When it comes to soccer, there are lots of different kinds of techniques that you’ll see players using. It can be quite hard to keep on top of them all, but it’s worth getting familiar with as many of them as you can.
For soccer players, this is because it will give them new tips and tricks to carry out on the soccer pitch, improving their game. For soccer fans who just like to watch games, it’ll help them to understand and enjoy the game better.
There’s nothing worse than hearing a soccer commentator use a term you don’t understand – it excludes you from the game!
One popular soccer (see also: Why Is Soccer So Popular?)term that you might come across a lot is the “trap”. But what is a trap?
The short answer is that a trap in soccer is a way to quickly stop the ball and gain control of it, and it’s done with passes or loose balls.
However, there is much more to learn about traps in soccer, and we’ve got all the answers in our handy guide below! You’ll find out about traps in more detail, the different kinds of traps in soccer, and even how to do them yourself. Read on!
What Is A Trap In Soccer?
As we touched on in the intro, a trap in soccer is the name given to a technique where a player stops and gains control of a passed or loose ball. In some cases, the ball will come to a complete stop, but in other situations the ball will just be slowed and stopped a little.
The actual trapping can use lots of different parts of the player’s body, namely the feet, chest, and thighs. Whichever you use will depend on the type of trap, which we’ll cover later.
The player uses the parts precisely to cushion the ball as it nears them, then gaining control of it, allowing them to pass it on.
It’s one of the key techniques in soccer, so it’s essential that players practice it.
How To Trap A Ground Pass
One of the most common passes you’re going to get in a game of soccer is the ground pass, where the ball is moving across the ground towards you. You’ll need to master a specific type of trap if you want to gain control of these ground passes.
Step One: Moving Into The Path
First off, you’ll need to watch the ground pass carefully, so that you can move into the ball’s path. Be aware, other plays might knock the ball off course, so you’ll need to move quickly and watch intently.
Step Two: Pick And Make Your Trap
Once you’re in the path, you’ll need to pick a specific type of trap. When it comes to ground passes, you’ll want to work with either an inside trap or a step trap.
Unfortunately, you won’t have a lot of time to pick which is best for the situation, which is why you need to practice them a lot.
The inside trap will be a good pick for high-pressure situations where you need to gain control of the ball very quickly. The step trap, on the other hand, is for leisurely situations, where you have time to gain control.
With your trap selected based on the situation, trap the ball and control it, before dribbling it on or passing it.
How To Trap An Air Pass
The other type of pass that you’re going to encounter in a soccer game is the air pass, where the ball is coming down through the air. Trapping this type of pass will require a different set of skills, so follow these steps.
Step One: Determining The Landing
Since the ball isn’t rolling along the ground, it isn’t easy to move into its path, because it isn’t clear where it’s going to land. As a result, you have to predict where it might, by moving quickly and avidly watching the ball and its arc.
Step Two: Taking Position
Once you’ve worked out where the ball is likely to land, stand in position and place your feet a shoulder-width apart. Additionally, lean your body back a little.
Step Three: Trapping
As the ball nears where you’ve predicted it to land, it’ll depend on what type of trap you use: chest, head, or thigh. Whichever part you let the ball hit is the type of trap you’ll have to do, before cushioning it and letting it drop to your feet.
Once it’s fallen to your feet, allow it to move naturally and then follow the direction it goes in, either dribbling it away or passing it off.
The Different Types Of Traps In Soccer
Step Trap
This trap involves you completely stopping the ball in front of you by placing your dominant foot on top of it.
Inside Trap
The most common trap, this involves the ball hitting the inside of your foot, before moving the foot back to cushion it.
Laces Trap
This involves you anticipating where the ball will hit the ground, then aiming your toe upwards so that the top of your foot cushions the ball and guides it to the ground. It has its name because your laces are on the top of your shoe.
Thigh Trap
With this, you let the ball bounce off the middle of your thigh, then let it fall to your feet where you can play with it.
Chest Trap
As you can guess, this has the ball hitting your chest as you lean back a little. Once the chest cushions it, you let it drop to the ground, where you can play it.
Head Trap
This involves the ball bouncing off your forehead, which cushions it, allowing it to softly drop to your feet.
Outside Trap
This involves you cushioning the ball with the middle of the outside of your foot.
Final Thoughts
Traps are an essential technique in soccer – use our guide to understand the many different types!
Soccer is the most popular sport played and watched in the world, yet it is one rarely talked about in the United States. Why is this?
Hi, my name is Adrian Turner and I am a self-proclaimed soccer head.
Since I was young, I have always been fascinated by soccer, and any of the games I could find on the TV channels. There weren’t many games broadcast, so thankfully I could find more on the internet as I grew up.
I turned all of my friends onto soccer and we’d play into the evenings after school.
