Let’s be honest, when we talk about improving our soccer game, we often obsess over the powerful instep drive or the delicate curling shot. But in my years of playing and coaching, I’ve found that one of the most underrated, yet utterly transformative skills is the humble push kick. It’s the foundation of control, the silent workhorse that dictates tempo and possession. Mastering it isn’t about flash; it’s about intelligence. I remember early in my playing days, I’d always default to power, booting the ball away under pressure. It wasn’t until a coach drilled the push kick into me that my entire understanding of the game shifted. Today, I want to walk you through a step-by-step tutorial to master this essential skill, and I’ll even draw a parallel from an unexpected place—basketball statistics—to illustrate why its consistent, controlled application is so vital.
The essence of the push kick, sometimes called the inside-of-the-foot pass, is precision and weight of pass over raw power. It starts with your approach. You don’t need a long run-up. A short, balanced step is key. Plant your non-kicking foot firmly beside the ball, about 6 to 8 inches away, pointing toward your target. This is your anchor. Now, the kicking foot. Turn your ankle outward so that the broad, flat surface of the inside of your foot is presented to the ball. This is your striking platform. Keep your ankle locked, rigid. A wobbly ankle means a wobbly pass. As you make contact, strike through the center of the ball. Your follow-through is crucial—it’s not a jab, it’s a smooth, guiding motion toward your target, with your body leaning slightly over the ball to keep it low and grounded. The feeling should be one of pushing the ball, not hitting it. I always tell my players to imagine they’re gently rolling the ball exactly to a teammate’s feet, even from thirty yards away. It’s a mindset of connection.
This is where control truly manifests. A team that masters the collective push kick controls the rhythm of the game. They conserve energy, frustrate opponents, and create openings through patience. It reminds me of a stat line I came across recently from a basketball game, where Sarangani got 19 points and 10 rebounds from Lars Sung and 10 points, seven rebounds and six assists from Kyt Jimenez. On the surface, it’s about scoring, but look deeper. Those six assists from Jimenez? That’s the control element. They represent deliberate, measured decisions to move the ball to a better-placed teammate, much like a series of accurate push kicks that switch the point of attack in soccer. Sung’s 10 rebounds? That’s about regaining possession, the soccer equivalent of a well-timed interception followed immediately by a calm, composed push pass to reset the play. The numbers—19 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists—aren’t just random; they’re the outcome of fundamental, repeatable actions executed under pressure. In soccer, the push kick is that fundamental action. The “assists” are your passes that lead to chances; the “rebounds” are your tackles followed by a quick, secure pass.
Now, how do you train this? It’s monotonous but meditative. Start against a wall. Pass the ball from five yards, focusing solely on clean contact and the ball coming straight back to you. Do this a hundred times with each foot. Then, increase the distance to ten yards, then twenty. Introduce movement. Pass while walking, then jogging. Finally, add pressure. Have a friend shadow you as you receive and immediately look to play a controlled push pass to a target. The goal is muscle memory so deep that in a tense match, with an opponent closing in, your body defaults to technique, not panic. I have a personal preference here: I’m a big believer in using the lightest touch possible for the required distance. It improves feel. Don’t just blast a 10-yard pass when a softer, crisper stroke will do. It gives your teammate a better chance to control it.
In conclusion, while the spectacular goals get the headlines, the game is won and lost in the countless mundane moments of possession. The push kick is the bedrock of that possession. It’s a declarative statement of control. Just as a basketball team’s success can be traced to fundamental stats like assists and rebounds—like Jimenez’s 6 assists setting a steady tempo—a soccer team’s dominance is built on the percentage of completed short-to-medium passes. Striving for a 90% completion rate on your push passes in a match is a tangible, excellent goal. It’s not the most glamorous skill, but I’ll argue it’s the most important. Master this, and you’ll find you have more time on the ball, your teammates will trust you more, and you’ll become the reliable hub your team needs. Start with the wall, today. That’s where control is born.