If you’ve ever gone looking at the depths of The Bite, you might have seen an article from 2018 about simple Soccer tricks. Consider this a continuation of that, but with some more difficult moves for the advanced Soccer players. You can learn 4 of the most difficult and flashy tricks with enough practice!

       1. The (double) Elastico

An easy move to learn, extremely difficult to master. The Elastico is meant to quickly deceive defenders and send them off balance. To perform the move, slowly and gently push the inside of the Soccer ball with your dominant foot, then quickly switch sides of the ball and push it back inwards. This should be one, fluid motion, and your foot should switch sides by following the side of the ball closest to you. 

Once you’ve mastered the Elastico, try doing the same trick except pushing the ball back outwards after pulling it back. While this is extremely difficult, it’s quite practical for most situations, and flashy too!

       2. The Rainbow Flick

Likely one of the most well-known tricks in the book, there are multiple ways to perform it. One of the easiest ways to pull it off still takes lots of practice. First, have the ball in a still position to practice. Put your dominant foot behind the ball, and slightly to the same side your leg is on. Put your non-dominant foot to the other side, but put it across on the other diagonal of the ball. The Soccer Ball should be pressed in between your heels. Once you have a tight grip, use your dominant leg to roll the ball up your other leg. The other leg should flick the ball up into the air and over your head. This takes a lot of practice, and even masters don’t get it right all the time. If you can pull it off though, it will leave the audience breathless.

       3. The Sombrero Flick

The Sombrero Flick has only been performed by some of the top-class players of the world, and months of practice is required to get it. Simple on paper, accuracy and power is required to get it right, and it’s not the most practical of skills. It will definitely surprise everyone, including the defender. First, while the ball is still, put your dominant foot as close and under the ball as possible without touching it. Position your other foot behind you, ready to push it off the ground. In one quick motion, flick the ball up using your dominant foot without bending it or your leg. Your other foot should hop off the ground to give you extra momentum. When the ball is flicked up close to you, keep your dominant foot close to it and then curl it back in a quick motion. If you didn’t scoop it up, it should be flicked over and behind your head, where you can turn around and have space. 

       4. The Seal Dribble

Considered by many to be the most difficult move in professional Soccer, it was invented by Brazilian Legend Kerlon Souza, later to be used by another Italian player. The move consists of flicking the ball onto your head, (I.E, using the Rainbow flick) and running with it while balancing the Soccer ball. This can be done by bouncing it into the air repeatedly. It makes getting the ball a near impossible task, and leaves you as a match legend. Even if only for a few seconds, the seal dribble can buy you lots of time and applause.

A good way to practice is by letting the ball bounce on your head, specifically your forehead. Bend your knees and push up when it hits your forehead to add more force. Make sure you’re looking up and positioning yourself straight under the ball.. After you perfect that, try running with it, then flicking it onto your head. It can take up to years of practice, but it’s certainly worth the time. The only downside is it can lead to the referee calling a foul, due to the dangerous nature of not being able to see in front of you well, and the frustration of defenders not being able to challenge for the ball. Argentinian legend Maradona also made a variation of this skill, by bouncing the ball up and down on his shoulder.

Some of these tricks can take months, even years to perfect, but they’re some of the most exotic and impressive moves. If you ever manage to recreate these, then you might as well consider yourself a great Soccer player!8