Thigh control brings a dropping ball under control on the top of your thigh, so it falls to your feet or into space for your next touch. The thigh gives you a big surface for balls arriving below chest height that your foot can't reach cleanly. We read the body shape around the touch: the thigh lift, your single-leg balance and the cushion.
Set up
Read the flight early and move into line with it, so your body is behind the ball.
Get there early.
Choose the thigh as your surface early and keep your hips square to the ball.
Keep your head steady and watch the ball to judge its speed and where it will drop.
Eyes on the ball.
Control
Lift your receiving thigh until it is close to perpendicular to your standing leg, with your elbows out from your body for balance.
Thigh up, arms out.
Meet the ball about halfway up the top of your thigh, not on the knee or near the hip.
As the ball touches, relax and drop your thigh to take the pace off, so the ball falls to your feet.
Soft, then drop.
Cushion it toward space away from opponents, then take your next touch and move.
Into space, then go.
Feel it
A good thigh control feels relaxed. The ball lands on the soft top of your thigh, your thigh gives way under it, and it drops close to you. If it pings off, your thigh was too stiff. Let it give as the ball arrives.
Fix-its
- The ball bounces away Your thigh is rigid. Relax it and drop it as the ball touches, so you pull the surface back instead of blocking.
- You reach for the ball late Read the flight sooner and move your whole body into line with it before you lift the thigh.
- It hits your knee or hip Aim for about halfway up the top of the thigh, and lift until the thigh is close to perpendicular to your standing leg.
- You wobble on one leg Get your elbows out from your body and keep your head steady over your standing leg.
- The ball drops dead at your feet under pressure Cushion it toward open space away from opponents so your next touch can go forward.
Drill
- Partner toss: a partner gives soft, accurate underarm tosses to your thigh. Control it down and pass it back. Work both legs.
- Mix the service: same drill, but your partner varies the angle, speed and height of the toss.
- Wide balls: tosses arrive to one side of you. Control them with the inside of your thigh.
- Control and pass: control on the thigh, then pass to a target with your very next touch.
- Add pressure: a defender closes as the ball drops. Cushion it into space away from them and move on.
Sources
- Special Olympics — Football Coaching Guide 2021: Controlling (2021)
- Dave Clarke, Soccer Coach Weekly — Soccer coaching tips for perfect ball control (n.d.)
- Chris Johnson, SoccerXpert — Coaching Points for Thigh Traps (2010)
Last checked 2026-10-25.