It is the number one question. A player must have the technical, tactical, physical, and psychological ability to keep the ball when a pass is not immediately available and under pressure. Keeping the ball can be done by dribbling into space, turning away from pressure, shielding, and being able to move the ball quickly between both feet to never allow the defender a chance to touch the ball away. A player must have excellent control of the ball under pressure, tremendous foot speed, and use their body efficiently to protect the ball from the defender and create space from the defender. Simply, if the defender cannot reach the soccer ball, the defender cannot take the ball.

Composure (being relaxed) is very important with trying to keep the ball. When players panic, they rush and make bad decisions with the ball, normally trying to FORCE it through a defender or into an area of the field they have no support. Instead, if the player is confident on the ball, the player can quickly move it comfortably between both feet, and use their body to protect the ball, the player can give themselves more time and space with the ball to make decisions and find a good option. Doing this allows the player to maintain possession of the ball, and a teammate time to get into position to support the player with the ball before it is turned over. As soon as a player has the ball, it is easy to tell how comfortable the player is with the ball. Does the player tense up? Stand too upright? Lose their balance? Look rushed or unsure of what to do next? Does the head go straight down and stay there.

Being able and willing to play in any direction at any time is another key to keeping the ball. Players need to be able to change direction while moving with the ball using different parts of the feet. Often players play in one direction; directly to goal! Although I love the desire to get to goal, straight ahead is often not the easiest way to get to goal as defenders are taught to defend the “dangerous” area of the field which is normally in the middle of the field. This requires a player to be able to move in any direction with the ball at a moment’s notice. If a player feels limited and has to go forward, it is much easier for a defender to win the ball. When moving away from pressure, the ball needs to be cut into an area the player can protect the ball with their body and ideally to the other foot farthest from the defender (similar to dribbling a basketball). This is often when players will lose the ball. Although they change direction quickly, the ball is cut into an area that the player cannot protect it with their body and the defender is able to step between the attacking player and the ball. Players tend to dribble with their dominant foot even if it is closer to the defender. The ball must be put in an area where it is difficult for the defender to reach it.

Here is where the player must be effective at using their body, especially with their arms, to hold a defender off their body and away from the ball. It is critical the player on the ball stays low, keeps their feet shoulder width a part to provide good balance and making it hard to push them over while keeping the ball on the foot farthest from the defender. The attacking player needs to use their body to keep the defender away from the ball to prevent the defender from physically being able to reach the ball. When players shield the ball, they should keep their hips lower than the defender’s hips, use their arms to make themselves bigger, to control the defender, and to try to create space from the defender to turn as soon as they can.

It is hard to keep the ball when under direct pressure with little room to play. Players have to be exceptional at protecting the ball with their body and continuously move to hold the ball for just a couple of seconds. With this in mind, players need to be more physical while trying to keep the ball. Often, playing aggressive is only thought about when a player is on defense, but being physically aggressive is just as important when the player has the ball. My challenge to players is can they physically control the defender and not allow the defender to push them off the ball. Can they be just as physical on the attacking side of the ball? Being a physically tough player on the ball can frustrate a defender very quickly. This frustration can cause a defender to lunge at the ball or give up an unnecessary foul. Both of which make keeping possession of the ball easier.

There are physical and technical differences in all players. Some will be more physical or technical than others. Players need to figure out, based on their strengths, how they can protect the ball from a defender while working on improving their weaknesses. Bigger players will be able to hold off defenders with more ease and may not have to move the ball as quickly, while smaller players, who are not as strong, need to use their bodies very efficiently and keep the ball moving quickly to avoid a long physical confrontation.

In a game, a player rarely has to try to hold the ball for an extended period of time, but being able to hold the ball briefly provides more time to make a good decision on the ball to help avoid losing possession. The more players think about moving in all directions with the ball versus just straight ahead and use their body efficiently to protect the ball, the more success they will have keeping possession of the ball in games.