Sometimes the outcome of the match depends on a single play. If you have the opportunity to put the ball in the net with a penalty, you are in an iron barrel. Unfortunately, the majority of unsuccessful penalties are not the result of a spectacular save by the goalkeeper, but of a wrong shot that goes off target. Don't let that happen. Learn to shoot penalties with great precision and train right, so your team can count on you at the most important moment.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Taking a Penalty Kick
Step 1. Fix the balloon yourself
Don't let the referee, goalkeeper or some other player fix the ball for you. You are the one who will kick it, so you should be the one to put the ball on the spot. Run your hand on the grass to remove any clods, stones or pieces of wood, then place the ball on the grass as high as possible.
Ideally, the ball should be placed lightly on the grass in order to give you the best chance of hitting it cleanly. If the penalty spot is worn out, don't worry too much about it. If you kick the ball low, you still have a high probability of scoring. Just make sure you take the height of the ball into account when you are about to kick
Step 2. Take three or four steps back
Adjust the ball, then take three steps back and one sideways on the side of your support foot. You don't have to go far to kick the ball and for most players it is enough to give yourself the momentum by taking a step forward and a step to place the other foot to give the ball the power it needs to score a penalty. More than that is usually useless, but do what makes you feel comfortable. Practice trying different ways to approach the ball and find the one that works best for you.
Some players think that taking a run-up from midfield gives more power to the shot. Although it can be intimidating to the opponent, the truth is that you will have to slow down your run as you approach the ball in order to be sure not to put on the wrong foot when shooting. Taking fifty steps to take a penalty will only tire you out
Step 3. First of all win the challenge from a psychological point of view
Don't look at the goalkeeper, don't listen to your opponents chatter, and don't pay attention to what others are saying. In your head the court is silent, look at the ball and think about what you are doing. Nothing else is important at the moment other than putting the ball in the net. The goalkeeper is likely to be jumping, moving his arms and having a confident attitude. This happens because the goalkeeper knows you are going to score. Stay focused and stay calm and that way you'll be closer to scoring.
- Alternatively, if you feel stronger, intimidate the goalkeeper with your eyes by trying as hard as possible. Pierce the net with your eyes. Scare your opponent.
- According to statistics there are more missed penalties than saved ones. Your biggest opponent in taking a penalty isn't the goalkeeper, it's you. Remember it.
Step 4. Choose a point to aim at and don't lose sight of it
The best place to take a penalty? Where you feel most comfortable. Penalty kicks are the shots that have a high probability of success across the net, but thinking too carefully makes many players go their own way and change their minds at the last moment. In the split second before kicking there will be nothing to help you change your mind. Pick a spot and be confident it's the right one.
- According to statistics, it is true that most of the penalties are made in the lower left corner of the net. The second highest percentage concerns the upper left corner, followed by the lower right corner. This occurs because most footballers tend to favor the right foot and hit the ball on the left naturally.
- When in doubt, keep the ball low. Shots aimed at the upper corners are the ones that are rarely scored, but are missed more often. If you are a very accurate shooter, the best opportunity you offer yourself is to shoot for the crossbar, but statistically the chances of error are much higher.
Step 5. Relax and breathe
When you've positioned the ball and decided where to shoot, relax. Be sure of yourself. More than 70% of penalties go to the net. Concentrate on the mission to accomplish, on the dynamics of the shot and wait for the referee's whistle. Tell yourself that you will score.
- Without fixing where you will shoot, imagine that the shot passes the goalkeeper and ends up in the net. Imagine yourself accompanying the shot, hitting the ball sharply and hard and scoring the goal for your team.
- When you hear the referee's whistle, it's best to move as quickly as possible and not give yourself too much time to think and make a bad decision. You no longer have to intimidate the goalkeeper. It's time to shoot.
Step 6. Hit the ball with the instep
Place your support foot a few centimeters to the side of the ball and hit it hard with the instep of the leg that will kick. This gives you the best control over the ball and allows you to direct it to your chosen spot at the back of the net. Accompany the movement of the shot by pushing the leg up and aiming at the goal with the toe.
