How to Play Like Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale is the talk of the town these days. Recently, in Tottenham Hotspurs
Champions League match against Inter Milan, who happend to be the reigning title
holders, Bale ate Brazilian defender Maicon for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the previous
match versus Inter Milan, he scored a hat trick. You'd think they would have figured out
how to stop him. But it's just not that easy.

New: Gareth Bale dribbling drill.

Reuters Pictures

Gareth Bale is the rising star of the English Premier League, and therefore, who wouldn't
want to learn how to play like he does. He plays with an energy and excitement that many
players lack. He's not afraid to take players on, rather, that's what he loves to do.

Gareth Bale Versus Inter Milan

Let's look at some quick highlights of Bale dribbling past Maicon time and time again.

Bale loves to go right at defenders. Which is something defenders hate. But Bale is
exceptional dangerous because he has another gear that he can shift into. He has a burst
of speed or a change of pace that catches defenders off guard. If you want to play like
Bale then you'll need to learn to sucker the defenders in close to you and then burst past
them. One minute Bale is along side them and then the next he's past them and serving in
a deadly cross.

And this is the other trait that makes Bale one of the most sought after players in the EPL:
He can cross the ball. He serves the ball in at pace, so defenders don't have time or can't
cut the ball out. Many times Bale will whip the ball around a defender and away from the
out coming keeper. All the forward has to do is tap the ball into the net. Teams will pay big
money for a player who can cross and dribble past defenders.

So, if you want to play like Gareth Bale you have to develop the ability to whip the ball in
at pace. Bale crosses the ball much like David Beckham, as he wraps his foot around the
ball to bend into the on running forward.

Keys to paying like Gareth Bale:

 Change of pace

 Whip the cross in at pace

 Good speed

 Strong on the ball

 Shoot with power

 Not afraid to go at players

Bale is often compared to another legend, Ryan Giggs. Both players are from Wales and
play like old fashion wingers, who hover on the sidelines tempting defenders to dive in so
they can run by them and whip in a cross. And like Giggs, Bale has a wicked left foot that
he can both bend the ball with and then shoot for power. Take a look at thisvolley.

Gareth Bale Free Kicks

A few juggling tricks from Bale and then his top three free kicks.

Gareth Bale Dribbling Drill

It's no surprise young players want to learn how to play like Gareth Baleor find out
what cleats he wears, especially after he tore apart Inter Milan in the Champions Leagues.
There's nothing wrong with copying what the best players do. Actually, that’s what you
should do, watch the best and mimic them. Below, Bale shows you one of his favorite
dribbling drills.

Attack the cones

Negotiate your way through the minefield

Finish with a shot at goal

“This looks hard but is one of my favourites: place 14 cones pretty close to each other but
at random in a smallish circle, then dribble through them, without the ball touching any of
them, before running on goal and shooting.

Your close control will need to be at its best to navigate the cones at speed, and then put
your head up to pick your target before striking on goal.

I don’t tend to take that many shots from outside the area, but when I do, it’s always with
the side-foot for placement, and the laces for power.

This one brings all the pieces of the jigsaw together – speed, control, flexibility, quick feet
and finishing ability.”

Daily Footwork Drills

Check out some of the best soccer dribbling and footwork drills from experts in the game.
To become a high level soccer player you'll need to master the soccer ball - and that
means having the ability to control the ball with every part of your foot.

All the soccer skills and moves listed below will help you get to the highest level of soccer.
Check out these daily footwork drills that will help you reach your highest potential as a
soccer player:
Photo credit: Chris Pusateri

These moves and footwork skills are based on the Coerver Coaching method.

Fast Footwork (explanations of the terms)

Moves to Beat an Opponent (explanations of attacking moves)
The Daily 7 Minute Footwork Drill (7 minutes a day to excellent footwork)

Fast Footwork

1. Inside Roll -- Roll the ball across your body from outside to inside with the inside and
sole of the foot and stop the ball with the inside of the other foot.
2. Outside Roll -- Roll the ball across your body from inside to outside with the outside
and sole of the foot and stop the ball with the inside of the same foot.
3. Side to Side Push-Pull -- Tap ball back and forth with inside of feet, push ball forward
with one foot and pull it back the sole of the opposite foot.
4. Side to Side Step-On -- Roll ball to outside with the sole by stepping lightly on the
ball, then tap ball back to the inside with the inside of the foot.
5. Side to Side Front Roll --Tap ball back and forth with inside of feet, push ball slightly
forward then pull the ball across your body with the front part of the sole.
6. Pull Instep Push -- Push ball forward and pull it back with the sole, then tap ball
forward with the instep of the same foot.
7. Pull a Vee -- Push the ball forward and pull it back the sole of the foot while turning
and then take the ball with the inside of the same foot.
8. Pull & Take with Outside of Foot -- Push the ball forward and pull the ball back with
the sole then push the ball diagonally forward with the outside of the foot.
9. Pull & Roll Behind -- Push the ball forward and pull the ball back with the sole of the
foot then pass the ball behind the standing leg with the inside of the foot. Control the ball
with the sole of the other foot. feet.
10. Pull turn --Push ball forward with one foot and pull it back with the other while
turning toward ball and take the ball in the opposite direction with the inside of the first
foot.
11. Inside of foot turn -- Push ball forward, move past ball and turn toward ball and
take it with the inside of the foot in the opposite direction.
12. Outside of foot turn -- Push ball forward, move past ball and turn toward ball while
taking it with the outside of the foot in the opposite direction.
13. Cruyff -- Push the ball forward, fake kick with inside of foot, but instead pull ball
behind the standing leg and change directions.
14. Stepover Turn -- Push ball forward, step over ball with one foot, turn toward ball and
take it in the opposite direction.
15. Full Sole Roll -- Roll the sole of one foot forward over the ball and to the outside so
the ball stops against your heel. Turn and take the ball with the sole of the other foot with
a Step-On.
16. Scissors -- Starting with the ball to one side, step over or in front of ball so that the
ball ends up on the other side of you. Take theball in the opposite direction with the
outside of the other foot and then stop ball with the sole of the first foot.
17. 360 -- Push ball forward, stop it with the sole of one foot while stepping past it, turn
and drag ball back with sole of other foot, continue turning all the way around and take
the ball with the inside of the first foot.
18. Kick Over ball -- Kick over ball with inside of foot then pull it back with the sole of
the same foot.

