How to Curve a Soccer Ball

The phrase 'curve ball' is used for pretty much anything that defies accepted norms or common intelligence. I'm not sure who pioneered the curved free kick revolution in soccer, but David Beckham used it to a great extent (and to great effect) and popularized it. In many instances, the curling kick left the goalkeepers stranded and defensive-walls stunned. Today, this art of curving a soccer ball has been researched by many, with some claiming that it can be done only by a few people and Beckham was one of them. What a load of rubbish! Amateur street footballers like you and me can do it too!

The David Beckham Way
Curving a soccer ball is easy. Just follow the steps listed below.

• The first thing you have to keep in mind when you are curving a soccer ball, is which is your stronger, more accurate foot? Always take the free kick with that foot. Free kicks are precious and you have to make your best attempt at the goal, so it is better you ascertain which one is your shooting foot.
• Let's say that you shoot better with your right foot. Once you place the ball, see where the goal is. If the goal is to your left-hand side, you will have to curl it inwards with your right foot. If the goal is on your right-hand side, you have to curl it outwards. Generally, it is more difficult to shoot the ball with enough force and accurately curl it outside. But rest assured, it can be done.
• Another thing you have to keep in mind, is that if the ball rotates in an anti-clockwise motion, it will 'bend' to the left side. If it spins in a clockwise motion, it will bend to the right hand side (for the right foot kick).
• If you are shooting to the left, you take a slight run-up from 45 degrees to the left of the ball. Your foot should make contact with the ball just below the equator of the ball, bottom-right. The important thing is to make the required follow-through with the foot. Now this part requires talent. The follow-through will define just how much curl the ball picks up. The more the follow through, the more you will curl the ball.
• To curl the ball to the right hand side, you can take the run either from 45 degrees left or run straight. The contact should be just below the equator on the bottom left of the ball. Again, the follow through is very important.

To kick a free kick with you left foot, the steps are exactly opposite. To kick the ball with your left foot to the right-hand side, hit the ball below the equator, bottom left. To curl it to the left-hand side with left foot is again a bit difficult. Hit the ball at the bottom right just below the equator.

The Andrea Pirlo Way
A slightly different method was devised by current AC Milan midfielder, Andrea Pirlo. The way he devised it, you can even kick the ball in a way that instead of just curling sidewards, it also dips, i.e. the ball exhibits a sudden downward motion in the latter part of the parabola. In my opinion, this kick is quite useful for straight free-kicks at the goal and for corner kicks. To get dip on the ball, the right footed Andrea Pirlo makes contact with the ball a bit lower than mentioned in the David Beckham way. Also, it is so much to the right of the ball and is a straight-ish hit. The important point being the part of the foot which makes contact with the ball. Pirlo hits the ball with the part of the foot that is between the toe and the instep (the part of your shoe which has the shoelaces). Hitting the ball with that part of the foot will make the ball dip suddenly and will augment the element of surprise. It is quite useful if the defensive wall of the opposition is taller and there isn't a lot of distance between the spot and the goal, so you can clear them and score too.

Players like Christiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have devised their own ways, but the variation is only which part of the foot makes contact with the ball. Taking curving free kicks is easy, but getting them on target by getting the right amount of curve/dip requires practice.