How using the sole of the foot can benefit players

Being more skilful with the sole of the foot can be a great way for players to increase their attacking possibilities, while also positively impacting their enjoyment and feel for the game, says Graeme Carrick, FA youth coach developer.
Culturally, over the years, you may have been more likely to see the sole of the foot used more skilfully in Latin and European football cultures than within the English game.
However, when you watch matches of all levels, you’ll notice how often and how intuitively players use the sole of the foot to manipulate the ball in a whole variety of situations. It can have a real benefit.

Using the sole can really help players to stay on the ball for the right amount of time, putting the player on the ball in control of the moment. Indeed dragging, turning and rolling the ball with the sole are vital individual skills when manoeuvring or hiding the ball from opponents.

Being capable of such skills helps a player control individual tactics. Using the sole is great for stopping and starting, changing direction, changing speed or even changing the individual angle of attack, all of which make it more difficult for opponents to defend. It also enables the player to drag the ball 360 degrees; therefore, players can move fluidly in any direction from a standing start.

Sometimes using the sole is a useful way of putting the ball in the best place for the next action – for instance getting the ball out your feet for a pass, a shot or turning away from pressure to explore a better option. Disguise can be used as the ball arrives to feint passes or a shot, as well as small late movements when on the ball to body feint or go against the flow of the opponent’s motion.

There are endless variations of skills you can achieve by using the sole of the foot. Each player will have their own capabilities and tendencies; therefore, young players must have the chance to explore such skills.

Developing skill through games
Playing games is a great way of developing skill – if the atmosphere created enables a culture of skill. Games naturally provide instinctive moments and situations for players to practice skilful solutions. Don’t feel the need to interfere unnecessarily, but you could find moments to positively reinforce players trying to be skilful. If they’re willing to express themselves and stretch their comfort zones with the intention of trying positive ideas, then that’s great, even if it doesn’t quite come off.

In the video below, FA national coach developer, Paul McGuinness, introduces the idea that whenever a player has the ball, they must use the sole of their foot at some point before releasing it. You may notice that this trades off some realism and decision-making for the benefit of increased repetition of the skill.

More importantly, though, it reinforces the encouragement for players to express themselves on the ball and further explore their possibilities, helping to create a culture of skill. If framed appropriately, such games provide players with a playful lab for the experimentation of skills.

One important thing to consider is how it can change the way the game is played; encouraging players to be more comfortable staying on the ball, giving them more control of the situation and enabling them to play the game on their own terms. It often leads to longer spells of individual and collective possession and can slightly slow the tempo of the play, leading to more controlled and creative play.