Soccer Playing Tip: Off the Ball Movement

In all team sports, movement is a precursor to receiving the ball. It’s no coincidence that the players who move the most are the ones who find themselves with the ball on their feet most often, and teams that move the most are the ones who are the hardest to play against.

It’s not enough though to just move hard, you also have to move smart so you can receive the ball with time and space to make a positive play for your team. For my attackers, that means moving into dangerous positions where you have the ability to advance the play forward. You want to receive the ball in a position where you have the time and space to put the opposition under pressure, either by driving at them with the ball, or playing a penetrating pass that causes chaos of the defenders. In his prime, Kevin De Bruyne did this better than anyone I’ve ever seen. Every time he receives the ball, it’s in a position that the defense has to react to, but it’s because he’s proactively moving to put himself in these dangerous positions.   

For my defenders, you must move to become an easy passing option for your teammate with the ball. This means making yourself the easiest possible passing option for your teammate so your team can maintain possession. Often this means getting underneath the player on the ball, but it also might mean leaving your comfort zone and stepping into unfamiliar areas on the field when necessary to become an outlet option.

Because soccer isn’t black and white, this is certainly an oversimplification, but the fundamental principles hold true: You must move if you want the ball, and you must move smartly in order to help your team.

If you want help developing skills like this that will take your game to the next level and the coaching to accelerate the process, we have a few spots left in our summer soccer academies. Our academies are the perfect complement to your school training as we help you maximize your potential and become an impactful player this fall.