5 Most Basic Football Skills Every Young Player Should Learn
Helping kids fall in love with soccer starts long before they learn fancy tricks or advanced techniques. The truth is, every great player—from backyard beginners to future academy prospects—builds their confidence on a foundation of simple, reliable skills. As a youth soccer coach for over a decade, I’ve watched shy, unsure 7‑year‑olds transform into decisive, creative players once they master these basics.
If you're a soccer parent looking to support your child at home, this guide will walk you through the five essential soccer skills every kid should learn—and how a kids soccer training mat (like the one many parents pick up from Kickaroo) can make that practice easier, safer, and far more fun.
Let’s dive in.
1. The Cruyff Turn: Teaching Kids to Change Direction with Confidence
Named after Johan Cruyff, this iconic move is all about misdirection and quick turns. Kids love it because it looks impressive, but from a developmental standpoint, it teaches two things young players desperately need: balance and awareness.
How to do it:
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As the ball rolls forward, your child steps in front with their plant foot.
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The kicking foot approaches the ball as if passing or shooting.
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Instead of kicking, they use the inside of the foot to tap the ball behind their standing leg.
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Then they accelerate into the new direction.
When practicing this on a kids soccer training mat, the printed directional arrows help kids visualize the turn, and the non-slip surface keeps them stable—especially younger players still developing coordination.
Coaching tip: Encourage your child to bend the knees and rotate the upper body. The “sell” is what makes the defender bite.
2. The Drag Back: Escaping Pressure in Tight Spaces
In youth soccer—especially ages 6 to 10—kids are often swarmed by defenders. The drag back is the perfect escape move.
How it works:
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With the ball directly in front, your child drags it backward using the sole of their foot.
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As it moves behind the standing foot, they tap it sideways with the inside of the same foot.
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Then they accelerate into open space.
It’s simple, controlled, and incredibly useful.
This is one of my favorite drills to run on the Kickaroo kids soccer training mat, because the lined grid helps kids understand spacing—something that doesn’t come naturally at younger ages. Practicing within a marked space improves ball control dramatically.
Coaching insight: Make it a race. Kids learn better when the skill feels like a game, not a lecture.
3. The Classic Step Over: Building Creativity & Confidence
Most soccer moms and dads remember this move from childhood—because it’s usually the first flashy skill kids fall in love with.
But beyond the style points, the step over teaches rhythm, coordination, and deception.
How to practice it:
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Start with the weak foot circling fully around the ball.
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As soon as it lands, use the outside of the strong foot to push the ball in the opposite direction.
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Add a shoulder drop for extra realism.
The beauty of practicing step-overs on a training mat is that kids can repeat the movement in a controlled zone. Many soccer parents tell me that their child becomes more confident simply because the mat gives them a “home base” for practice.
Real-life note: I’ve seen countless players—some pre-teen, some kindergarten age—double their 1v1 success rate after using this one move consistently.
4. The Roll: The Most Underrated Skill in Youth Soccer
If I had to choose one skill every beginner should master first, it might be this one.
Rolling the ball sideways with the sole is incredibly practical in real games. It helps kids:
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Shield the ball
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Create space
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Avoid pressure
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Change angles before passing
On the kids soccer training mat, the roll is great because the boundaries help children learn exactly how far the ball should move. Many kids tend to push too hard—markings on the mat teach control naturally.
Pro insight: Even professional players rely on the roll more than step-overs or fancy tricks. It’s the silent MVP of ball control.
5. The Step-Over Turn: Perfect for When Someone’s on Your Back
This move is similar to the Cruyff Turn but uses the outside of the foot for the change of direction.
Steps:
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Swing the strong foot over the ball.
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Plant it firmly in front of the ball.
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Use the outside of the same foot to push the ball into space.
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Accelerate away.
It’s simple, clean, and perfect for young defenders and midfielders who constantly play under pressure.
Practicing turns on a training mat helps kids internalize the foot angle and space needed to execute quickly—skills that matter far more in youth soccer than juggling or TikTok tricks.
Making Practice Fun at Home
The truth is, kids don’t need a full-size field to improve. They need repetition, encouragement, and a space dedicated to soccer. That’s why so many soccer parents use a kids soccer training mat from Kickaroo—it turns any bedroom, garage, or backyard into a mini training zone.
Kids practice more when practice feels fun, structured, and theirs.
Here’s what I’ve seen firsthand:
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Kids gain confidence faster.
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They spend less time on screens.
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They develop real fundamentals, not just viral tricks.
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They start playing soccer more independently—without being told.
As a coach, that last one is gold.
Build the Foundation, Then Let Them Fly
Every soccer journey starts with simple touches, not highlight reels. If you help your child master these five basic skills—Cruyff Turn, Drag Back, Step Over, Roll, and Step-Over Turn—you’re not just teaching soccer fundamentals. You’re helping them feel confident, creative, and in control.
And confidence is what keeps kids in the game.
So whether you’re a soccer mom trying to encourage weekend practice or a parent looking to introduce your child to the sport, keep it simple, keep it fun, and consider giving them a dedicated training space with a quality mat that supports their learning.
One day, when they pull off that first perfect turn in a real game, they’ll look back at all those backyard or bedroom sessions—and smile.
Let the journey begin.