- Some footballers prefer to shoot with the top of the foot, where the laces of the shoe are located, to impart more power. It is an absolutely correct way of kicking that generally guarantees less precision but greater power.
- If you want the ball to go high, plant the support foot just behind the ball and bend over to keep it down, low enough to stay under the crossbar. You have to do this if you want to aim for the top corner.
- If you want the ball to stay on the ground, use your instep and hit it hard. Don't try to be too whimsical with your goal. The ball must not touch the post, it must simply go to the net.
Step 7. Have your teammates retrieve the ball if it is rejected
If you make a mistake, be careful before charging back and shooting again. Another player, be it an opponent or a teammate, must touch the ball before you. If the goalkeeper makes a save and the ball is rejected, run as fast as possible and try to put it in the net. If you kick the ball on the post or crossbar, another player must touch it before you, otherwise you will be called for a foul.
Part 2 of 2: Training in Penalty Kicks
Step 1. Develop a repertoire of shots
In football you should have no more than three chances of shooting each time you enter the box to take a penalty. Don't complicate yourself any more than necessary. Practice shooting three penalty kicks in three different directions and consider it your shooting repertoire. Refine each of them, so that you will be able to score in any of the three spots when the time comes and you need to make the decision. You are more likely to score where it suits you best; train and do not consider any other option.
- Most goalkeepers will dive left or right randomly, making it very difficult to predict where the goalkeeper will go when you shoot. Since everything happens very quickly, it is a matter of luck, always. However, if the keeper knows your playing style well, it's always good to have a few tricks up your sleeve. Again, there are more wrong penalties than saved ones, so it's mostly up to you.
- Most of the saves are made in the lower right corner of the goal. Some goalkeepers think that players who prefer the right foot try to trick them by aiming for the corner that is not natural for them. It is best to take it easy and not get complicated. Pull towards the corner that is most comfortable for you.
Step 2. Take penalty kicks when tired
Anyone can shoot the ball into the net a couple of times, but the situation is very different when you have been running on the pitch for an hour and a half, fighting for every ball and taking corners. You will have tired games, you will be sweaty and exhausted and suddenly all eyes will be on you. Your legs might feel like lead, but you need to score a great goal to put your team ahead. Train right. Take penalty kicks when tired and learn to relax and calm down, focusing on dynamics and movement to help you score.
Step 3. Measure your approach to the ball and practice with different runs
For some players, two steps towards the ball are enough and they move forward to give them the power they want. Others may need a different number of steps or may enjoy intimidating the goalkeeper with different approaches and imaginative footwork. That is fine. Practice preparing the shot by taking different runs and discover the one that is most comfortable for you.
Some players prefer to start with a slightly longer run-up and then take small, quick steps before hitting the ball hard. This helps to take away the time of the goalkeeper and can force him to jump early, thus allowing you to shoot into an empty net
Step 4. Train with distractions
Again, it's easy to shoot the ball into the net into an empty net. Practice with a goalkeeper who verbally intimidates you. Work out while your little brother teases you from behind telling you that you will be wrong. Practice with loud music, with people screaming and in the rain. Train in the worst conditions and you will be ready for anything.
Step 5. Train with your eyes closed
It's time to put yourself in a Zen state of mind to face the challenge. If you really want to get to the next level of your penalty shootout training, practice with your eyes closed. Literally. The distance from the puck to the goal and the size of the goal will be the same every time you want to take a penalty kick. This means that your approach to the ball, the dynamics and positioning of the shot should be automatic. You should be able to shoot with your eyes closed. Why not try?
Advice
- Choose whether to pull with the instep OR the top of the foot where the laces are, but don't mess with both.
- Remember to relax and breathe deeply. Think of some useful strategies to calm you down, for example imagine that the goalkeeper is wearing a pair of long johns and holding a brick on his head: he is the one who has all the pressure on him!
- Practice leads to perfection, so good luck.
- You don't have to destroy the balloon; at the beginning train with gentle shots and after developing a certain sensitivity with the ball, gradually hit it harder.
- Always train yourself to kick him in the same spot over and over.
