Outside Foot Control: Soccer technique, drills and fixes

Outside foot control means receiving the ball with the outer edge of your foot, usually to take it away to that side, out of pressure, as you keep moving. It's one of the standard receiving surfaces coaches teach next to the inside of the foot, sole and instep. We read your receiving shape, how open your body is and where you move after the touch; the outside-foot contact itself isn't camera-visible.

Set up

Before the pass arrives, check your shoulders and scan: ball, opponents, teammates, space. Decide where your first touch is going.

Look, then plan.

Get on your toes and move onto the pass instead of waiting for it. Face your body toward where you want to go next.

Moving before the ball arrives.

Pick the foot on the side you want to go. The outside of your right foot takes the ball out to your right, the outside of your left foot to your left. Choose the side away from pressure.

Touch

Set your base: feet a little less than shoulder width apart, knees gently bent, arms out a little, standing-foot toes pointing forward.

Balanced, light.

Turn the toes of your receiving foot in so the outside of the foot faces the ball. Keep the ankle firm, reach the foot slightly forward and watch the ball onto it.

Toes in, ankle firm.

Make contact with the outer edge of the foot: turn your little toe down so the outside of the instep meets the ball.

As the ball hits your foot, gently pull the leg back to take the pace off, and let the touch carry the ball in the direction you chose. To stop it, bring the foot back to about level with your standing ankle.

Soft edge, ball stays close.

Step after the ball straight away so your second touch is the pass, shot or dribble.

Touch and go.

Feel it

A good outside-foot touch feels soft and close: toes turned in, ankle firm, the ball meeting the outer edge of your foot and rolling a short way to the side you picked while you're already moving after it. If the ball pings off your foot or skids under it, the foot was stiff or not turned in enough.

Fix-its

The ball bounces off your foot The foot is too stiff. Keep the ankle firm but gently pull the leg back as the ball arrives to absorb its pace.
The ball skids under or past your foot Turn the toes in more and the little toe down so the outer edge of the foot faces the ball, reach the foot slightly forward, and watch the ball all the way on.
The touch goes toward the defender Scan before the pass and receive with the foot on the side away from pressure, then move the ball in the direction you planned.
You lose balance on the touch Narrow your feet to just under shoulder width, bend both knees a little and use your arms out to the side for balance.
You wait flat-footed for the ball Get on your toes and move onto the pass. Receiving from a standstill and then turning gives a defender time to close you down.

Drill

Partner passes on the ground: receive with the outside of each foot, first stopping the ball, then redirecting it out to the side of the receiving foot. Both feet.
Run onto the partner's pass, receive with the outside of the foot, turn the ball 180 degrees and dribble away. About 10 minutes, both feet.
Receive on the outside of the area, control it with the outside of the foot in the direction you want to go, dribble through a centre square and pass to a new player. Count passes in 1 minute, then add a defender.
Around the clock: 10x10-yard diamond, three players per cone. Scan before the pass, receive on the back foot and use the outside of the foot to take the ball away from the player pressing you.
Small-sided game (2v2 or 3v3, or two teams with 'no tackle' zones): score by receiving in a zone and taking your first touch out of it with the outside of the foot.

Sources

Last checked 2026-10-26.