The basic chop is a rapid downward cut across the forward face of the ball as the ball is going forward, in order to stop the ball quickly. It is an effective way to quickly reverse direction while your opponent is already moving at speed in the original direction.

The basic mechanics of a chop ...

Inside Cut

The inside-of-the-foot cut is one of the easiest basic soccer moves to learn. All there is to it is to use the inside of the foot (around the arch), put the foot beside the ball and drag the ball so that it will go in the opposite direction, then transfer the ball to the other foot as you put your weight on the cutting foot.

Start by dribbling straight ahead, then lightly dragging/pulling the ball so that it travels in front of the player to land in the vicinity of his other foot, then ...

The art of feinting is delightful, and even young players can get a kick out of getting an opponent to “bite” on a good fake….

Virtually all players, including top level stars, have some 4 or 5 basic feints that they use most of the time with great success. So, don’t be surprised that players show decided personal preferences on which moves to adopt and which to discard….

Simple step-fake
Single scissors (Barnes) move

One of the first skills which young players will need is the ability to shield the ball in order to keep a nearby opponent from stealing it. Confidence in the ability to shield the ball is critical to later success as a player - because a player who does not believe that he can hang onto the ball usually will get his head down, get flustered, and just blindly kick the ball away (“hot potato” clearance)....

....the most basic shielding move - but is amazingly useful. The player simply steps over the ball to put either one or both legs between the ball and an incoming opponent.  There is a trick to it, however. In stepping across the ball…

After one year (one long or two short outdoor seasons, or one outdoor and one indoor season, depending on local conditions) of formal soccer training, most coaches on the List think that it is realistic to expect most beginners at age U-10 and above to be able to do the following…