strikes the ball; thus flicking the ball in a new direction around the defender.

My son showing the ankle flick, followed by a futsal player using an outside ankle flick...



3) Fake, Brush, Cut. If the player is planning to cut left, the first move is a scissors move with the left foot, i.e. your left foot moves from the left side of the ball, behind it, then up and around, and never touches the ball. Your left foot should plant to the left and in front of the ball so that you are now standing over the ball. Your right foot quickly brushes the ball forward, i.e. your right foot pushes the top or side of the ball and continues forward, past the ball. As the ball rolls forward, your right foot, which is well in front of the ball, is now in position to redirect the ball to the side. Again, this is a quick, fake, touch, touch play.

My son showing a fake, brush, cut...



4) Brushing “Left Behind” Pass. [This is the same move as the Brushing “Left Behind” Nutmeg posted earlier except you don't send the ball through a defender's legs.]

Standing in front of the defender, step wide (to either side works but I will go to the right for clarity) with your right foot to the right, leaving the ball with your left foot, except after your wide step, your left foot brushes the ball toward your right foot, your left foot planting in front of your right foot while the ball is seemingly left behind and now rolls toward your planted left foot. From the defender’s perspective, you appear in no position to strike the ball. That is when your right ankle swings behind your left leg and punches the ball forward. (I say swing, but in reality, if your left foot planted past your right foot, then your right ankle need only punch the ball forward.) The defender is usually caught off guard and you simply run past him and catch up to the ball.

5) Self Give and Go. If you are going to your right, you start by pushing the ball to the right, with the outside of your right foot. The right foot then hops over the ball and plants, gently popping the ball back to the left (with the inside of the right foot popping the ball toward the inside of the left foot). From the defenders perspective, the ball is now moving in the opposite direction of the initial push, thus, the defender hesitates; but the player is actually still moving to the right, only the ball changed directions. Then, using momentum and a continuation of your running motion, the inside of the left foot should run through the ball, like a step/chip, scooping it past the defender who paused when the ball appeared to change directions. Again, this is a quick outside foot, inside same foot, inside other foot.

My son showing the self give and go...

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...

Effective 1v1 moves against a planted defender

I’ve tried my best to describe these moves, but in all honesty, some of them have to be seen; and even after seeing some, they still require a lot of practice to finally execute:

1) Fake Kick. This may seem simple enough, but to execute it correctly, it does require practice; and against a planted defender, this move is by far the most effective. When the offensive player pulls his leg back to kick, he should bring his foot forward fast, stepping on the ball hard to make a kicking sound. Most of the time, the defender will flinch, jump or turn around. With a foot still on the ball, the player can brush the ball to either side and then simply tap the ball into the goal. Again, the motion of kick, sound and brush, should be fluid so that the ball is tapped into the goal, or kicked, before the defender realizes what happened.

Example of fake kicks...



2) Brushing “Left Behind” Nutmeg. [NOTE: Brushing the ball means placing your foot on top of the ball, as if standing on the ball, and then rolling your foot in the direction you want the ball to go. Brushing is very effective because the ball can go in any direction, unlike kicking the ball where the ball only goes in the direction opposite of where the kicking foot is.]

Standing in front of the defender, step wide (to either side works but I will go to the right for clarity) with your right foot to the right, leaving the ball with your left foot, except after your wide step, your left foot brushes the ball toward your right foot, your left foot planting in front of your right foot while the ball is seemingly left behind and now rolls toward your planted left foot. From the defender’s perspective, you appear in no position to strike the ball, and since you moved to one side, the defender probably took a step to follow, opening his legs. That is when your right ankle swings behind your left leg and punches the ball through the defender’s legs (called nutmeg). I say swing, but in reality, if your left foot planted past your right foot, then your right ankle or heel need only punch the ball forward.

My son showing the Brushing “Left Behind” Nutmeg...



3) Brushing Ankle Punch. [NOTE: An ankle punch is when you strike the ball with your ankle without first swinging your leg back. A good way to practice this is by placing your foot six inches away from the ball and punching through the ball, no back swing.]

Standing in front of the defender, with your right foot, brush the ball to the right, except instead of planting your right foot after the brush, your right foot hovers behind the rolling ball, waiting for the defender to move. As the ball rolls, if the defender steps, your right ankle punches the ball through the opening legs. If the defender doesn’t step, as the ball continues to roll wider, you ankle punch the ball around the defender.

My son showing the Brushing Ankle Punch...



4) Back and Forth. Moving the ball back and forth can confuse a defender.

My son showing an example of a back and forth chip (he brushes the ball to his right then flicks it back to his left foot, to chip it over the defender), followed by Ronaldo going back and forth for a nutmeg...