There are a lot of different dribbling styles utilized by a lot of professional players. These styles range from ultra flashy to quick and simple. One of the best players in the world that uses the quick and simple style is Lionel Messi. When you watch him play, he constantly beats defenders just by doing quick turns using the inside and outsides of his feet. Neymar, who also plays for Barcelona, plays a much flashier style, but is also good at quick, easy turns with both the insides and the outside of his feet.
In order to dribble like Messi and Neymar, you need to practice quick, tightly controlled turns with both the inside and outside of your feet. The 4 cone drill is an individual soccer drill designed to help you work on these skills. To do this drill, you need 4 cones and a ball. Set the cones up in a straight line, approximately 3-5 feet apart. Start at one end of the line of cones and dribble in a circle around each cone in succession until you have dribbled around all four. Here are some tips to make this soccer drill more effective.
1. Start off slow. You won’t get any benefit out of this drill if you try to go too fast and can’t control the ball. Focus on keeping the ball close to your foot first and speed second.
2. Try to keep your touches as short as possible. Your goal with this drill is to keep the ball at your feet, so that when you’re in a game, defenders have trouble stealing the ball from you.
3. USE BOTH FEET! I’ve repeated this over and over again – if you develop the ability to dribble the ball with both feet, not only does this make you more versatile in a game, it also makes you harder to defend.
Mix this drill up by trying different sequences around the cones. Here are a few examples of your options for this drill.
1. Dribble using the outside of your strong foot around all 4 cones.
2. Dribble using the inside of your strong foot around all 4 cones.
3. Dribble using the outside of your strong foot around 2 cones, then dribble with the outside of your weak foot around the second 2 cones.
4. Dribble with the inside of your strong foot around 2 cones, then dribble with the inside of your weak foot around the second two cones.
5. Dribble with the outside of your strong foot around one cone, then dribble with the outside of your weak foot around the second cone. Dribble with the inside of your strong foot around the third cone, and around the fourth cone with the inside of your weak foot.
etc….
As you can see, this drill has a lot of options to help you develop your dribbling skills. Don’t be afraid to mix it up and try new variations. Just make sure to do two things – maintain tight control of the ball and practice with both feet. Remember that one of the aspects of a complete player is to be able to dribble with both your left and right foot.
Finally, don’t quit! If you start off having trouble controlling the ball, slow down and focus on your technique. Speed will come with time. Just remember, the worst thing you can do is get frustrated and quit. Instead, focus on your form, spend time practicing, and don’t give up! If you can do this, you’ll be dribbling like Messi in no time!
If you’re looking for some more individual soccer drills to work on your dribbling skills, please visit our free drills section.
If you’re looking for a good place to get started with your individual soccer training, download our free 5 day individual training plan.
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