First Touch Mistakes and How to Fix Them
Mistakes to Avoid:
❌ Keeping your leg and foot too stiff: This can result in the ball popping away from you, as shown in the clip.
❌ Poor ball contact: Don’t take your eyes off the ball. Misjudging the ball’s flight path can lead to missing the trap entirely or making poor contact
❌ No cushioning: Don’t simply let the ball hit your foot without cushioning. Failing to absorb the impact will cause the ball to bounce away instead of staying close.
Corrections:
✅ Pull foot back: As the ball makes contact with your foot, slightly pull back to cushion the impact. This softens the touch and helps bring the ball under control
✅ Relax foot & ankle: As the ball approaches, slightly relax your foot and ankle. This will help absorb the impact and prevent the ball from bouncing away.
✅ Inside of the foot: Point your toes up and slightly outward so the inside of your foot presents a large surface area to the ball.
