Although Gretzky was a hockey player, his adage about scoring goals applies to any sport, including soccer. Many kids at our EduKick soccer camps and boarding schools are hesitant to shoot at first. We teach them to take advantage of every opportunity that comes their way. You’ll never score if you never hit.
Here are a few pointers to help you get the most out of every shot:
Shooting advice for soccer:
Keep an eye on the goalkeeper’s position. Have they left a loophole that you can take advantage of?
Choose the most appropriate approach for your shot. A sidefoot shot will be more accurate, but an image from the instep (laces) with proper follow-through will be more powerful.
Alongside the ball, place your non-kicking foot.
When striking, keep your head down and your eyes on the ball.
Maintain your body’s position over the ball.
Make contact with the ball’s middle to the top half.
Maintain a calm demeanor.
Tips on how to increase your chances of getting a good score:
Rather than shooting high, shoot broad. There’s a more significant chance of catching the goalkeeper off guard with a deflection.
Low is the way to go. It’s more difficult for a goalkeeper to reach shots on the ground since they have to travel further. It’s simple for them to jump up and save, but it’s far more difficult for them to crouch down and grab it.
Cross the keeper with a shot. They’ll have a more challenging time holding these shots, which means they’ll have to redirect the ball back into the path of another attacker.
Where Do the Most Shots Get Fired?
Have you ever wondered if a soccer goal has a “sweet spot”? A place where you could kick the ball practically every time it went in?
While there may not be a precise “sweet spot,” a recent study looked at where scored goals were most frequently scored. The following are the outcomes:
8 percent (top left)
4% in the top center
5% on the top right corner
Ouch. As you can see, you are shooting high results in a poor probability of actually scoring.
7% in the middle left.
8 percent in the middle.
6% in the middle right.
While shooting to the middle rather than the top gives you a higher chance of scoring, the odds are still not in your favor.
22 percent at the bottom left
21 percent in the bottom center
19% on the bottom right
Take a look at these numbers: Sixty-two percent of all goals were scored at a low level. This makes sense because goalkeepers find it challenging to get down to the ground, exceptionally tall ones. Jumping high is considerably more accessible and more natural for them.
In addition, statistics show that 67 percent of goals were scored in the corners, compared to 33 percent in the center. You should have a considerably higher success percentage in scoring goals if you mix the two statistics and shoot low into the corner.
If you want to enhance your shooting talents, you must train like any other soccer technique. Fortunately, the shooting skills are comparable to the passing tactics. As a result, you can develop two crucial soccer skills at the same time.
But, most crucial, shoot if you see the goal!
This one piece of advice is worth repeating: You will miss 100% of the shots you never take. Take advantage of any shooting opportunities you come across. These suggestions will only be helpful if you put them into practice and in games.