Football skills are one of the things that make the sport interesting, which is why it’s literally above basketball, tennis, rugby, and others.
Almost all players have one prowess or another, and there’s a particular way they usually showcase their skills.
Of course, skills in the world of sport can be limited to midfielders or attackers. However, some defenders (left-back, right-back, centre-back) are also skilled.
In the 21st century, Brazilian players are known as the most skilled ones in the world of football, which is very obvious.
The likes of Neymar, Raphinha of Barcelona, and others can make use of their skills to cause havoc inside the opponent’s box.
Antony did one of his football skills (spinning) at Manchester United, and he was seriously castigated.
However, he made it known that football is art. As a Brazilian, showing flicks is part of their football.
Aside from that, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Hakim Ziyech Chelsea, Ousmane Dembélé and others are also skilled.
What are football skills?
These can be defined as an act of entertaining the football fans, it comes with the touch a particular player has on the ball.
It may be as a result of passing, shooting, heading, cheating, and many more. Of course, those are apparent in the world of football.
Football skills revolve around the followings:
- Dribbling
- Running off the ball
- Shooting
- Passing
- Touching
- Controlling
- Decision making
Some players can show off their stunts when controlling the ball, or by increasing their speed as a result of acceleration.
Any footballer who’s skilled must have techniques as one of his biggest strengths, the ability to do the impossible on the pitch.
Neymar of Paris Saint-Germain style of play is a perfect definition of skills in the world of this particular sport, he makes everything so easy.
Top 10 skillful players in the world of football
- Diego Maradona
- Pele
- Jay-Jay Okocha
- Ronaldinho
- Neymar
- Lionel Messi
- Cristiano Ronaldo
- Zlatan Ibrahimovic
- Eden Hazard
- Kylian Mbappe
As much as these stunts are technically used to entertain the fans at the stadium, not all skills are allowed in the sport.
Some skills have been banned forever in the world of football, because they attract a red card, suspension, or ban.
They can be used during warm-ups before a match. However, they cannot be used during the game on the pitch, because they have been banned forever.
The likes of Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi usually do those skills during the warm-ups. But they cannot use them in a live game.
Football skills you don’t know have been banned forever
1. Donkey kick free-kick
This type of free-kick is actually an interesting one, but it was banned from football 53 years ago by FIFA in October 1970.
Of course, most football fans nowadays don’t know about the donkey-style free-kick, because it was banned before they were even born.
Well, a donkey kick free-kick is when a player flicks up the ball, wedging it between his two ankles before one of his teammates plays it.
The free-kick actually won the BBC Goal of the Year award in 1970-1971 when Coventry scored it against Everton.
However, FIFA banned it immediately, because flicking up the ball before playing the free-kick sounds like cheating.
2. Seal Dribble
Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Richarlison, and other skilled players do make use of this skill during warm-ups. However, they cannot try it during the game.
Seal dribble is an act of flipping up the ball from the ground to the head, and the player runs past the opponents, bouncing the ball on top of his head.
Richarlison has done it many times since he arrived at Tottenham, but it wasn’t on the pitch during a football match.
Seal dribble is literally banned because it can endanger the player showing off the skill.
3. Low header
This is somewhat the opposite of a high kick. This type of skill comes with a lot of injury risk, which is why it was banned entirely from football.
Low header is simply a situation where a player, or defender to be precise, dives with his head in a very low position to kick the ball.
Of course, any ball that’s close to the ground is meant to be played with legs. However, this sort of skill comes with using the head to contact the ball.
Low headers cannot be used during the football match, because they come with penalties; red cards, suspensions, and bans.
4. Shirt catch
Actually, this kind of football prowess comes into play as a means of celebration when a player scores a goal.
Shirt catch simply means when a footballer traps the ball inside his shirt and runs around like that on the pitch.
Doing this type of skill is considered a handball, which is why it’s literally banned from football because it attracts penalties.
Interestingly, player does this kind of celebration when his partner is maybe expecting a child or has already given birth.
5. Neck stall
This is literally the opposite of the seal dribble, both can be used during warm-ups before a football game.
A “neck stall” simply means when a particular player places the ball on his neck. Of course, the football player will have to bend to make the ball stall on his neck.
Ronaldinho is known for doing the “neck stall” during warm-ups. At the same time, the skill can be used when unveiling a new player.
Sergio Agüero showed the skill when he joined Barcelona. On the contrary, footballers cannot use these skills in a live match.