The shoulder feint is a soccer move that you can use to beat a defender. Like it says in the name, the shoulder feint is a feint, or a move where you pretend to dribble one direction, then you take the ball in the opposite direction instead.
The shoulder feint is a great soccer move both due to its simplicity, as well as its effectiveness. It’s a fairly simple move to learn, so it’s a great soccer move for beginners. However, when executed properly, it is also one of the most effective moves you can do. Due to its effectiveness, the shoulder feint is commonly used by players like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Robin Van Persie.
To do the shoulder feint, dribble the ball forward towards a defender. When you are a step or two away from your defender (making sure you keep the ball far enough away from him/her that they can’t kick the ball away from you), step past the ball in one direction. As you step, drop your shoulder like you are going to sprint in that direction. Then, with your other foot, take the ball in the opposite direction. Make sure to do this quickly so your defender doesn’t have time to react and recover.
To practice this drill, utilize a simple single cone drill. Set up a cone and pretend like it is a defender. Dribble the ball at the cone, then when you are a step or two away from it, do a shoulder feint and take the ball around it. Make sure you practice taking the ball both to your strong side and your weak side (with both your left foot and your right foot). Remember, a soccer player that can play with both feet is the most difficult soccer player to defend.
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