Street Soccer Skills: Akka

Hello    there,   I    am    Heikal.    Hope    you    had    a    good    day.    Today,    we    will    be    looking    at    another    street    soccer    skills    called    AKKA.   So,    briefly,   this     trick    is    almost     identical     to    the     elastico.


The    soccer    trick    is    divided    into    ground    Akka    and    air    Akka.




The     Ground    AKKA



Step     One
Roll     the     ball     gently    with     the     outside     of     your     strong     foot




Step     Two
Then,     as     you     gently     roll     it.      Quickly     switch     to     the     inside     of     the     foot     and     follow     it     through

The     akka     reversal      applies      the     same.







The     Air      AKKA



Step     One
Flick     the     ball     up     as      you     stand     close     to     the     ball



Step     Two
Then,     gently     kick     the     ball     to     the     side     while     the     ball     in     the     air.  


Requires     precision     and     high     concentration     in     this     step.






Step     Three
Lastly,     kick     the     soccer    ball     gently     through     the     gap     of     your     opponent.

So,     in     practice.     The     objective     is     to     overcome     your     opponent     by     finding     that     small     gap     to     go     through.


Would   love   for   you   to   share   your   experience   about   this   soccer   trick   in   the   comments.


Hope     that     helps     and     enjoy     the     soccer    video    clip    below.     Bye!

Soccer Cleats : Blades v.s Studs part 2

Hello there, Heikal here. I hope you had an enjoyable day. Today, we will look at the blades of the soccer cleats or football boots. So, let us begin



Surface
Firstly, the surface of the boot have more blades which are closer from one to another. This would penetrate and hold onto the surface which gives an ultimate grip. Then, what kind of condition is it suitable for?




Condition
The grounds that are firm and sometimes hard for example, on a dry soccer pitch or on a sand pitch or an astro turf.




Weather
Thirdly, a dry weather is more suitable for this kind of boots. Although, from experience, a slight drizzle might work just fine as well.



Moving on, let us look at some benefits




Grip
Firstly, the more blades means the more grip you have on the surface. Also, this would be easier to initiate runnings and movements.




Balance
Second, followed from above. This gives a soccer player more balance which ideally good for ball control, dribbling and as well as defending.



But there is a potential risk




Turning
First, the danger of having more grip could result in more difficult to twist and turn. This is usually the case in off-the-ball situations for example when marking or when looking for a space.



The impact could be severe on the knee-joints for example.



So, it is extremely important to work on your techniques in running and movement especially when using this type of soccer cleats or football boots for the first time.



Finally, it is common nowadays for any player at any levels. Personally, I wear them when playing five a-side games on an astro turf whether for fun or for serious competition.



Lastly, this is the final part. So hopefully it would be beneficial to you before starting to buy.



Would   love   your   comments.   Bye, enjoy your day and soccer!

Soccer Cleats: Blades v.s Studs Part 1

Hello   there,   I   am   Heikal.   Hope   you   had   an   interesting   day.



Today,   I   would   like   to   respond   to   one   of   my   friend's   problem.   The   difference   between   using   studs   and   blades.   So,   in   the   first   part,   we   will   have   a   closer   look   on   what   studs   are   for   the   soccer   or   football   boots.



Then,    let    us    look    at    some    beneficial    points:



Surface
Firstly,    notice    on    the    image    below.    The    gap    between    the    studs    are    far    from    another.    This    allows    it    to     penetrate    into    a    softer    surface    thus    giving    more    grip    to    the    soccer     player.    So,    under     what     condition?



Condition
Secondly,    the    soft     ground    normally    derives    from     the    wet    weather    conditions    like    rain,    drizzles,     fog    and    perhaps    snow.



From    experience,    it    is    more    suitable    in     Europe     since    the    condition    is    always    wet    during    winter    times    except    in    the    summer.



Weight
Then,     thirdly,    the    pair    of    boots    or    cleats    are    likely    to    be     light-weight    relative    to     the    soccer    cleats    with    blades.     This     is     because     there    are    fewer    studs,    normally     there     are    six    of    them.




