The Importance of Excellent First Touch

First touch skills are very important for any footballer to have. What this means is that you are able to control the ball from any type of pass that comes to you, from any direction.  The purpose of gaining proficiency in this is that it enables you to pass the ball on to another player, make the goal, or dribble down the field without breaking stride or getting tripped up.

Good first touch skills mean that you are controlling the ball in front of you rather than too far under your feet or too far out in front of you.  In either incorrect scenario, it becomes much easier for the defender to gain control of the ball.  When the ball is in control directly in front of you, you will have another chance to touch it with your foot before passing or scoring.  

A Great Way to Improve First Touch Skills

One of the easiest ways to improve your first touch skills is to kick the ball against a flat wall and then gain control of the ball out in front of you at the proper distance with the inside of your left foot and then with your right foot.  Kick the ball as hard as you can against the wall which makes it harder to control when it comes back to you.  This will improve those first touch skills on the field when a ball comes at you from different directions.

Repetition is the key in this exercise. Do these drills for 20-30 minutes every single day and you will see your first touch skills improve drastically. 

Two Important Factors Involved in First Touch

There are two major elements that come into play when it comes to having good first touch skills. The first one is always being ready to receive the ball. Stay on your toes, and watch for that pass.  The second element is not having a loose, floppy ankle, but making sure it’s locked and the foot is tight and in control.  In addition your balance and focus must be good too and in the proper place. Focusing on the ball and controlling it, is the goal, not worrying about where the defender is.   If you focus on them, you can easily lose control of the ball.

Additional Ways to Improve First Touch Skills

When you are doing your wall kicking drill, don’t go easy on yourself. Mild kicks against the wall won’t teach you anything. Really haul of and kick that ball against it as hard as you can. This will drive the ball back to you as hard as you kicked it and it will not come directly back to you as well. It will take skill to anticipate where the ball is going to go, and that teaches you to gain control quickly in on-the-fly situations.

You can also get another player to help with these skills and it will help them too.  Have the other player kick the ball at you from different angles and as hard as they can. Soccer isn’t a lazy sport and that ball isn’t going to come at you softly and easily. Practicing with players taking hard kicks at you can help you prepare for any match.  Once they kick the ball at you, have them try to steal it back. Your first touch skills will be crucial here, because you can maneuver it away and pass to a third person or make that goal.   Keep practicing every day and your first touch skills will show the results of your hard work.