How to Win a Head Ball in Soccer

Whether you are an offensive- or defensive-minded player, winning balls out of the air is key to maintaining possession and setting up solid scoring chances. Here are some tips on the the best techniques to ensure your team's success on the field.

Instructions

1. Be aware that most head balls are won not in front of the goal but in the middle-third of the field. Since the middle third is the battlegrounds for winning and maintaining possession, it is often the most congested part of the field. Goal kicks and clearances from the defensive third are typically played into this middle area and mid-fielders must position themselves accordingly to redirect the ball within high-pressure situations. When the ball cannot be controlled with the thigh, chest or boot, heading the ball is your best option.

2. Consider that in order to receive the ball cleanly with your head, you need to make sure you maintain a goal-side position (facing your goal) and keep your center of gravity low. A low body position will give you greater strength and spring when the ball is in the air. The best players also give a quick look around them before they receive the ball. This enables them to know where their teammates are positioned and gives them clear options before the ball is even played. Foresight is key if you want your headed ball to be both accurate and strategic.

3. Consider that headed balls are great tools to launch a counter-attack. The two most common heading maneuvers are the flick-on and the redirection. The flick-on is most effective when you have players positioned directly behind you and a flick would feed a fast transition through a defensive line. The redirection is more effective to maintain possession and build more slowly towards an attacking position. The benefit of building slowly is that your team can get numbers in front of the ball, which will improve your scoring chances.

4. Know that heading opportunities within the final, attacking third typically come from corner kicks, indirect free kicks just outside the penalty area, or crossing service from an outside mid-fielder. An attacking header requires a very different posture, strategy, and technique. The key to winning an attacking header is less about securing position and more about timing your run so that you can meet the ball in the air at a rapid speed. Your momentum will add force to your strike. Since good defenders will seek to get between you and the ball, a quick change of direction away from the goal and then towards the ball is the strongest way to find open space and get a clear chance on the goal. Some coaches call this "clearing space."

5. Be aware that when striking the ball with your head within the attacking third, a quick snap of the head is the most effective way to both keep pace on the ball and provide substantial redirection. The key of attacking headers is to get high enough above the defender. Maintaining constant eye contact with the ball is essential, as often you will be playing the ball through a series of screening players. Attacking headers should also be played downwards when placed on goal, as it is more difficult for the goalkeepers to save a low shot after tracking the ball through the air.

Tips & Warnings

• Get a friend to practice with and take some practice place kicks, such as goal kicks and corner kicks, to get a better idea of where the ball lands.

• You should also get a good feel for the range of whoever takes the goal kicks on your team and position yourself accordingly.