But,    there    are    some    risks    to    be    aware    of



Injury-Prone
There    are    fewer    studs    meaning    less    grip    when     running    in     situations     like     cutting    across    the    marker.    As    a    result,     the    player    could     fall    and    may    prone    to    unnecessary     injury.



Therefore,    as    a    soccer    player    or    freestyle,    it    is     advisable    to    be    careful    with    one's     movement    and     steps     with     the    ball.



This    takes    practice.    Hopefully    that's    beneficial.    Stay    on    the    look    out    for    Part     Two.    Bye     and     enjoy    your    soccer!

Street Soccer Skills: Twizzter

Hello,   Heikal   here.   Hope  you  had  a  good  time.  Today,  we  will  be  looking  at  another  skill  from  street  soccer.



Training    Footballs
Note    that    you    would    practice    either   using   a   normal   size   5   or   size   3   or   mini   soccer   balls   of   your   choice.



So,  here  are  the  techniques   in   steps:


Step   One
Start  by  rolling  the  ball  with  your  strong  foot.


Step   Two
Then,   as   the   ball   rolls,   twist   your   weaker   foot   and   touch   the   ball   to   follow-through   it.


Step   Three
Lastly,   as   the   ball   follows   through.   Immediately   change   back   to   your   strong   foot   and   do   the   Cruyff   turn   with   the   aim   to   nutmeg   the   opponent.


Hope   that   helps.   Would   love   for   you   to   share   your   experience   about   this   soccer   trick   in   the   comments.     So,   enjoy   the   video   below.


Bye,   and   have   a   good   day!

Street Soccer Skills: D-Trec

Hello   there,   Heikal   here   and   hope   you   had   a   good   day.   Today,   I   would   like   to   explore   something   new   yet   still   related   to   soccer   tricks.


So,   to   begin,   after   watching   this,   the   Panna   Penotti   present   quite   a   skill   that   is   practicable  and   perhaps   less   risky   to   any   soccer   player.


To  added   further,   this   soccer   skill   is   more   appropriate   to   apply   on the   street   because   of   the   grip   on   the  tarmac   that   brings   speed   into   when   moving   the   ball.



Training   Footballs
Note   that   you   would   practice   either   using   a   normal   size   5   or   size   3   or   mini   soccer   balls.


Then,   let   us   look   at   the   techniques   in   steps   needed:


Step   1
First,   start   jumping   at   moderate   height   with   your  strong   foot   ( toe part )   touching   the   ball.


Step   2
Then,   as   you   touch   the   ball   with   your   toe,   pull   the   ball   back   gradually.


Step   3
As   you   pulled   back   with   your   strong   foot.   Now   switch   it   to   your   weaker   foot   and   apply   the   same   steps   mentioned   before.


Step   4
On   your   weaker   foot,   as   you   pulled   back.   Then,   plant   the   ball   and   then   drag   it   forward   to   feint   the   opponent.



Would   love   for   you   to   share   your   experience   about   this   soccer   trick   in   the   comments.   Enjoy   the   video !

Soccer Cleats: Adidas Super Sala X

On  a  day,  I  was  curious  about  Adidas  Super  Sala  X  soccer  shoes  so  decided  to  get  a  pair  and  give  it  a  try  after  using  the  Nike  T3  which  came  to  an  end  in  the  early  2012.  Here  are  some  benefits  and  downsides  of  using  the  adidas  Super  Sala  X


Benefits


Spacious
The  design  itself  gives  more  room  to  the  feet  allowing  it  to  breath.  This  is  crucial  for  those  who  prefers  to  play  more  than  1  hour  of  a  five-a-side  game.


Grip
The  sole  is  designed  for  better  grip  especially  on  commonly  slippery  surface  of  the  "tera-flex".  This  would  help  a  player's  performance  such  as  balance  and  would  reduce  injuries  as  a  result.


Power
The  "sweet-spot"  of  the  shoe  gives  an  added  power  to  your  kicking.  So,  for  example,  if  you're  the  type  who  prefers  shooting  outside  the  D-line,  this  would  help  in  giving  slightly  better  accuracy  and  power.


