Why Coordination is the Foundation of All Technique
Before we talk about contact points, passing technique, or dribbling: there's a fundamental prerequisite without which no technique can function – coordination.
Coordination is the ability to control movement sequences precisely, efficiently, and situationally. In soccer, this means:
- keeping eyes on the opponent while simultaneously feeling the ball
- shifting your center of gravity while your foot shapes the ball
- simultaneously assessing tempo, direction, and space
Players with good coordination learn new techniques faster, apply them more reliably under pressure, and can transfer them to new situations.
The O.R.D.E.R. Principle as a Coordination Framework:
The O.R.D.E.R. model describes the five coordinative abilities that are particularly relevant in soccer:
- O – Orientation: Simultaneously perceiving your own position, the ball, and teammates
- R – Rhythm: Executing movement sequences rhythmically
- D – Differentiation: Fine-tuning of force and movement
- E – Balance: Maintaining stability while in motion
- R – Reaction: Responding quickly and correctly to external stimuli
When planning technique training, always ask: What coordinative demands are inherent in this drill? And: Do they match my players' developmental stage?
The 4 Contact Points in Soccer
Technically, every touch of the ball is a decision about the contact point – meaning the part of the foot used to play the ball. The choice of contact point determines the accuracy, tempo, and trajectory of the ball.
Contact Point 1: Inside of the Foot
The inside of the foot is the most versatile and reliable contact point in soccer. The large surface area of the instep provides control and precision.
Typical Applications:
- Short and medium passes
- First-time volleys
- Short-range shots
- Ball reception and control
Technical Core Principles:
- Plant foot next to the ball, toes pointing in the direction of the pass
- Kicking leg slightly bent, foot horizontal
- Firm ankle at contact
- Follow-through towards the target
Common Mistakes:
Plant foot too far from the ball, relaxed ankle, no follow-through.
Contact Point 2: Outside of the Foot
The outside of the foot enables quick, surprising actions – without a backswing, executed while running.
Typical Applications:
- Quick, short passes while running
- Passes with curve/spin
- Dribbling into open space
- Feints (hinting a touch with the instep, executing with the outside of the foot)
Technical Specificity:
The outside of the foot offers less control than the inside. However, the player gains speed as no body rotation is necessary. Therefore, the outside of the foot is particularly valuable in 1v1 situations and during quick transitions.
Contact Point 3: Instep (Laces)
The instep – meaning the top part of the foot, the shoelace zone – is the contact point for power and distance.
Typical Applications:
- Long-range shots
- Crosses with pace
- Long passes (diagonal balls, switches of play)
- Free kicks
Technical Core Principles:
- Approach run slightly diagonal
- Plant foot sideways next to the ball (approx. 20–30 cm)
- Shin over the ball at contact (for low shots)
- Firm ankle, toes pointed downwards
- Full follow-through motion
Instep Variations:
- Inner instep: for passes and shots with inward curve/spin
- Outer instep: for shots and crosses with outward curve/spin (the "banana shot")
Contact Point 4: Sole of the Foot
The sole of the foot is the contact point for ball and space control. Professionals use it subtly, while beginners often overlook it.
Typical Applications:
- Stopping and securing the ball (sole brings the ball to a standstill)
- Direction changes during dribbling
- Ball reception in tight spaces
- Feints (rolling the sole over the ball, then going in another direction)
Specificity:
The sole makes players almost uncatchable in tight spaces – if mastered confidently. Therefore, sole training is particularly valuable in small-sided games and 1v1 drills.
Attacking Techniques: What Players Need to Master in Possession
Technique in soccer is divided into two broad areas: attacking techniques (with the ball) and defensive techniques (without the ball). Let's start with the offensive elements.
Ball Reception and Control
The first touch determines what's possible next. A poor first touch creates pressure – a good one opens up space.
What matters:
- Don't just stop the ball, but guide it in the desired direction
- First touch into open space, away from the opponent
- Body positioning even before receiving: Which direction do I want to go?
Drill Principle:
Always train with a follow-up action. Ball control → immediate next action. No static stopping and waiting.
Passing
Passing is the most elementary tool in soccer – and simultaneously the most frequently incorrectly trained. Technically correct passes arise from:
- correct body posture (open to the play)
- precise choice of contact point
- adaptation of power to distance and situation
Types of Passes:
- Inside of the foot short: precise, controlled
- Inside of the foot medium-long: with leading point
- Instep/Inner instep long: diagonal balls, switches of play
- Chip pass: over the opponent
Training Tip:
Train passes on the move – not from a standstill. In a game, there are hardly any static passing situations. Those who only train from a standstill develop technique without game relevance.
Dribbling
Dribbling is technique under maximum pressure. Control over the ball during a change of direction or a deceptive move requires perfect coordination of body, foot, and vision.
Types of Dribbling:
- Speed dribbling: driving the ball forward while running, few touches, maximum speed
- Control dribbling: close ball control, many touches, for tight spaces
- Deceptive dribbling: changing direction through feints
Most Important Foundation:
When dribbling, the player must be able to read the space in front of them – not stare at the ball. This is a coordinative challenge: simultaneously feeling the ball and lifting your gaze.
