France’s second entrant into our list of stars of the tournament, N’Golo Kante is one of the best players in the world right now. Young players can learn a lot from his positioning, tackling and interceptions, but one of his more under-appreciated skills is his speed with the ball. This is another skill you can use after you complete a 1v1 move, like we covered in the previous blog on Bernardo Silva.
Player: N’Golo Kante
Nationality: French
Club: Chelsea
Position: Midfielder
Kante is famous for his work rate and defensive skills, but he also displays outstanding speed with the ball. In the first leg of the semi-final of the Champions League, Kante completed 6 dribbles, more than the entire Real Madrid team put together! These dribbles help Kante turn his defensive interceptions into chances for his team-mates.
Football speed isn’t like normal athletic speed. It’s about being fast over five yards, rather than long distances. Having this speed can help you create space and chances to score goals. Here are our top three tips for improving your speed with the ball:
- When you are running with the ball look up occasionally to make sure you have space.
- Don’t take too many touches or it will slow you down.
- Try to control your speed, slowing or stopping and then sudden acceleration.
Why not start with this exercise taken from our online subscription platform, Coerver Players Club, which helps improve your speed with the ball, as well as giving you a chance to practice some 1v1 moves.
Looking to find out more about Coerver Coaching?
