# Biomechanics of Shooting · Football Level 10: Professional

Football · Level 10: Professional · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/football/level-10/biomechanics-of-shooting/)

Biomechanics of Shooting in Football (Level 10: Professional) on Insporta: 100 sourced facts behind 10 tests. Covers: how the foot strikes the ball; and more.

The technique and physics of the shot as facts about the game: how the foot strikes the ball, spin and the Magnus effect, the knuckleball, ball design, famous strikes, penalties, heading rules, shot speed and the contested claims.

## Test 1: How the foot strikes the ball

- The laces give the largest, hardest surface for a firm strike through the ball. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Leaning back is the usual reason shots fly over the bar. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The inside of the foot brushing across the ball gives it sidespin. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The outside of the foot sends the spin the opposite way to an inside-foot curler. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Quaresma scored a famous trivela against Iran at the 2018 World Cup. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Placement trades some power for accuracy. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- A standing foot beside the ball keeps the body over it and the shot on line. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Each phase affects the power and direction of the shot. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Striking lower on the ball sends it higher. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- A strike below the centre lifts the ball and gives it backspin. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)

## Test 2: Spin and the Magnus effect

- Magnus described the effect in 1852, studying spinning shells and cylinders. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- That is why lofted passes with backspin seem to hang in the air. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The outside of the foot gave the ball the sidespin that swerved it round the wall. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The four-team tournament was a rehearsal for the 1998 World Cup. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- A 2010 study showed that a fast, spinning ball traces a spiral as it slows. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The distance made the late swerve all the more striking. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- David Beckham's free kicks were famous for their curl and dip. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The curve grows as the ball loses speed. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- 1997, 2001 and 2008. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Topspin pushes the ball downwards, so it dips late. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)

## Test 3: The knuckleball

- Pirlo said he copied the technique from watching Juninho. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Striking the centre with the laces keeps spin to a minimum. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- A long follow-through tends to put spin on the ball. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- His free kick at Portsmouth in 2008 is one of the best known. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Bale's strikes were among the most powerful of his era. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Without spin, uneven airflow can push the ball one way and then another. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Smoother balls can behave erratically in the speed range of long shots. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The short follow-through is what keeps the spin off. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The curled free kick relies on sidespin; the knuckleball on having almost none. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Its path can wobble, which is why goalkeepers fear it. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)

## Test 4: Ball design and flight

- It cut the classic 32 panels to 14, changing how the ball moved through the air. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Fewer panels meant fewer seams and a smoother surface. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Bonding gives a smoother, more waterproof surface. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The Roteiro at Euro 2004 had already used the method. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Seams and texture change how the air leaves the surface, and so the flight. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Adidas's Telstar was the first, in Mexico in 1970. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The makers said the panel shape and texture kept the ball stable in flight. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2020 (played in 2021). (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The Brazuca's six panels were shaped differently from the Jabulani's eight. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)

## Test 5: Famous strikes

- The volley from a tight angle made it 2-0 to the Netherlands in Munich. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The final was played at Hampden Park in Glasgow. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- It was voted the best goal of the Premier League's first twenty years. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The goal came in a friendly that opened Sweden's new national stadium. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- He spotted the goalkeeper off his line and lobbed him from near the halfway line. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- He dived forward and flicked the ball away with his heels over his back. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- The winning goal was a long-range strike for Manchester United against Porto. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- 1988, 1996, 2002 and 2011. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- 2011, 2013 and 2014. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)
- Ferenc Puskás was born in Budapest and starred for Hungary and Real Madrid. (Source: Coaching manuals on striking technique; published physics of ball flight (Dupeux et al. 2010 and others); match records)

## Test 6: Finishing techniques

- The quick toe-poke beat the goalkeeper before he could set himself. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- It is used when the ball is on the 'wrong' side for the stronger foot. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- A save at the near post usually goes out; one at the far post can go back into play. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- A keeper coming out has to get down quickly to block a low shot. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Son had won the award the year before for his solo goal against Burnley. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Every extra touch gives the defence time to recover. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- A shot taken early can catch the goalkeeper off balance. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- The look up decides whether to shoot, chip or go round. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- The chip is the only one that must rise over the goalkeeper. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Once the keeper is down, lifting the ball over him is the surest finish. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)

## Test 7: What research says about penalties

- Waiting risks being too late for a well-placed kick. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Diving looks like doing something, even when staying central would save more. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- High corner kicks carry a greater risk of missing the target instead. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Game theory suggests mixing choices so that neither side can exploit the other. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Later studies with more shoot-outs found the advantage much smaller or absent, so it is contested. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Germany won the World Cup quarter-final shoot-out in Berlin. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- For a right-footer, that usually means the keeper's right. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Studying past kicks has become routine before shoot-outs. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- 1996, 2004 and 2018, England's first World Cup shoot-out win. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Staying in the centre saved a higher share of the kicks aimed there, yet keepers rarely did it. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)

## Test 8: Heading and the rules around it

- Heading was brought in gradually for older age groups. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Scotland announced the step in January 2020 and applied it in February, just before joint guidance from the English, Welsh and Northern Irish associations. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- They were about three and a half times as likely to die of neurodegenerative disease. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Omalu and McKee are known for research in American football. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- The guidance was agreed by the leagues, the players' union and the managers' association. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- The coroner recorded 'death by industrial disease'. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Repeated practice, like crossing drills, adds up to many headers a week. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- 2019, 2020 and 2021. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Rules loosen as players grow older. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- The rule followed a lawsuit brought by parents and players. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)

## Test 9: Shot speed and reaction

- Pace and placement together make the best free kicks. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Keepers rely on reading the taker before the strike. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Different radars and camera methods give different figures. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- The figure is widely repeated but, like most such records, hard to verify. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- A fast swing with poor contact produces a slower shot. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- The drag grows with speed, so the fastest shots slow the most. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Hip and foot angles often show where the ball is going. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- At 100 km/h the last step takes less than half a second. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Speed and distance together decide the time. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Eleven metres at nearly 28 metres a second takes about four tenths of a second. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)

## Test 10: Contested claims about shooting

- Both can work; the evidence depends on the situation and the taker. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Any predictable choice is exploited once the other side notices. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- The FIELD results are strong, but which exposures matter most is still researched. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Good finishers choose between shooting first time and taking a touch. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Unpredictable flight raises the chance of a goal but does not guarantee one. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Tactics, teams and weather all change alongside the ball. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Most guidance now brings heading in gradually and in small amounts. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- The strictest measures apply to the youngest players. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- The last strategy can fail against a keeper who waits. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)
- Finishing well above xG rarely lasts, which is why it is debated as a skill. (Source: Published research on penalties (Bar-Eli et al. 2007 and others) and heading (FIELD study 2019); FA, SFA and US Soccer guidance; match records)

Sources: IFAB, FIFA and UEFA regulations and reports / club and federation statements / published coaching literature / peer-reviewed studies / contemporary reporting

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