Shooting
The shot on goal is technically the most complex action in soccer – because it requires precision under maximum time pressure.
Types of Shots:
- Low shot with the inside of the foot: precise, for short distances
- Shot with the instep: power and distance
- Half-volley with full instep: the classic shot on goal
- Bouncing shot with spin
Training Mistakes:
Shots from a standstill on goals without pressure. Shooting drills must be game-realistic: with an approach run, with a prior action, with time pressure, or after a turn.
Defensive Techniques: What Players Need to Master Without the Ball
Technique isn't just about offensive play. A player who can defend is a complete player.
Positioning and Pressing
The most important defensive technique is not the tackle – it's positioning. Those who are well-positioned have to tackle less often.
Core Principles:
- Position yourself between the opponent and the goal
- Guide the opponent in undesired directions
- Control distance: close enough to apply pressure, far enough to react
Tackling / Dueling
Duels are won not by courage alone – but by timing and technique.
Important Distinction:
- Slide tackle: effective but risky – only use if you're sure to win the ball
- Positional defending: more controlled, safer, often more effective
Rule for Young Players:
In a duel: maintain position before sliding. The slide tackle is a last resort, not the first.
Heading
Heading is a distinct technique – and is often neglected in youth development.
Technical Foundations:
- Jumping from a standstill or while running
- Hitting the ball with the forehead (not the crown of the head)
- Neck and torso tense
- Arms spread for balance
From Game to Drill – The Right Methodology
Here lies the crucial methodological difference between traditional and modern technique training: The starting point is always the game – not the isolated drill.
This means:
1. Observe what's missing or needs improvement in the game
2. Select a drill that precisely addresses this situation
3. Return to the game afterward and observe the transfer
Classic Mistake:
Coaches create technique blocks without reference to game situations. Players learn movement patterns they cannot apply in a game situation – because the context is missing.
The Correct Progression:
Free play → Observation → Thematic drill → Guided game form → Free play
Technique Training in Practice: 4 Core Principles for Better Sessions
Principle 1: Variability Over Repetition
Monotonous repetitions solidify patterns – varied training develops flexibility. Those who always make the same pass to the same target point become good at static passing. In a game, this helps little.
Better: Same technique, changing starting position, changing partners, varying tempo, varying distance.
Principle 2: Incorporate Cognitive Demands
Technique under cognitive pressure is more game-realistic than routine technique. Simple implementation: A stimulus precedes the action. Coach shows color/number → player reacts.
Principle 3: Establish a Culture of Mistakes
Learning technique means making mistakes. Coaches must create an atmosphere where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities – not as deficiencies.
Principle 4: Always Train the Follow-Up Action
No technique training ends with the technical execution. Something always follows: running, new offering, pressing situation. This keeps the training game-realistic and physically relevant.
How Coach OS Supports Technique Training
In an academy with multiple age groups and coaching teams, quality control for technique training can be challenging. Who ensures that contact points are taught correctly? Who maintains the methodological framework?
Coach OS systematically solves this:
- Sketch – the digital tactics board – allows visualizing and saving drills with precise movement arrows, contact point hints, and coaching points.
- The Drill Database contains categorized drills by technical focus, age group, and game realism.
- Coaches can plan, share, and comment on sessions with a technical focus.
- Player OS gives players access to videos and assignments for individual technique training at home.
→ Request an offer and arrange a demo: coach-os.de
Conclusion: Technique is Learned Through Playing – But Not Without Method
Technique doesn't develop through endless repetitions around cones. It emerges from variable, game-realistic training that places coordinative demands and consistently refers back to the game context.
The four contact points, the distinction between attacking and defensive technique, and the clear "from game to drill" methodology – these are the building blocks for technique training that truly works.
FAQ: Learning Soccer Technique
How long does it take to learn soccer technique?
That depends heavily on age, training frequency, and the quality of training. In the golden learning age (8–13 years), players learn technical fundamentals fastest. Basic techniques like the inside-of-the-foot pass or ball control can be solidly developed in a few months of intensive practice – but true game-readiness under pressure develops over years.
What are the most important technical fundamentals for youth players?
The most important fundamentals are: secure ball reception, precise inside-of-the-foot pass, basic dribbling with both feet, and a simple shot on goal. Everything else builds upon these foundations.
How does good technique training differ from bad?
Good technique training is game-realistic, varied, cognitively demanding, and always ends with a follow-up action. Bad technique training is static, isolated from the game context, and lacks cognitive demands and pressure.
Why is coordination the basis of technique?
Because all technical movements require coordinative abilities: balance when shooting, orientation when dribbling, differentiation of passing power. Those who are weak in coordination cannot execute technical movements optimally – especially not under pressure.
How do you train technique with both feet?
By consistently integrating the weaker foot into all drill forms – not as a special program, but as standard. Drills should be performed alternately left and right. Ambidexterity is easiest to develop in the golden learning age.
Can you train technique at home?
Yes – ball-feeling training, wall drills, coordination drills with a ball are easily possible at home. Players who spend 15–20 minutes daily on ball work develop quality significantly faster. Academies that use Player OS can assign individual homework directly via the app.