Ahead of the thrilling Red Bull Street Style World Final in Cape Town, we break down five of the trickiest freestyle soccer tricks in the book that you might want to try.
Around the World...
What better one to begin with when over 60 of the best freestylers from around the world are descending on South Africa? The standard version of this trick is to flick the ball up in the air to about knee height, then swing your kicking foot 360 degrees from bottom to top around the airborne ball and back down in time to meet it as it falls, then kick it again. There are a number of variations, some of which top freestyler Filip Tyczkowski performs in his own Tricktionary video tutorial here…
The Crossover...
Also known as ‘The Scissor’ or ‘The Cross’. Simply* kick the ball up in the air with your strong foot. While the ball is airborne, swing your other leg across, then use your strong foot to kick the ball up again with your legs in a ‘crossed-over’ position. Again, allow Filip Tyczkowski to demonstrate…
*If you’re a skilful freestyle genius, that is…
Neck catch...
Another freestyler standard, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy, especially in the heat of battle. You need to flip the ball up high enough and with a backward trajectory (so it’ll help if your foot is bent upwards). Then you need to be in position for the ball to land on the back of your neck, your shoulders hunched and your head back so you’re looking ahead, all to create a nice little cradle for the ball to rest in. Bending your knees as the ball lands will cushion it and stop it bouncing off. The usual form is then to tip your head forwards and, as the ball rolls onto the back of your head, to flick it upwards into the air ahead of your next trick.
Forward roll...
According to world-class freestyler Sean D’Arcy, this trick was actually used by Thierry Henry in a match a few years ago to cross the ball into the penalty box for a team-mate to score. Despite the name, you actually use your stronger foot to roll the ball backwards onto your other foot, then, as it it bounces forwards and upwards off the toe, you can blast it with your strong foot. A variation of this is to backheel the ball slightly upwards onto your shin, with the ball bouncing ahead of you. Cristiano Ronaldo, as you can see here, uses this to bamboozle opponents on a regular basis.
Helter Skelter...
Named after an old-fashioned fairground ride where you ride down the outside of a wooden tower via a spiral runway on a straw mat (if you’re not aware of their work, see here or ask your parents), you get the ball to take a similar route around your body. Start by heading the ball high and straight up in the air, then twist your body around so that your stronger shoulder (ie your right shoulder if you’re right-footed) is under the ball and angled upwards slightly. As the ball lands on your shoulder, you spin around so the ball rolls down and off your back. When you’ve spun 180 degrees, it should be right on your strong foot… good luck with this one – it’s tough!
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