Dribbling Moves To Get Behind A Defender

Dribbling: quick links

Dribbling moves to get behind a defender:

If you’ve gotten good at dribbling turns and stop and go moves, you’re ready for the next step — moves to get behind a defender.

Dribbling turns and stop and go moves help you get away from a defender. You also need moves to beat and get behind a defender so you can dribble toward goal, not just dribble away from a defender.

The very best dribblers learn tricks (called fakes or feints) to get behind (beat) defenders who are blocking their path to goal. These are the players who make spectacular plays and either score goals or setup goals for teammates.

The Moves:

There are three keys to these moves:

  1. Keep close control as you dribble. You’ll usually want to dribble toward the defender. This gives you options to beat her on either side. If you’re confident you have a move that will work in a specific direction, you may decide to dribble toward one side of the defender. This will force her to move away from her current position, which creates open space on the other side of the defender.
  2. Pretend to go one direction by either faking a kick or using a body turn. You want to trick the defender and make her think you’re going one way. Really exaggerate the fake! Done properly, this will cause the defender to freeze or get off balance.
  3. Take a getaway touch in the other direction, pushing the ball at an angle behind the defender, and then change speed (“explode”) to beat the defender.

Risk and reward:

These moves are risky, because you “show the ball” to the defender and could easily lose it. (You don’t use your body to shield the ball like you do with dribbling turns and stop and go moves.) These moves are best used near the opponent’s goal. Coaches call this “the attacking third” of the field.

  • Risk:  If you mess up and lose the ball, it’s not an emergency situation, because the other team has to go a long way to create a scoring chance of their own.
  • Reward:  If you beat the defender, you create a good scoring chance.

We don’t recommend trying these moves near your own goal. The risk is high — if you mess up, the other team can get a quick scoring chance. And the reward is low — if your move is successful, you still have a long way to go before you can create a scoring chance for your own team.

Learn step by step:

  1. As you learn these moves, start in open space. Just practice the move, trying to master the body motion and footwork. Start slowly, and as you start to get better at a move, try to go faster and faster until you can do the move at game speed.
  2. Once you understand the move, add an imaginary defender (this could be a tree, or your soccer bag, or a Christmas pineapple; use your imagination.) Dribble toward the imaginary defender, do your move, and then explode past the imaginary defender. This step allows you to figure out how much space you need to do the move without running into the defender.
    1. Here are some links to girls playing “dribbling chicken” while practicing different moves to beat defenders:  group demo #1  /  group demo #2. Two players dribble at each other, so this helps the players learn to judge when to start the move to avoid a collision with the other player. (We go into detail about each of these moves below. Give them a try — there are plenty more if you master all of them!)
  3. When you’re ready for the next step, add a real defender and play 1v1. (The “snow cones” game has multiple goals, which gives the attacker a slight advantage and a chance to gain confidence.) The defender could be a sister, brother, parent or friend. If you have a dog, let her be the defender! Can you fool the defender and get behind her?

Lunge or step-behind (“Rummenigge”):

This is a 2-foot move; you’ll fake a kick with one foot, and then finish the move with the other foot. It’s similar to the scissors, but you fake behind the ball rather than around the front of the ball. A German player named Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (rhymes with “rutabaga”) is famous for this move.

  1. Dribble toward the defender.
  2. Fake a kick with the outside of your dribbling foot, then move your foot behind the ball to the other side using an inside-to-outside motion. Keys:
    1. Keep your head over the ball as you start the move.
    2. Dip your shoulder in the direction of the fake.
    3. As you finish the fake, bring your other foot behind the ball.
  3. Touch the ball with the outside of the other foot into space behind the defender. This should be a firm diagonal touch, not straight ahead or sideways.
  4. Explode into space with the ball to beat the defender.

Practice the move with both feet. If you get quick enough, you can do a double lunge.

Scissors:

This is a 2-foot move; you’ll fake a kick with one foot, and then finish the move with the other foot. It’s similar to the lunge, but you fake around the front of the ball rather than behind the ball. Cristiano Ronaldo is famous for this move.

Scissors player demo #1:

Scissors player demo #2:

Scissors coach demo:

Scissors description:

  1. Dribble toward the defender.
  2. Fake a kick with the outside of your dribbling foot, and move your foot around the front of the ball to the other side using an inside-to-outside motion. Keys:
    1. Keep your head over the ball as you start the move.
    2. Dip your shoulder in the direction of the fake.
    3. As you finish the fake, bring your other foot behind the ball.
  3. Touch the ball with the outside of the other foot into space behind the defender. This should be a firm diagonal touch, not straight ahead or sideways.
  4. Explode into space with the ball to beat the defender.

Practice the move with both feet. If you get quick enough, you can do a double scissors.

Step-over fake (“Rivelino”):

This is a 1-foot move; you’ll fake a kick with one foot and finish the move with the same foot. This is different than a step-over turn: you’re trying to get behind a defender, not just turn away from a defender. A Brazilian player named Roberto Rivelino is famous for this move.

  1. Dribble toward the defender until you are 2-3 steps away.
  2. Fake a kick with the inside of your foot. Swing your foot around the front of the ball to the other side using an outside-to-inside motion. Your foot should land on the other side of the ball. If you’re faking with your right foot, it will land to the left of the ball. Keys:
    1. Keep your head over the ball as you start the move.
    2. Dip your shoulder and upper body in the direction of the fake.
    3. As you finish the fake, bring your other foot behind the ball to uncross your legs and allow you to get balanced.
  3. Touch the ball with the outside of your dribbling foot into space behind the defender. This should be a firm diagonal touch, not straight ahead or sideways.
  4. Explode into space with the ball to beat the defender.

