7 Best Soccer Moves and Tricks to Beat a Defender - A Soccer Player's Complete Guide To The Game (2024)

Soccer moves help you beat defenders. A good move will put defenders off balance allowing you to dribble past them into open space.

Too many players use soccer moves and tricks to show off, rather than be effective on the field. Doing moves should help you beat defenders quickly – not waste time unnecessarily.

You don’t need to learn tons of moves and tricks to beat defenders. Most great players use a few great moves that they’ve mastered.

This article will cover the best soccer moves. Use them to beat defenders quickly. You will be an asset to your team.

7Soccer Moves and Tricks That Will Help you Beat Defenders

1. Inside touch, Scissor

This is my go-to move. It’s deadly if you have fast feet and sell the move correctly.

Touch the ball slightly ahead of you with the the inside of your foot then quickly do a scissor with the same foot. Cut using an outside touch with your opposite foot.

This works well because it’s fast and fluid. It tricks defenders because they expect you to cut inside than outside (a common move). They expect you to go in the opposite direction.

2. Diagonal Cruyff

The cruyff is a versatile move. You can use it to turn, switch directions, and in this case, beat defenders easily.

This move works when a defender is located at a diagonal angle. It’s a perfect move to use in many situations, like for instance, beating a wingback who charges at your from an angle while dribbling you’re near the sidelines.

Touch the ball at the defender. When you see him moving to tackle you use an inside touch with the same foot to touch it behind your other leg.

When you time this move correctly the defender will tackle the empty space where the ball used to be. He will look foolish and you get far ahead of him before he turns and chases after the ball.

3. Elastico

The elastico is quick and deadly. When you do it correctly defenders will sometimes stumble or fall over.

This move may appear to consist of two touches but it’s really one slick motion. Remember this when you practice the trick.

Touch the ball outside then inside in one motion. The outside touch is key to getting this right. You need to sell the touch by moving your hips, body, and arms.

This move requires lots of practice to get right, but learning it is worth the effort.

4. Maradona

The Maradona looks incredible when pulled off correctly and is one of the best moves for beating defenders.

Touch the top of the ball with one foot, turn, use your other foot to drag the ball forward, then turn again.

Use the move when the defender charges at you. This move works perfectly when you chase after a loose ball, get there before the defender, then use the trick. The Maradona uses the defender’s momentum against him.

Do not use this move when a defender is delaying you. It won’t make him lose balance. Again, only use it right before he tries to tackle.

Timing this move right can be difficult, but when you pull it off correctly you can beat any defender.

5. V-Pull

The v pull is effective when used correctly but is difficult to pull off.

Touch the ball towards a defender. When he commits to the tackle pull the ball across your body to your opposite foot, then touch the ball into open space.

When you time this move correctly the defender has to stop his momentum and turn to chase after the ball. You will get far away before he recovers.

6. Forward roll, stopovers, and scissors

Be careful when using this move. You can do unnecessary stepovers and scissors if you don’t pay attention to the defenders movements.

Having said that, this move will make even the greatest defenders lose balance if you have quick feet.

To do this move, roll the ball forward using a sole touch, then perform multiple scissors and stepovers in rapid succession.

Touch the ball past the defender when he loses his balance.

Move your hips, arms, and body with each scissor or stepover. If you sell the tricks correctly the defender will have no idea which way you’ll go and when you’ll take a touch past him.

7. Stop and go

The stop and go trick confuses and delays defenders. Use it to beat defenders that delay you from an angle. It’s the perfect way to beat a defender on the sideline and set up a cross.

This move has multiple effective variations.

Each variation accomplishes the same thing. You pretend that you’re cutting the ball backwards then dribble forward with speed.

You can pull the ball back half way then touch it with your lace, use an inside touch to cut the ball back halfway than touch the ball forward using an inside touch with your other foot, or pull the ball back halfway then move your opposite foot behind the leg pulling back the ball then use an inside touch to push the ball forward.

What variation you use doesn’t matter. What does matter is how well you sell the move.

If you don’t move your body and hips when you take the first touch the defender won’t believe that you are cutting the ball back.

Good defenders are prepared for this move so focus on making your fake half touch backwards as realistic as possible.

Don’t wait for the defender to tackle when using the stop and go. Do the move when the defender is prepared to tackle you if you touch the ball forward then touch the ball forward when he gets off balance.

Certainly, let's delve into the concepts and soccer moves discussed in the article you provided.

