Cristiano Ronaldo is considered by some to be the best footballer ever to play the game, somehow forgetting that he existed in our consciousness at the same time as the actual G.O.A.T. in Lionel Messi. Regardless of your opinion on the greased-up Portuguese international, and many women will have a less than favourable opinion of him, there is little arguing against his skill and ability, which is best demonstrated by what became known as the Chop.
The entire point of the skill is to allow you to change direction when running at speed, but how do you pull it off?
About the Skill
The use of the Chop is something that is extremely effective when pulled out successfully during a football match. It is part of the reason why Ronaldo was so successful when he was at his peak, dribbling with the ball quickly and directly, yet able to shift the direction that he was going in with little notice. This, in turn, would often result in the defender on the opposite team ending up going in the opposite direction and giving the player the run of the pitch. The aim is to get you to be able to do the same thing, presuming that you have the skill and ability to be able to pull it off.
In order to carry out the skill, you need to be dribbling with the ball. Whilst doing so, you then use the inside of your right foot, presuming that you want to cut to the left, in order to slice the ball once your other leg is in front of it. Obviously, if you want to cut to the right then you use your left foot in order to slice the ball. The slicing action is what will send the ball off into the other direction by around 60 degrees, which then allows you to cut inside from one flank and send your defender in the other direction. When it’s done at speed and with intent, it can be almost impossible to counter.
One of the key aspects of this skill is to ensure that you know where everyone is in your vicinity, so as to be able to make the move without the ball shooting off straight into the path of someone who is playing on the opposite team to you and your teammates. The fact that you’re running at speed is what causes the problem for opponents, but it is also what makes this such a tricky skill to be able to pull off. It is all about practice and the knowledge of how your personal ‘chop’ works. The nature of the way your foot hits the ball is key, so make sure you know what is going to happen.