How to Do a Cruyff Turn in Soccer
Pioneered by the brilliant Dutch center forward Johann Cruyff, the Cruyff turn is one of the most effective feints you can use to lose a defender on the soccer field. It's an incredibly simple move, but with good timing and a strong effort to "sell" the fake to your marker, you can get away from defensive pressure and into open space in a matter of moments.
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Instructions
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1
Place the ball on the ground in front of you.
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2
Take a few steps back from the ball and line it up as if you were going to kick a cross or pass to a teammate.
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3
Approach the ball and plant your non-kicking foot next to it, just as if you were going to kick it.
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4
Swing your kicking leg toward the ball.
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5
Use the inside of your kicking foot to drag the ball back behind your planted leg and into the open space opposite the direction in which you would have kicked it.
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6
Turn your body away from your defender (real or imagined) and explode after the ball.
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Take one or two touches to settle the ball and begin dribbling in a new direction.
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Tips & Warnings
Practice planting your foot and doing the turn slowly before trying it at full speed.
Make your fake kick seem as genuine as possible, since the success of the feint relies on your defender planting his or her feet and believing that you're going to dump the ball off to one of your teammates.
