Dribbling Basics

Dribbling: quick links

Good dribblers combine ball control and trickiness along with a will to take risks. We love good dribblers! It’s the foundation skill for receiving and ball striking, and the favorite skill for many young players.

Here’s a demo of an experienced player just having some fun while dribbling. If it looks like fun, follow the advice below, stay determined when you mess up, and you’ll be on your way to making your own freestyle dribbling video! It’s not magic, but consistent hard work will make it all possible. That’s when hard work turns into fun!

Running with the ball (also called “speed dribbling”):

  1. Running with the ballPush the ball with the outside of the laces area of your shoe while running in a straight line. (Push the ball, don’t kick it.)
  2. Foot shape should be “toes down and pointed slightly inward,” which allows you to keep your speed as you run. (“Toes out” will make you run like a duck and slow you down. “Toes up” will result in toe bashes, and you’ll lose control of the ball.)
  3. Go as fast as you can while keeping the ball under control. In the early stages, try to keep the ball one step away, following the pattern “push (one foot), step (other foot), repeat.” When you get comfortable with this skill, try slightly longer touches and see if you can go even faster. You can really fly if you can push the ball 2-3 steps in front while running.

Variations:

  • You can mix in dribbling turns:  run with the ball to a target line, then do a turn and run with the ball back to your starting point.

Figure-8 dribbling:

Dribbling in a figure-8 pattern is one of the best ways to develop dribbling control! We created a separate figure-8 dribbling page with video demos and descriptions of different figure-8 dribbling activities.

Zigzag dribbling (dribbling cuts):

Zigzag dribbling pattern

  1. Cut the ball to the left with the inside of your right foot. (In soccer, the word “cut” refers to a change of direction.) This should be a light (soft) touch to keep the ball under control.
  2. Move your left foot past the ball and step down about 8-12 inches from the ball. (A common mistake is to place your left foot behind the ball. If you do so, your left foot will block your right foot from taking the next touch.)
  3. Cut the ball to the right with the outside of your right foot. This should be another soft touch to keep control.
    1. Using the outside of the foot: Point your toes down and in and touch the ball with the area near your pinkie toe.
  4. Repeat the zigzag pattern for 20 or so touches. Take light (soft) touches to keep the ball under control.
  5. Switch to your left foot for another 20 or so zigzag touches.

Zigzag dribbling advanced variations:

Change the pattern from single inside / outside touches:

  • Try double touches: two with the inside of the right foot, two with the outside of the right foot. After 20 or so touches, repeat with your left foot.
  • Take a single inside touch, followed by two outside touches.
  • Add lunge, scissors or step-over fakes to the zigzag dribbling:
    • Take an inside touch, do a lunge fake with the other foot, and then take an outside touch with the dribbling foot.
    • Take an inside touch and an outside touch, do a scissors fake, and then repeat the pattern.
    • Take a single inside touch, do a step-over fake with the same foot, and then take an outside touch.

Use your imagination and combine different moves with zigzag dribbling.

Zigzag dribbling with both feet:

  1. Take an inside touch with your right foot.
  2. Take an outside touch with your left foot.
  3. Take an inside touch with your left foot.
  4. Take an outside touch with your right foot.
  5. Repeat the pattern. How many touches can you get in 30 seconds? Keep practicing and see if you can beat your record.