When it comes to playing football, there is much more to it than just running with the ball and kicking it. There are all sorts of different skills that it might be worthwhile learning how to do if you want to take your game to the next level.
Here is a look at one of them:
The Maradona
El Gráfico, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Diego Maradona might be one of the most famous footballers ever to play the game, operating in the classic number 10 position and becoming one of the sport’s most influential playmakers. His vision was matched with his passing in order to cause opposition players all sorts of issues, yet it is his ball control and dribbling skills that we’re most interested in here. The Argentine used his abilities to help his home country win the World Cup in 1986, as well as two Serie A titles and other trophies for Napoli and both the Copa del Rey and the Copa de la Liga whilst playing for Barcelona.
Although this particular skill is also known as the ‘Marseille Roulette’ and ‘the 360’, it is Maradona with whom it is most closely associated and therefore the diminutive player whose name is always linked to it. In order to pull it off, it helps if you’ve got a low centre of gravity, given the fact that you need to be able to demonstrate the ability to turn on a sixpence. Running towards the opposition, you execute the move by using one of your feet to stand on the ball, whilst spinning over it so as to shield it from your opponent. Once you’ve done that, you use your other foot to drag it away from the opposition.
The entire point of the move is to get away from the opponent that is closely to you, but in doing so, you should also open up plenty of space in order to be able to physically move clear of them and have the time to look up and see what your options are. This skill is one that is difficult to execute and will take plenty of practice in order to perfect, but once you’ve done so, you will look like you know exactly what you’re doing with the ball at your feet. The players on the other team will then stand off you so as not to be made a fool of in the future, giving you the time and space to execute whatever passes you want.