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How to Trap a Soccer Ball
Published date: December 18, 2021
To be a fantastic soccer player, you have to learn tons of essential skills. Maybe one of the most important is the ability to trap the ball. Because of the importance of this skill, most coaches make this a priority when it comes to applying a skill in soccer.
Soccer coaches emphasize trapping the ball because possession in soccer is crucial. By honing the skills of trapping, you are elevating your ability to retain possession for your team longer.
So, in this quick article, we are going to take a look at how to trap a soccer ball in order to help you elevate your skills to new levels. Without further ado, let’s get right to it!
Trapping A Soccer Ball: Types of Traps
Before we learn how to trap, it’s essential to understand the difference between the types of traps. The method and places you will use these traps will significantly affect you. Chest traps will be used in one situation and head traps in another. Either way, these traps are meant to help you be able to keep that ball under control.
So here are the main types of traps used in a soccer match:
Foot Trap
To keep complete control of this trap, you’re going to start with your foot on the ball. This is done very easily; as the ball moves close, you will lift up your prominent foot and let the ball come to rest on your heel. The ball will bounce forward a little bit, but it will stop.
Inside Trap
This type of trap utilizes your foot to stop the ball. This is one of the most fundamental soccer skills a good player can cultivate. As the ball moves towards you, you’re going to rotate your foot or the ball so that your foot is facing the soccer ball. Once the ball hits your foot, you will try to keep the ball close.
Thigh Trap
Another type of trapping in soccer is when the player utilizes their thigh. This trap has you utilizing the inner part of your upper leg to quickly gain control of the ball. When the ball is approaching, you want to lift one of your legs so your upper thigh is slightly an angle. Aim to have the ball at the middle of your thigh and then straighten the leg out as it does so.
Chest Trap
If the ball is coming towards your upper torso, a chest wrap is a right choice. You will utilize your chest to stop the ball and then let the ball drop to your feet. As the ball comes towards you, make sure your knees are slightly bent and keep a close eye on the ball once the ball comes in contact with your chest, then let it bounce forward, landing on the ground near your feet. The only thing you have to worry about is any tricky bounce that may place the ball in the wrong place.
Head Trap
We’ve all seen that cool soccer trick where the person uses their head to bump the ball into the goal. But the head can be used for trapping the ball as well. You can use a head trap to deal with difficult shots as long as you train yourself not to flinch when the ball is coming toward you. When you see the ball coming for you, step into the path and then allow the ball to contact your forehead. This decreases the momentum and allows the ball to drop directly in front of you.
Learning How to Execute the Perfect Trap
Depending on the situation, you’ll have to utilize one of the trap options we looked at above. Here are four of the most common places where traps are used in a soccer game:
Ground Pass
When dealing with a ground pass, most use the inside trap. This, of course, will help improve your chances of maneuvering the ball in front of you. Ground passes, of course, are maybe the easiest type of trap.
Aerial Pass
Aerial passes are pretty prominent when it comes to games. The choice of a trap will depend on a few factors, including the speed of the ball and the height it is approaching you at. To be an expert at aerial passes, you have to have perfected multiple options for the type of trapped.
Bouncing Pass
Trapping a bouncing pass is a challenging technique to master. In order to handle bouncing passes, you want to make sure you have a core understanding of the fundamentals of trapping and then be able to address it according to the situation. The easiest way to stop a bouncing pass is to use an inside trap, which will offer you more control.
Open Space
There are a few things to consider when it comes to trapping a soccer ball in an open space. A player needs to make sure that their body is facing the opponent’s goal as fast as they possibly can make it. You can adjust your stance to get the ball closer to your feet if possible. If, however, a defender is close, you’re going to want to be able to execute the trap rapidly, which is why ensuring that you have a high level of technique is important when it comes to trapping in open space.
Final Thoughts
The truth is that trapping a soccer ball in soccer means that you will be able to retain control and possession of the ball longer. This is beneficial for your team, so it is not surprising that this is one of the most essential soccer skills you can learn. We hope that looking at the types and situations of trapping will help you enhance your trapping skills and that you can now impress all your friends, family, and teammates with your newly learned skills. So what are you waiting for – hit the field and get practicing!
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