You’re going to love using these flick passes at practice and in games. When under pressure it can be hard to get your pass off on time. Therefore, you can flick the ball in the air or keep it on the ground, preventing the defender from stealing it. There are very easy ways to practice this at home or at the field on your own or with a partner.
“Players who spend time with the ball at home give themselves a big advantage.”
What comes to mind when you hear of the flick?
When most futbol minds think of a flick they think of getting the ball in the air…
Although, there are ways to flick the ball on the ground too.
To flick the ball like I’m explaining in the post is different from a ‘flick-on’ – like this blog/video here
Watch Andres Iniesta [video above] flick
Flicking the ball in the air
3 ways to pass:
- Straight on using your laces [Most players favorite because they feel better using this technique]
- Outside of the laces – turning your toes in a little [My favorite because I feel more accurate since the foot becomes wider by doing this]
- Flicking in using the top and inside of your big toe area
With the 1st and 2nd way, you can get the distance and height [10 yards] if needed.
Video of Neymar showing creative ways to use the flick
2 ways to dribble:
- As the ball is coming towards you and there’s a defender in front of you a few feet away, you can lift the ball over their foot.
- When you’re dribbling and a defender attempts to steal the ball you can lift/flick over their foot.
“The more you practice, the better you become.”
Watch tutorial above…
Using the flick to keep the ball on the ground
To pass:
When flicking on the ground to pass I like to use the outside laces because you can make the ball go 3 – 10 yards, and the defender can’t read it.
When doing rondos you can find yourself using this type of flick.
Obviously in a game you can use it when your teammate is close [within 5-10 yards].
It can be used as a no look pass which helps give your teammates more time.
To dribble:
Keeping the ball on the ground you can sweep/flick the ball to the side using the inside or outside of your foot.
Spanish legend, Iniesta used to drag the ball like this after he took his first touch…
You couldn’t tell unless the camera showed a slow motion replay.
The advantage is the defenders can’t react until after you’ve already gone because the foot doesn’t go to connect to the ball – it’s already attached to it.
How to practice by yourself
Get close to a wall [1-2 yards] and work on keeping the ball on the ground – using the outside laces and inside of the foot.
3 ways:
- Flick the ball on the ground and then trap it when it comes back to you. Don’t rush the release. This is a slow yet smooth movement.
- Instead of trapping the ball when it comes back to you just continue flicking it. See if you can get 10 or 20 without messing up.
- If the wall is high you can also work on flicking the ball high. When it comes back to you work on trapping/settling it before trying to flick again.
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