Adapted from Football Academy
The reasons for using the inside of the foot to control the ball are that firstly it isi the flattest part of the foot, and secondly it is easier to shield t he ball from your opponents.
Move towards the football rather than waiting for it to come to you. This will reduce the chances of the pass being intercepted, and give you more time to play the ball. It’s important to be prepared to receive the ball. Get behind the ball, put your weight on your non-kicking foot, and watch the ball carefully. Try not to get yourself in a position where you have to stretch your foot out to get the ball. If it bounces awkwardly, you won’t be able to control it, and might miss the ball completely. You need to withdraw the foot slightly on impact with the ball to cushion the ball. The faster the ball comes to you , the quicker you have to withdraw the foot. The aim is to stop the ball so that it ends up a few centimetres away from your foot, not a few metres! Try to be relaxed as you receive the ball.
Often you see young players trying to rush to play the ball before they have it under control. There are no points for being clever, and trying to pass or shoot the ball first time when you don’t have the ball under control. You should always control the ball first if you can. Receiving the ball and controlling it is an essential skill in football, and one in which you should aim for perfection.
