5 Simple soccer dribbling moves to beat defenders

Do you want to be a more dynamic and dangerous player on the field?

In this article I’m going to show you 5 simple but effective soccer dribbling moves you can use to beat defenders consistently, plus an easy-to-set-up drill to practice and master each of these moves so you can feel comfortable and confident using them in games right away.

The first move we'll be discussing is the feint. This feint is the most fundamental of all dribbling skills, but once you get good at it, it will unlock so many other moves for you.

To use the feint, you will dribble forward keeping the ball close to your feet, then drop your shoulder and bend your knee to make the defender think you are going in one direction, then use the outside of your foot to push the ball in the opposite direction.

The key to this move is to really "sell the fake" by throwing your body to one side to get the defender off balance, then accelerate quickly the other way.

The second move we're going to learn today is the scissor. To use this effectively, it is important to give yourself plenty of space, about 2-3 yards, so the defender does not tackle you before you can execute the move.

As you dribble forward, kick your leg around the front of the ball, keeping your foot low to the ground. Lean your shoulder in this same direction to fool the defender, then use the outside of your other foot to push the ball in the opposite direction and accelerate away from the defender. 

The stepover is similar to the scissor but now you are going to kick your leg out in front of the ball and across your body. As you contact the ground with the stepover, shift your feet quickly and use the outside of that same foot to push the ball the other way.

Two things to remember when using the stepover: 

• Rotate your hips and kick that leg as fast as you can over the ball to make the defender bite on the fake.
• Once you have kicked your leg across your body for the stepover, accelerate fast in the other direction.

To execute move #4, the rollover, begin by stepping wide of the ball, then use the sole of your foot to roll the ball across your body. Next, use the inside of your other foot to push the ball forward and into open space.

Make sure you roll the ball across your body quickly before the defender can react, and keep the ball close to your feet as you burst forward.

Our final move is similar to the rollover, but now instead of using the sole of your foot to move the ball across your body, you will use the inside of your foot. The most effective way to do "La Croqueta" is to slide or drag the ball across your body and then push the ball forward. 

Depending on the situation you can use a short double-tap to quickly blow past the opposition or a longer, slower drag to change pace and unbalance the defender.

Now it's your turn...

As promised I've included a simple drill to get plenty of reps on each of those moves, without much equipment or space. All you will need is 4 cones and a soccer ball.

To begin, place the first cone down, then walk 6 yards and drop 2 cones side-by-side approximately 1 yard apart. Walk 6 more yards and place the final cone down to complete the setup.

Dribble from cone 1 to the center cones, perform the move to either the left or right, then accelerate to the final cone. Take a brief rest then repeat in the opposite direction. Make sure to practice using both feet, executing the moves in both directions.

Shoot for 10-20 reps of each move and increase your speed as you become more confident.

So there you have it. 5 soccer dribbling moves you can use to beat defenders and a simple drill to practice them over and over again.

Let me know in the comments which soccer move you enjoy most.