The Chip

The chip is a football kicking technique used to quickly lift the ball over short distances, for example, to pass the ball over an opponent to one of your team players, or to lift the ball into the penalty area from a few metres away. The disadvantage of the chip over the lofted kicking technique is that it lacks power. The advantages are that lift can be produced quickly, and that the backspin generated from this method causes the ball to slow down on hitting the ground. This is especially useful when the ball is passed into a confined area, such as near the touchline.

The chip uses a stabbing or chopping motion in which the lower part of the foot, but not the toe, makes contact low down on the ball. The knee of the kicking foot is bent, and high at the end of the follow-through. As for the lofted kick, it is best to lean back slightly, but with the head down looking at the ball. A useful tip is to place the non-kicking foot slightly behind the ball.

There are many useful practice drills for the chip. One of the simplest is to place hoops or create circular areas on the ground to aim for. Another is to aim at targets on a wall. There are also competitive small group drills, such as chipping the ball into the box for another player to head the ball at goal.