Performing a "leg over," commonly known as a step over, is a fundamental football skill used to deceive opponents by making them believe you're moving in one direction before changing direction.
What is a Step Over?
A step over is a dribbling move where a player swings one leg around the ball, either from inside to outside or outside to inside, without actually touching the ball. This motion is intended to distract or freeze a defender, allowing the attacker to move past them.
How to Perform the Step Over Move
Executing a step over effectively involves timing, coordination, and a bit of deception. Here are the basic steps:
1. Approach and Setup Touch
Approach the defender with the ball under control. As mentioned in the reference, a common technique is to use the inside of your strong foot to take a touch forward in that direction. This touch sets up the ball's position and can also serve to draw the defender slightly.
2. The Step Over Motion
- After the setup touch, or as you approach the defender, quickly swing one leg (usually your non-kicking leg first, but variations exist) around the ball.
- Bring your leg over the ball, landing on that foot on the opposite side of the ball from where your leg started.
- Crucially, do not touch the ball with the leg performing the step over. The motion is purely for deception.
3. Change of Direction
- Immediately after completing the step over motion and landing, use your other foot (usually your strong foot, which was used for the setup touch) to push the ball away in the desired direction.
- This push often goes in the opposite direction from where your step over motion suggested you were going. For example, if you step over the ball from left to right, you might push the ball to your left to go past the defender on that side.
4. Accelerate
Once you've pushed the ball past the defender, accelerate quickly into the space you've created.
Variations and Tips
- Single Step Over: The most basic form, involving one leg swinging over the ball.
- Double Step Over: Performing the step over motion with one foot, followed immediately by the other foot swinging over the ball before pushing the ball away.
- Inside-Out vs. Outside-In: You can swing your leg over the ball from the inside (closer to your other leg) to the outside, or from the outside to the inside.
- Practice Slow: Start practicing the motion slowly without a defender to get the feel for swinging your leg and pushing the ball.
- Keep Eyes Up: Try to watch the defender's reaction while performing the move.
- Sell the Fake: Make the step over motion look convincing, as if you are genuinely about to move in that direction.
Mastering the step over requires repetition. Practice it dribbling towards cones, then gradually introduce passive defenders, and finally use it in game situations.
