Deceptiveness, deceptiveness, deceptiveness. Easily the skill that defines great from the good. Deceptiveness keeps the defenders on their heels, allowing you to do what you please. There is no one way to be deceptive, as long as you are unpredictable throughout the entire game.
There are multiple ways to be deceptive. Each can make you an unpredictable player for your opponents.
- Look the opposite way of your pass or shot. In many cases, soccer players tend to look in the direction of where we would like to pass or shoot the ball. This helps strengthen the accuracy and power of our kick. But, in many cases, a defender expects the ball to travel in the direction of your eyes. If you notice this in a defender, trick them by quickly glancing at your teammate. Then, look the other way or look directly at the ball. This baits the defender into thinking that you are not going to pass in that direction but in reality, you are just faking them out.
- Pull a skill in the opposite direction you normally do. This is another easy way to be unpredictable to your opponents. Instead of tricking them with a pass, try and tricking them when dribbling. Simply start the game as normal, dribbling at the opponents and then pulling a skill to dribble by them. Then, as the other team recognizes that you like to turn one way, turn the other. This allows you to dribble into more space, as the defender expects you to go the way you did so many times before.
You don’t have to limit yourself to being deceptive in these two different ways. Feel free to try new things. Who knows, maybe one day your skill will be known throughout the world.