3 midfielder dribbling skills that defenders fear

One thing this World Cup has shown me is that Jude Bellingham is the complete midfielder. He can run, he can tackle, he can score goals and he can dribble at a very high level. And there's three movements I've seen him perform very frequently throughout this tournament that I wanted to teach you today. And if you play in those positions where you're surrounded by clusters of defenders, these can help you get out of trouble and keep possession for your team. So let's jump straight into the first move and this is a variation of made famous by Iniesta where you shift the ball between the insides of both feet. But Jude adds a little bit of spice to this one to make it even more effective and more deceptive. So as he is approached by the defender, what he does is he takes a slight touch with the outside of one foot and shows his hip in that direction, which convinces the defender this is where he wants to take the ball and exposes that defender's weak side. So he takes that slight outside touch, exposes the defender's weak side and then he performs la croqueta. So to perform this effectively he pushes the ball across, keeping in contact with that ball, sliding it across to the other foot, then exchanges his feet and then pushes it forward with the opposite foot. And this is so effective because even if the defender recognizes the action, so let's pretend the defender starts to stick that leg out to try and poke the ball away, that sliding action takes it far enough away from that defender and puts it in a safe space to accelerate with the ball. So it's a slight touch with the outside, then we shift it all the way across, sliding it past that defender's foot, exchange feet and push forward. So let's look at it a bit quicker here. So as he's approached by the defender, it's a slight outside touch and then go. The second move is a fake shot and you can use this in any position on the pitch, whether you're about to cross the ball, strike the ball, pass the ball and it's a great way to unbalance defenders and create space for yourself. The way Jude does it is really effective. So instead of doing it how most players do, I'm faking the shot and chopping it in the direction I want to go. Instead Jude pauses for a second and then pushes the ball. So instead of chopping the ball, does the fake shot, really convinces the defender he's about to strike the ball, so raises the arm, back lift of the leg and then he softens the touch at the last second and keeps the ball close to his foot. So notice the difference here, instead of a chop, it's a push and then it's a soft touch to almost stop the ball and what this does is it allows Jude to recognize what the defender's doing based on his movement. So if the defender bites on this, he then pushes the ball into the space, but if the defender doesn't bite and stays, he can then continue in the same direction. So it gives him the option and you have to be reactive to the defender's movement and adaptable to the situation. So instead of chopping it, we fake, we stop the ball for a second, quick assessment of the defender's behavior, then he pushes the ball into the space and in that point you can make your next move. So let's piece it all together a little bit quicker here. So it's a fake shot, cushioned touch and then push the ball into the space. And the third and final move I've seen Jude perform really effectively, especially throughout this tournament, is another variation of the fake shot. So because Jude has a good strike, defenders are going to bite on that fake shot, especially when you're around the box, they don't want to let a free shot on goal. So we can use this to his advantage. So in this variation of the fake shot, instead of chopping the ball and going in the opposite direction, what he does is he fakes the shot, slightly brings the ball back in the opposite direction and then it's a quick touch with the inside of the opposite foot to continue on in the same way he was going. So what will happen if the defender bites on that movement, puts himself in a non-athletic position and then Jude takes the ball in the same direction, it's going to be very difficult for them to pivot 180 degrees and accelerate. In the heat of a match when everything's happening very quickly, he's going to be gone and into space before the defender even has a chance to turn around. So let's look at it slowly first. So we push the ball, it's a fake shot, chop back in the opposite direction and then chop in the same direction. To make this move even more effective, after we chop that ball backwards, if we show our hips in this direction, that just adds another layer of deception for this defender. Showing your hips in this direction convinces them that's where you're going to take the ball and then you take the ball in the opposite direction. So let's piece it together quicker here, so it's a shift, chop and off we go. So there we have it, three moves to dominate the midfield like Jude Bellingham. But make sure you check out the playlist down here for more skills, tutorials, training sessions to help you become a better footballer and also head over to unisportstore.com for the latest and greatest football gear. But I'm 7MLC and until next time, I'm out.