October 4, 2024

Image: Connor Coyne via Unsplash

Have you heard ‘One-legged player’? It’s a tag for footballers who can only use one foot to play and drive the ball.

The right footed players are norm, but every football fan knows the pleasure and joy derived from watching the left footed especially when they are skillful. It’s also easier for a right footed player to adapt the left than for the left footed ones to adapt the right. 

Some players will ‘kodi’ when the ball comes to their weak foot, trying to make that bum-body adjustment often slows down execution of dribbles, passes or an attacking move.

What do we need to do to young players at this stage where adaptability is possible? Strengthen the strength and work the weakness. Imagine if a World Cup final goal comes to Messi’s right foot and he’s not up to it? We’ll be left wondering what’s not right.

This is not to say that it’s compulsory for players to perfect both feet, but to put the weaker foot to work for the D-Day.

Coach Angel is a football performance specialist & Team Lead F8ballersafrica

You can follow him on Twitter.

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