Tackle
The  cleat  design  gives  more  space  and  slightly  better  cushion  to  your  feet.  This  would  help  minimise  the  impact  from  tackles  during  the  game.


Downsides

Touches
The  spacious  design  makes  it  difficult  to  feel  the  ball  which  would  affect  your  ball  control  especially  during  dribbling.  Therefore,  if  you're  the  type  who  likes  to  dribble  with  soccer  tricks.  Then  you  might  have  to  re-consider.


Finally...

The  points  outlined  above  proved  that  adidas  Super  Sala  X  is  more  suitable  for  the  ball-type  of  player  and  worth  considering  to  buy.  Players  like  for  example,  Kaka  are  well-suited  for  this  type  of  soccer  shoes.  Although  the Nike T3  is  probably  cheap  than  the  Adidas  Super  Sala  X.

The Two Footed Flick-Up

Hey  there  everyone.   Heikal  here  and  I've   stumbled   on  one   of  the   rarest  soccer  tricks  that  are  hardly  used  by  professional  soccer   player  nowadays.

It's  called  the  "two-footed"  flick-up  performed  by   a  Mexican  player   Blanco.

The  game   goes  way  back  in  the  World  Cup   1998  where  Mexico  played  against  South  Korea.

The  soccer  trick   performed  by   Blanco   took  the  South   Korean  defenders  by  surprise  as  it  came  from  a  very  tight  situation  and   out  of  the  blue.

Here   are  the   steps  to   perform  this  soccer  trick:

1. At  stand-still,   place  both  feet  against  the  ball   tightly


2. Once  you're   confident  with  the  grip,  flick  it  up.

When  watching  the  video,  here  are  some  tips  to  ponder:

1. How  Blanco  manages  to  find   a  small   gap


2. How  performs  soccer  flick   quickly  with  precision  under  pressure

Enjoy   the  video   and   have  a   great  freestyling   day!

Denilson: Dazzling the Dutch Defence

Hey guys, Heikal here and it's been a while since I wrote the last post. Today I would like to share something that you might have been familiar with.


It's called the step-overs as the title pretty much self-explanatory. The step-overs for most soccer and freestyle soccer players are quite familiar with.


So I've decided to show this video on how you might benefit and use them during the Sunday league or at school tournament or even just for kick-abouts.


This video brings way back to 1998 World Cup Semi-Final between Brazil and Holland (that's 13 years!). More about World Cup 1998: Soccer - FIFA World Cup Vol 4 - 1990 - 1998


The left-footer Denilson outshones the Dutch with an attractive yet smooth step-overs to then cross the ball from the left.


Here are some tips that could benefit your game:


1. How he caught the defender off-balance


2. How he managed to find space to cross the ball


Enjoy the video and have a great day!

Web Site Ready!

That's right, after months of delays, we've finally launched our very own website at soccer-tricks dot net. We'd like to further expand into the world of freestyle soccer and soccer in general. For the time being we'd like to invite all our followers and guests from this blog to our website. If you're interested in submitting a video or an article at the site, please do contact us at the email address provided under the 'contact us' page of the site.

From now on, the majority of our content would be posted at www.soccer-tricks.net, but we'll still have this blog active as our secondary site. By the way, comments and suggestions for the new site design and content are very much welcomed at the moment. Cheers, and don't forget to check out www.soccer-tricks.net

Freestyle Ground Moves

For the past couple of weeks, i've been playing a lot of indoor 5-a-side futsal and couldn't help but notice the possibility of using some ground moves during games. To be honest, freestyle ground moves are much more suitable in a futsal match rather than regular 11-a-side football. This is is probably because it is easier to move the ball around quickly in a small hard surfaced space using the bottom sole of the foot and gain an advantage, usually via distracting the opposing player or frustrating him/her into making a defensive mistake. Hence, if you really want to pull of some cool tricks during a proper futsal match, a ground move would be much more feasible than a regular freestyle air move. Sometimes, when done right, freestyle ground moves often look as if the player is pulling off a 'dance' which can look quite cool too. Quite a number of famous futsal players & freestylers such as Jermaine Vanenburg & Falcao have their own signature ground moves that are often performed during competitive matches.

