DRIBBLE LIKE LIONEL MESSI ionel Messi steals the ball from his opponent and sprints up field He seems to move faster with the ball than without it Two defenders try to force him to the outside But he slips past them with a clever tap of the ball Now it's just him and the goalkeeper Messi usually wins that battle Messi was born in Argentina in 1987 The year before Diego Maradona had led Argentina to a World Cup championship By the time Messi was 12 years old soccer scouts thought he might be the next Maradona Messi moved quickly through the lower ranks of his Messi was named best Spanish club FC Barcelona At player in the world by age 17 Messi played his first game FIFA every year from 2009 to 2012 with Barcelona's senior team Lionel Messi keeps his head up and looks for open teammates as he controls the ball
Today he is one of the best players in the world with more than 500 goals to his name Messi is a skilled all around player But his dribbling and control of the ball really set him apart He can continue moving forward while still doing what he wants with the ball Some players rely on fancy moves to fake DRIBBLE LIKE LIONEL MESSI Don't just rely on your stronger foot to do all the work Using both feet will keep your defender guessing Use all surfaces of your feet This will open the door to many more moves and help you maintain control of the ball in all directions Keep your head up You won't be able to make a pass or take a shot if you're staring at the ball Master your touch Don't put too much power behind your touches in tight spaces or you will lose the ball Use your body to fake out defenders and get into open spaces on the field Change pace and direction to get away from pressure Even in heavy traffic it's hard to get Messi off the ball without fouling him
