Unlocking Soccer’s Secret Weapon: Mastering Traps

Want to know how to outsmart your opponents on the soccer field? Have you ever tried using soccer traps?

Soccer is a sport that includes different attaching and defensive strategies, and one of them is a trap in soccer. It is one of those strategies that give an advantage to your team in-game to stop an attacking run from the other team or to create chances for goals.

Different types of traps need you to use different body parts. So, here we will be discussing what is a trap in soccer and everything you need to know about it.

What is a trap in soccer?

The trap is a method to control a ball when the opponent team players create a loose ball or a loose pass. It is a way to use your thighs, chest, or even feet to intercept the pass and keep the ball in your possession.

As you gain possession of the ball, the chances of performing well in defensive and offensive situations increase.

The main goal is to intercept a ball coming towards you and reduce its speed to gain control of the ball and create passing opportunities toward your team players before opponent players trap it.

Different ways to trap a soccer ball during a game

In a soccer game, there are different types of traps like head traps, chest traps, thigh trapping in soccer, and others. So, here we will elaborate on these different types of trapping in soccer and when you will need each.

Different types of traps in Soccer

Below are the details of different types of trapping in soccer:

  • Inside trap

Inside the trap is the most common and easiest one to master. When a ball is moving towards you, all you need to do is to touch the ball with the inside of your foot so that the ball’s speed significantly decreases while the ball stays in your possession.

This way, you get a lot of time to assess the situation and make a pass or move with the ball. Remember that you don’t need to kick the ball; providing cushioning for the ball to stop at the inside of your foot will get the job done.

  • Step trap

The next one is the step trap, and it is a good choice for medium-fast or slower balls. Here you can put a foot on the ball to trap it, and this type of trap helps in timing your shorts correctly.

As the ball moves towards you, you need to lift your dominant foot so that your heel stops the ball.

While it may seem easy, maintaining perfect timing for this trap is the key, and it is also difficult to achieve so you may need a lot of practice.

  • Chest trap

All balls in soccer games are not on the ground, and some are in the air. Ones that are not too high can be stopped with your chest trap.

Here you slightly lean backward to receive the ball on your chest. When perfectly chest trapped, the ball will drop right into your feet after you touch it with your5 chest.

A good way to quickly move with the ball is by staying on your toes because it lets you control the ball better. Remember to cushion the ball into yourself instead of pushing it away.

  • Thigh trap

Thigh trapping in soccer is good for the balls that are not high enough to be taken on your chest but not on the ground.

This trap uses the dominant leg, and you touch the ball with the mid of your thigh to control the ball. With a soft touch from your thigh, the ball will not go any further as it will directly drop into your feet.

Always remember not to touch the ball with any bone or the knee part, as that will result in an unexpected bounce and a failed trap for the ball.

If you feel like the ball is not accessible for your leg or chest, you may try catching it on your gut but be careful about the hardly-shot balls.

  • Head trap

The last is a head trap that works when the ball is above your chest. You must stay on your toes and touch the ball with your forehead to make it lose all momentum.

Thus, the ball will drop right into your feet. If you give the ball a hard touch or touch it from any other part of the head, it may still bounce unexpectedly, so you will lose control of the ball instead of gaining it.

  • Ground pass trapping technique

When you trap a ground pass, you must move toward the ball and keep your eyes on it. You must be quick enough to judge between an inside trap and a stepped trap.

These depend on the condition around you and the movement of the ball. An inside trap will be a better choice if many players surround you.

However, using the step trap will be better if you have some time to think and make a long pass.

  • Air pass trapping technique

To trap an air pass, you must anticipate the ball’s speed, landing angle, and position. Quickly decide which part of the body you will use, along with the direction where you want the ball to drop.

Place yourself at an angle and gently touch the ball as you receive it. Thus, you will quickly get control over the ball.

Benefits of trapping in soccer

Trapping the soccer ball comes with some significant benefits. Some of those benefits include:

  • As a defender, you can decrease the goal-scoring chances of opponent teams.
  • As a striker or midfielder, you can create more goal-scoring chances
  • Trapping the ball helps gain possession
  • You can create a pressure situation for the opponent team, under which most teams collapse.

Trapping can help you increase your winning chances, and you can even change a one-sided game through efficient trapping skills.

Conclusion

Trap in soccer is an efficient way to change the direction of a game, and it is an essential skill at every level of soccer. Learning and becoming an expert in different types of trapping in soccer can be tricky, but once you learn how to do it, there will be no stopping you.

The key to success is practice and patience, and with time, you will get so good at this skill that no loose pass or ball will go past you on the field.

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