A chest flick is taking a dropping ball on your chest and steering it into space in one touch, instead of cushioning it straight down. No governing body uses the name "chest flick"; coaches teach it as receiving with the chest to redirect, the step after basic chest control. We read your body shape from the side: the lean and turn of your trunk, your base and your arms. The contact that sends the ball isn't visible to the camera.
Set up
Read the flight early and get in line with the ball's path. Stay on your toes so you can adjust your feet.
you move to the ball, you don't wait for it.
Check over your shoulder before the ball arrives and pick the space you'll send it into. Choose space away from opponents.
Set your shape: shoulders almost square to the ball, hips slightly open toward the space you picked. Knees gently bent, chin tucked so you watch the ball onto your chest, arms up slightly and out, clear of the ball.
facing the ball, but your hips already point where it's going.
Flick
As the ball arrives, move your chest toward the space you picked. Take it on the middle of your chest and let it come off in that direction. Keep your arms out of its path: under the Laws of the Game the arm starts at the bottom of the armpit, and touching the ball with an arm that makes your body unnaturally bigger is a handball offence.
Keep the contact soft. Relax your chest and breathe out as the ball hits, with a slight lean back from the waist and your knees bending. A stiff chest makes the ball bounce away where you didn't aim it.
a soft give and a turn of the chest, not a stiff wall.
Go with the ball. Move into the space and keep your body over the ball as it drops, then pass, dribble or shoot with your next touch.
touch and go in one movement.
Variation, chest up to volley: lean back slightly, then push your chest out a little toward the ball to pop it up in front of you. Set your feet and volley it to your target. Learn the redirect first.
Feel it
Your hips are already open toward the space before the ball lands. Chin in, chest relaxed, a breath out, and a small turn of the chest sends the ball off the way you picked. You are moving after it straight away, body over the ball, not standing still while it drops.
Fix-its
- The ball bounces off your chest out of control Your chest was stiff. Relax it and breathe out on contact, lean back slightly from the waist and let your knees bend as the ball arrives.
- The ball drops dead at your feet instead of going into space You stayed square all the way through. Open your hips toward the space before the ball arrives and move your chest that way as it lands.
- You send it straight to an opponent You picked the direction without looking. Check over your shoulder before the ball arrives and send it into space away from opponents.
- The ball hits your arm Your arms came across your body or out into the ball's path, which can be a handball. Keep them up slightly and clear, and take the ball on the middle of your chest.
- The ball goes into space but you're left behind You leaned too far back or stood still after the touch. Keep the lean slight and move after the ball so your body stays over it.
Drill
- Stationary, then redirect (US Youth Soccer): in pairs or threes, no queues, a partner throws the ball gently to your chest. First control it straight down. Once that's reliable, send it off your chest to one side into space, follow it and pass back. Work both sides. Swap roles.
- Vary the service: the thrower changes the angle, speed and height of the throw, and you pass back with your second touch.
- Chest and pass (FIFA Training Centre): partners 2 metres apart. Chest the ball and play it back to your partner without letting it touch the ground.
- Windows (US Youth Soccer): a 20 x 20 yard grid or smaller, no more than 12 players. Inside players dribble and pass to an outside player, who returns it within three touches; for U12 and older the return can be in the air. Take it on your chest and steer it into open space.
- Add pressure: put a defender behind or beside you, then play 2v2 to 4v4 small-sided games restarted with throw-ins, so you redirect dropping balls away from an opponent.
Sources
- SoccerXpert, Chris Johnson — Coaching Points For Trapping with the Chest (2010)
- US Youth Soccer — Skills School Manual: receiving with the chest; cushion taught stationary then redirecting; Windows activity (2017)
- Soccer Coach Weekly, Dave Clarke — Soccer coaching tips for perfect ball control
- FIFA Training Centre, Dünker — Directing the ball with the first touch (2023)
- FIFA Training Centre, Díaz — Cefor Jilo U-15: Attacking technique (2023)
- England Football Learning — How to build a receiving session (2023)
- IFAB — Laws of the Game, Law 12: Fouls and misconduct (handling the ball)
Last checked 2026-10-26.