How to Bend or "Curve" a Soccer Ball

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Last Updated: August 29, 2024

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Curving a ball takes a lot of practice to master. This article explains how to curve a soccer ball.

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Curving a soccer ball is actually a lot harder to do than you might think. This will require plenty of ongoing practice, preferably with friends or other team players.
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If you want it to swerve to the right, kick the ball on the left side and vice versa for swerving it to the left. It is much easier to start out with curving the ball to the left.^{[2]
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Take a running start. Aim for a bottom-right panel on the ball. Place your planting foot (left foot if you kick with right, and vice versa) at a 45 degree angle towards the ball. Take your footwear off and look at your foot. Feel the inside of your shooting foot. Feel just below the end of your big toe bone. Now move another ³⁄₄ to 1 inch (1.9 to 2.5 cm) towards your ankle. This is where you should make contact with the ball. When you actually kick, your kicking foot should wrapped around to the left side of your body (for righties).^{[3]
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- Hit the ball with the inside of your foot. When smacking the ball with the inside of the foot, be sure to follow through with your foot.
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When kicking the ball, kick as though you slightly roll it just along the outside of your kicking foot's toe-to-ball of feet.

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How do I score a curved free kick?

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Curve kicks are very hard to do, but with practice you can pull it off. If you want the ball to curve around the goalkeeper, aim a little outside the side post to anticipate the ball's curve.

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Can I use the right side of my toe and leg to curve a ball?

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Yes. Just be sure not to make contact with your foot and the ground, as this is an easy way to injure your ankle.

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How do I do a messy curve?

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I believe you are referring to what is called a "knuckle shot," which causes the ball to dip and swerve in random directions. For this shot, strike the ball at dead center, with a lace shot. Strike from as straight of a trajectory as possible. Instead of following though normally, stop your foot immediately following contact so no spin is added on your follow-through. After a lot of practice you'll be sending keepers the wrong direction.

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Tips

Lean back to shoot it high. Lean forward to shoot it low.

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Aim to spin the ball as much as possible by dragging the foot across it- strike the opposite side of the ball to the direction you want it to travel in.

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Practice as much as you can.

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