Cutting in Soccer: All Details You Should Know

Cutting in soccer: In soccer, there’s a certain art to turning and cutting with the soccer ball at your feet. It’s all about timing and using your body to protect the soccer ball.

Cutting is a soccer technique used by offensive players to get past opposing players. It typically entails good ball control, footwork, and quick turns.

They do it in such a lovely and entertaining way, much to the admiration of the viewing spectators. To reach that level of exceptional cutting execution, you must practice it on a regular basis.

This article covers everything there is to know about safely performing cuts in soccer.

What Is A Cut In Soccer?

A cut is a dribbling move in which a player would make a sharp change of direction with the ball to evade a tackle and get behind the opponent. Cuts are used when running forward with the ball to beat defenders.

There are two types of cuts, an inside cut, and an outside cut. As the name suggests, an inside cut uses the inside of the foot to “cut” the ball. And an outside cut uses the outside of the foot.

How to cut in football?

The art of cutting in soccer entails turning with the ball at your feet. It is also about timing and how you align your body to achieve the desired result.

Cutting in soccer is generally concerned with what you do with the ball once you have it. Players who have mastered the art all do these on a regular basis. They are constantly working on methods to improve their cuts, which ensures that team performance is improved.

The following are some methods one can take to cut in soccer. With persistent practicing of these, unique cutting moves can be effectively demonstrated on the pitch.

How To Do An Inside Cut?

To do an inside cut you should use the inside of your foot (or the inside of your big toe) to change the direction of the ball. With the inside cut, you are cutting the ball across your body rather than away from it.

To execute an inside cut, start by dribbling the ball forward keeping the ball at your feet. As you approach the defender, use the inside of your kicking foot to cut the ball across your body, changing direction whilst maintaining forward momentum.

How To Do An Outside Cut?

To do an outside cut you use the outside of your foot (or outside of your little toe) to change the direction of the ball sharply whilst running at speed. Start by dribbling the ball forward keeping the ball close to your feet.

As you approach the defender, bring your kicking foot behind the ball moving it from outside to in. The outside of your foot should now be in a position to cut the ball sharply away from your body and around the defender whilst accelerating away.

Three Fundamental Soccer Turns

Ever wondered how soccer players like Sergio Busquets, Andrés Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas, or Johan Cruyff could turn their opponents inside out, game after game? Wonder no more. In this tutorial, Jamie demonstrates three turns that you can replicate on the pitch to improve your game. How to Turn Like the Pros. Learn some of the fundamental turns in soccer/football from this tutorial.

Outside of the Foot Cut

Use the outside of the foot to cut the ball back in the other direction. Plant the standing foot far enough away from the ball so you can pivot away, turn your hips and body, and cut the ball with the outside of the foot in one motion.

Inside of the Foot Cut

Pivot on the standing foot and cut the soccer ball in the other direction with the inside of the foot. Just like when doing a dribbling move, when cutting or turning with the soccer ball burst away at speed into the space with a change of pace to beat the defender.

Soccer Pro Turns

• The Cruyff Turn
• Zidane Spin Turn
• Half Turn

Cutting the Soccer Ball

While approaching an opponent, chop at the ball with your right foot cutting directly to the left. 2. It is important that you don’t cut the ball too hard, you want to keep it on the ground. 3. It is important to change your weight and direction quickly to make this move effective.

Shoulder Feint Soccer Turns

Dip the shoulder to one side and go in the opposite direction. Step into the direction you are faking with your shoulder and take off with the ball in the other direction. Spinning in a way in the other direction. It’s a shoulder fake to the right then you dribble off or turn with the ball to the left – and the reverse to go the other way – fake to the left (lean) and dribble off by turning to the right.

This is done with your back toward the defender. Before turning, and when you have a defender on your back, throw in feints as if you are going to go in one direction when you really want to go the other way. Feint to the side by dipping your shoulder.

However, as a midfielder, you might want to have your body half turned already, and open to the field. This turn, the fake with your shoulder, is if you are marked tightly and coming back to the ball with a defender right on top of you and need to spin away.

Simple Soccer Turns

Here are simple turns you can use to take your game to the next level! The quicker and more efficiently you can turn, the better a soccer player you will be.

Spinning with the Inside of the Foot

Use the inside of the foot to spin around with the ball. You are using the inside of your foot for control and pulling the ball around to open up in the new direction you want to go in. That way you are immediately open to the entire field and can make a pass with the inside of your foot on your next step.

Using the inside of your foot to turn is a quick way to open yourself up to the entire field. You’ll often see central midfielders use this turn to open themselves up so they can see the whole field. Remember though, make sure you know who’s around you and how much pressure you’re under before you receive the soccer ball.

The Dummy Turn

If the ball is played at the right pace and you think the defender is too close to you, then you can let the ball run through your legs and turn and beat your opponent to the soccer ball.

Also, if you know your teammate is behind you and open, you can let the ball run through your legs and go through to your teammate, and they then can play the ball back to you – much like a give-and-go.

This is very effective for forwards to learn. The ball can be played to the forward who’s checking back, who lets it run through his or her legs, or just lets the ball go by them and quickly turns to get the ball back from the other forward, the deeper forward who is posting up.

When the two forwards are lined up one should always be closer to the midfield. The forwards should try to work in tandem and stay ten or fifteen yards from one another. One stretching the defense the other closer to the midfield – of course, the forwards can rotate and switch these positions through the course of the game but often the taller forward posts up high to win head balls for instance, while the other forward tries to win the knockdowns or anticipate a flick, say off of a goal kick or punt for instance.

Forwards can also clip the ball into the other forward path and work a give-and-go. Meaning, instead of being a dummy and letting the ball go past them completely, they can get a touch on the ball or flick the ball onto the forward – using the pace of the ball to spin the ball into the other forward, perhaps around a defender.

Conclusion

Cutting correctly in soccer ensures that a player skillfully evades opponents while expressing beautiful moves. Cutting, despite its brilliance, necessitates patience and skill while adhering to the technique.

Furthermore, when learning how to cut, you should not limit yourself to a specific one because each of them has situations that are best suited to their use. Visit and follow us – Footballterms to update many ways to play soccer.

Thanks for reading!