  1. Inside touch, Scissor: This move involves touching the ball slightly ahead with the inside of your foot and then swiftly executing a scissor with the same foot, followed by an outside touch with the opposite foot. It's effective due to its speed and the surprise element, tricking defenders into expecting a different direction.

  2. Diagonal Cruyff: The Cruyff move involves touching the ball at the defender and then, as they move to tackle, using an inside touch with the same foot to touch it behind your other leg. It creates space by making the defender tackle the empty space where the ball used to be.

  3. Elastico: This quick and deceptive move involves an outside-inside touch in one slick motion, with the key being to sell the touch convincingly by moving hips, body, and arms. When done correctly, it can make defenders stumble or lose balance.

  4. Maradona: This move involves touching the top of the ball with one foot, turning, dragging the ball forward with the other foot, and turning again. It's effective when a defender charges at you and uses their momentum against them.

  5. V-Pull: Executed by touching the ball toward a defender and then pulling it across your body to the opposite foot and into open space when the defender commits to the tackle. It forces the defender to stop their momentum and turn to chase after the ball.

  6. Forward roll, stopovers, and scissors: Involves rolling the ball forward using a sole touch, followed by multiple rapid scissors and stepovers. This move can make even top defenders lose balance if executed with quick feet and proper selling of the tricks.

  7. Stop and go: Confuses and delays defenders by pretending to cut the ball backward and then dribbling forward with speed. It has multiple variations but relies heavily on selling the initial fake movement convincingly to deceive the defender.

These moves and tricks emphasize not just the technical execution but also the psychological aspect of deceiving defenders. Timing, body movement, and selling the fakes convincingly are crucial elements to successfully beat defenders in soccer. Mastering a few effective moves rather than overwhelming oneself with countless tricks is the key to being impactful on the field.

7 Best Soccer Moves and Tricks to Beat a Defender - A Soccer Player's Complete Guide To The Game (2024)

FAQs

What is the hardest soccer trick to do? ›

However, certain skills like the bicycle kick, the knuckleball, and the rabona are widely considered to be among the most challenging to master. These moves require a great deal of precision, timing, and coordination, making them extremely difficult to execute under pressure.

What is a Ronaldo chop? ›

How To Do The Ronaldo Chop In 3 Steps. 1. Whilst standing over the ball, with your main foot, step over the ball and at the same roll it on your inside towards your weaker foot. 2. As the ball is rolling, whip it with your weaker foot by kicking it in the direction of your main foot.

Why is 2 0 the worst score in soccer? ›

Concept. The underlying concept is that, a team which is leading 2–0 will be complacent and have a 'false sense of security' in their lead. If the trailing team then scores to make it 2–1, the leading team can panic and concede further, resulting in a draw, or even a win for the other team.

Can you get a hat-trick in soccer? ›

A hat-trick occurs in association football when a player scores three goals (not necessarily consecutive) in a single game, whereas scoring two goals (in a single match) is called a brace.

Which soccer player can kick the hardest? ›

Ronny Heberson - 210km/h

Heberson is responsible for the hardest shot in football history when he scored an unstoppable free-kick for Sporting Lisbon.

How do I get better at soccer 1v1? ›

Before the ball comes to you, have a look around and over your shoulder to know what's around you. This will give you the awareness to know where your teammates and opponents are. As the ball is coming towards you, don't be flat footed. Be on your toes ready to take the ball in the direction you want.

How do you get a full back in soccer? ›

A modern full-back must make constant overlapping and underlapping forward runs ahead of the wide teammate ahead of them in midfield. After getting into attacking areas, it is the full-back's job to provide crosses, cut-backs, through balls into wide areas – or to run on to through balls – and switches of play.

Can defenders take goal kick? ›

In modern football, goalkeepers are typically responsible for taking goal-kicks, utilising their long-range kicking abilities to initiate attacks from the back. However, there are instances when defenders take on this role, introducing a tactical variation to a team's playing style.

What is the hardest thing to do in football? ›

Pep Guardiola Quotes. The most difficult thing in football is to score a goal.

How can I be tough in soccer? ›

How to be Aggressive in Soccer
  1. Believe 100% that when you go in for a tackle you will win the ball. Don't doubt yourself, or hope you win it or just stick your leg out there. ...
  2. Be scared of no one on the field! ...
  3. Reinforce positive thoughts in your mind through out training or in the game.

What is the most difficult skill to learn in football? ›

Which is the hardest football skill? Tackling is considered to be one of the hardest skills in football but Elastico is the most difficult "trick" of the game.

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