Practice the move with both feet.

La Croqueta (cut catch):

This is a 2-foot move also called “cut catch”, “inside inside” or “sideways forward.” There aren’t any tricks in this move, just two quick touches and changes of directions. A Spanish player named Andres Iniesta is famous for this move.

La Croqueta group player demo:

La Croqueta coach demo:

La Croqueta Andres Iniesta demo:

La Croqueta description:

  1. Dribble toward the defender.
  2. When you’re 1-2 steps away, cut the ball across your body with the inside of one foot. This is a light sideways (or sideways and slightly backward) touch from one foot toward the other foot.
    1. Tip: Keep your toes up as you cut the ball across your body. This will help prevent the ball from moving forward into the defender.
  3. Immediately push the ball forward into space behind the defender with the inside of the other foot. This is a stronger touch so you can get to speed running onto the ball. The two touches need to happen quickly, without taking extra steps between them.
  4. Explode into space with the ball to beat the defender.

When done properly, the ball will follow a stair-step pattern, with each touch cutting or pushing the ball at roughly a 90-degree angle from its previous path.

Practice the move with both feet, going right foot / left foot, and also left foot / right foot.

Advanced tips:

  • As you get good at the footwork, experiment with the first touch (the sideways touch). Can you make this a bigger touch and still do a quick second touch (the forward touch)?
  • Or can you make your first touch go slightly backward? A bigger touch or a slightly backward touch makes it harder for the defender to block.
  • This requires balance and hip flexibility. If you’re not sure what we mean, please ask your coach to show you.

In-out (“Matthews”):

This is a 1-foot move; you’ll fake with one foot and finish the move with the same foot. An English player named Stanley Matthews is famous for this move.

  1. Dribble toward the defender.
  2. Take a very light touch with the inside of your right foot at an angle forward and to the left (a diagonal touch). You can be successful with this move even if you just fake the inside touch.
  3. Hop on your left foot in the same diagonal direction. While you hop, keep your right foot in the air and bring it behind the ball.
  4. Take a firm getaway touch outside at an angle with the outside of your right foot. You want to push the ball into space behind the defender. This should be a diagonal touch, not straight ahead or sideways.
    1. Advanced tip:  Lift the ball with your outside (getaway) touch. If your inside touch doesn’t fool the defender, you may still be able to beat her by lifting the ball over her foot.
  5. Explode into space with the ball to beat the defender.

Practice the move with both feet.

In-out / Matthews variation:

Start the move with a sole roll instead of an inside of the foot touch.

The “hip shimmy” move:

This is a 2-foot move; you’ll fake a touch with one foot and finish the move with a getaway touch with your other foot. A Dutch player named Gerald Vanenburg was a master of this move.

Here’s a video of several Junior Academy girls practicing the move:

Here’s a video showing Gerald Vanenburg doing the move in professional games:

This move works well when you have the ball with a defender in front of you, even if you are standing still.

  1. Raise one foot and pretend to play the ball with the inside of your foot. You are faking an inside cut touch.
  2. Instead of playing the ball with an inside cut, place your foot onto the ground slightly behind the ball without actually touching the ball.
  3. Quickly play the ball in the other direction with the inside of your other foot and explode into space past the defender. When done quickly, your hips “shimmy” one way and then the other.
  4. The getaway touch may take you sideways. If so, take another quick touch forward to get behind the defender.

The “hip swivel” move:

This is similar to the hip shimmy above, but works whether you are standing still, dribbling slowly or dribbling at speed. It works best when you are facing the opponent’s goal.

Link:  demo video (coming soon)

  1. Dribble toward the defender.
  2. Turn your hips toward the center of the field (booty toward the outside of the field) and raise your back leg to make it look like you are going to pass to a teammate, or shoot on goal. The defender will likely lean toward the direction of the pass or shot.
  3. Instead of passing or shooting the ball, quickly cut the ball across your body with the same foot, and then take a firm getaway touch with your other foot, exploding into space with the ball to beat the defender.

Example:  If you are dribbling up the left side of the field, turn your hips to the right and fake a pass or shot with the inside of your right foot. Instead of passing, quickly cut the ball back to your left foot. Finish the move by taking a firm getaway touch with your left foot into space behind the defender.

Practice the move with both feet.

The “wind-up” fake (“Platini”):

This is a 1-foot move; you’ll fake with one foot and finish the move with the same foot. This move works well whether you are standing or dribbling at speed. A French player named Michel Platini is famous for this move.

  1. Raise your foot and start to swing your foot at the ball, pretending you are passing or shooting. This is the “wind-up” motion. If you do it properly, the defender will shift her position as she tries to block the pass or shot.
  2. Instead of striking the ball, move your foot behind the ball and play the ball in the other direction, behind the defender. This works best if your foot doesn’t step down onto the ground until after you play the ball. You can pretend to play the ball to the left, but actually play it to the right, or vice versa.
    1. Advanced tip:  Lift the ball with your getaway touch. If your wind-up fake doesn’t fool the defender, you may still be able to beat her by lifting the ball over her foot.
  3. Explode into space past the defender.

Invent your own move!

Here’s a demo of a fake Matthews move, which combines the in-out move (“Matthews”) with a scissors move.

For dedicated dribbling artists:

If you enjoy learning new dribbling moves and want to take it to another level, check out the moves from The Soccer Legion YouTube channel.

Most of these moves are challenging! They require multiple foot movements, good balance and excellent ball control. But they are fun! Watch some of the videos (most are only 1-2 minutes long), see which move you like best, and start practicing! Here’s a cool move he calls the Daze: