Football Skills Guide - The Cruyff Turn
Alternative name(s): None. There is only one Cruyff Turn.
The Aim: To make your opponent think you're just shielding the ball and laying it off, before turning 180 degrees back past him.
The Basics: Unless you've been living on a desert island for the past 40 years, you'll know this move is named after the great Dutch footballer Johann Cruyff, who perfected the move back in the 1970's. It's been the staple diet of wannabee wing wizards in playgrounds and parks around the world ever since. With your back to an opponent, shielding the ball, you pretend to pass the ball away before flicking the ball back with the inside of your foot and turning 180 degrees to take the ball passed him.
Don't Forget: ...To really feint a decent passing move before you do the turn. You want your opponent to think the ball is going to travel away from you before you turn it in the completely opposite direction.
Difficulty Rating: 3/5 (a really smooth, slick Cruyff turn is harder than you think. Many footballers can do one but not many can do it well enough to actually fool their opponent).
Watch this Video-clip to get a feel for how to do a Cruyff Turn...
Step-by-Step Guide on how to do a Cruyff Turn...
The following steps on how to perform a Cruyff Turn are for doing it with your right foot.
- Get the ball into a position where it is just in front of you, out of your feet, as if it's about to be passed.
- Shape your body, and passing leg, as if you are about to pass the ball to a team-mate.
- As your passing foot is about to kick the ball, hook it around to the front of ball instead.
- Now drag the ball backwards through your legs with the inside of your foot.
- At the same time as you're dragging the ball back, spin your body 180 degrees so it faces the opposite direction.
- Push off in that direction with the ball, which should now be directly in front of you.
Any Progressions ?
- The other foot - once you've mastered the Cruyff Turn with your strongest foot, practice and crack it with the weaker one.
- Do it on the run - as in the video clip, progress to dribbling with the ball and then doing a Cruyff Turn whilst you're moving.