In the next few days, i'll try posting up a few interesting and easy to learn ground moves, some of which most of us have probably executed before without even realising it. For now, enjoy the classic ground moves compilation video below by Tim Eisink & Matthew. Cheers.

Freestyle Ground Moves

Lately, i've been playing a lot of futsal (5 a side football) due to the bad weather in our area, and i couldn't help but realise the importance of ground moves. Freestyle ground moves, as the name suggests, are done with the ball staying on the ground at all times. Most ground moves involve both feet moving swiftly together. A very good first touch and ball control is a must, since in a futsal court, space is at a premium and the majority of ground moves require the ball to be as close to the player as possible. A lot of moves the bottom sole (surface under your shoes) to be in contact with the ball.

Realistically, ground moves are much more suitable for futsal insted of football, as it is easier to move the ball(which is smaller than a football ball = easier to control), around with the bottom sole of the foot on a hard surface. The smaller space is another reason too, as a single move to find extra space or get past an opponent can usually lead to a shooting opportunity. As opposed to football, where defenders have more time and space to disposses the player. More often than not, ground moves are executed in futsal to frustrate and distract an opponent in order to find an opening for a pass, dribble or shot.

In the next week or so, i'll try posting a few individual classic ground moves that should be quite easy to learn. For now enjoy the video below from Tim & Matthew
showing some nifty freestyle ground moves. cheers.

Heel Cross

It's been a while since my last post. Hopefully this one will be worthwhile. I found a new soccer trick known as the "Heel Cross". As I watch this video, I found the trick to be a bit weird than the usual ones and this soccer trick performed by Lucas himself.

The reason on why I chose this video over the others is because it gives a variety of tricks which could help with your freestyle soccer.

One of them is an obvious Around the World. If you're still unfamiliar with the ATW, you can learn the Basic ATW here. As I have not try out this trick yet, I shall give a few pointers:

1. Swing your thigh over the ball

2. As the ball falls, use your heel to kick it

Hope this helps and if you still want to improve your freestyle soccer to a greater heights. I would highly recommend the 11 Days to Freestyle Soccer guide.

Have a great freestyling day!

The Nike Five T3 Shoes

I just bought these pair of Nike T3's and had a test run in a 5 aside game immediately on that evening. Previously, I had worn the very first Nike R10 for 5 aside and it worked great and still is for the last 3 years. So I've decided for a change and fast. Then I went to the shop immediately and decided on that very moment. I left with two choices between the CTR 360 and T3 and here are the reasons:

Nike CTR 360
A nice design specifically for ball control and passing techniques. Ideal for ball control and touch with the ball especially in 5 aside games. The only downfall is that it's bulky and heavier than the Nike T3.


Nike Five T3
Designed specifically for 5 aside with its rounded shape and slight swerve line of laces allowing more sweet spot for shooting and some soccer tricks using the side of your foot.




In the end and eventually I decided for the Nike T3 for one and one reason, the pair of shoes is designed and meant for 5 aside game of soccer.


Whereas the CTR 360 have great designed for ball control and touch but the very concept of CTR 360 came from the actual soccer itself. Meaning the CTR 360 has been tried and tested by professional soccer players like Cesc Fabregas for the purpose of getting the best on the soccer pitch rather than in 5 aside game.


So, that evening the Nike T3 didn't disappoint one bit and I enjoyed every moment of it. In fact, I'm looking forward to the next 5 aside game whether for fun or in actual competition.


Hope this helps. All the best in your daily soccer and freestyle soccer.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Dragback Assist

Putting the setback from failing to qualify for next year's world cup behind him, Zlatan Ibrahimovich, one of football's finest talent today, pulled off a sweet dragback pass that led to Pedro's goal during the Barca v Mallorca game. Most of us would think that a simple trick like the dragback is easy and can probably be done by most of the beginners out there.. but to pull it off in a competitive league game at the highest level, surrounded by defenders is really something else altogether. The fact that Zlatan had the awarness and creativity to do it in such a situation which led to a goal is one that is really impressive. Enjoy the following video showing us all that moment of brilliance from the swede sensation..