Moves to Beat an Opponent

1. Hip Swivel -- Fake with inside of one foot by swivelling hips toward ball, then reverse
direction and take the ball with the inside of the other foot.
2. Matthews -- Fake with inside of foot nudging ball by dipping shoulder, then take ball in
the opposite direction with the outside of same foot. (explode)
3. Cap -- Cut ball with inside of foot slightly backward and take ball ahead with the inside
of the opposite foot.
4. Stepover -- With ball moving, stepover ball so ball is outside of stepover foot, turn and
take the ball with the other foot.
5. Scissors over ball -- Step behind ball as if preparing to take it with the outside of one
foot, then step over the ball and take it with the outside of the other foot.
6. Rivelino -- Same as stepover, but take the ball with outside of stepover foot.
7. Vee -- Fake pass with instep (across body), pull ball back with sole and take in opposite
direction with the inside of the same foot.
8. Cruyff -- Fake kick with inside of foot, but instead pull ball behind the standing leg and
change directions.
9. Inside of foot cut -- Cut the ball across body with inside of foot while simultaneously
stepping over it and take with outside of opposite foot.
10. 3/4 Inside of foot turn -- Cut ball back with inside of foot, continue turning 3/4 of
the way around and take the ball with the inside of the same foot
11. 3/4 Outside of foot turn -- Cut ball back with outside of foot, continue turning 3/4
of the way around and take the ball with the outside of the same foot
12. Scissors behind ball -- Step behind ball as if preparing to take it with outside of one
foot, fake, then take it with the outside of the opposite foot. (easy to learn)
13. Scissors in front of ball -- Step behind ball as if preparing to take it with outside of
one foot, then step around front of ball and take it with outside ofthe other foot.
14. Double Scissors -- Push ball forward, make alternate scissors steps and take with
outside of first foot. (ineffective close to opponent)
15. Reverse Matthews -- Fake with outside of one foot, step behind and take with
outside of opposite foot. (also called body swerve or Touch 'n go)
16. Stepover - Scissors -- Ball rolling. Stepover followed by scissors with same foot and
take with outside of other foot.
17. Front Roll -- While moving forward, pull ball across body with sole and take with
outside of opposite foot.

Seven Minute Drill

Rolls (4 each foot)

1. Inside Roll
2. Outside roll

Foundation (4 each foot, alternating feet 3 touches between moves)

1. Side to Side
2. Push-Pull
3. Side to Side Step-On
4. Side to Side Front Roll

Pull back and go. Do sequence with one foot then switch (4 times each foot )

1. Pull, Instep Push

2. Pull a Vee
3. Pull & Take with Outside of foot
4. Pull & Roll Behind

Turns: Travel 10 feet turn 180 degrees use 3 touches between turns (4 times
each foot)

1. Pull Turn
2. Inside of foot turn
3. Outside of foot turn
4. Cruyff
5. Stepover Turn

Change of direction with fakes, 3 touches betweens turns (4 times each foot)

1. Hip Swivel
2. Matthews
3. Cap
4. Stepover
5. Scissors
6. Rivelino (You can substitute any of the "Moves to Beat an Opponent")

Complete Seven Minute drill is more than 575 touches on the ball.

Spend another ten minutes passing against a wall, both feet, both one and two-touch,
instep and inside of feet, include fake kicks. Keep feet moving and work on accuracy.

Spend ten minutes juggling the ball trying to get 100 consecutive juggles.

Do 50 to 100 situps, then stretch.

Try to do complete workout every day. This workout can be done anywhere that there is
little danger of breaking things, for instance in a basement, playroom or outside.

Learn more about Coerver Coaching methods and training ideas here.

Note: the following collection of footwork and dribbling moves was put together by Dennis
Mueller, a boys' U16 competitive coach in Princeton, NJ (USA) from the tapes by Wiel
Coerver (1-2-3-Goal, Coerver Coaching), Frans van Balkom (On the Attack), Hubert
Vogelsinger (Videocoach Vogelsinger) and Dario Gradi (Soccer Skills for the 90s) (these
tapes are available from various vendors).