How Do You Strike A Soccer Ball Cleanly With Your Laces?

To strike a soccer ball cleanly with your laces, plant your supporting foot beside the ball, point your kicking toes down and keep your ankle firm so the top of your foot meets the ball squarely. Then swing through the ball toward your target with your eyes on it and your chest slightly forward. Our guide on how to strike a soccer ball places this alongside the other kicks.

In this guide:

• What part of your foot should hit the ball?
• Where should your plant foot and body go?
• How much approach and follow through do you need?
• Why does the ball fly high or drift sideways?
• How can you practice clean contact between sessions?

What Part Of Your Foot Should Hit The Ball?

The laces, meaning the top of your foot where the shoelaces sit, should make contact with the ball. That flat, firm surface gives you a broad area to push through the ball, which is why it is the usual choice for driven shots and long passes. To present it, point your toes down and keep your ankle firm (some players call this locking the ankle), so your foot holds the same shape from the start of the swing to contact. Poking with the toe tends to feel jabby and unpredictable, so aim to keep the toe out of the way.

In my opinion, learning this foot shape matters more than power in the early days. Perhaps the easiest way to feel it is to hold your foot beside a stationary ball before you swing, check that your toes point down and your ankle feels firm, and then swing slowly through. That small rehearsal gives you something to repeat, and repetition is where a clean strike comes from. Once the shape feels natural, you can add speed without changing it.

Where Should Your Plant Foot And Body Go?

Place your plant foot beside the ball with room for your kicking foot to swing, and keep your chest slightly forward. The plant foot is your supporting foot, and it acts as your base, so a steady, balanced stance makes the rest of the movement easier. If you feel cramped, or you have to swing around your supporting leg, reset and try again. Keep your hips square to the target, meaning they face the direction you want the ball to go, so your swing travels along that line.

Where should your eyes be? On the ball, right through contact. Looking up early is a common habit, so it helps to make watching the ball a deliberate cue. Leaning back is also a common reason a ball sails higher than intended, so keeping your chest forward and your knee over the ball supports a low, driven strike. That being said, every player has a slightly different stance, so use balance as your check: if you can finish steady, the setup is probably working.

How Much Approach And Follow Through Do You Need?

Use a short, comfortable approach and let your kicking leg continue toward the target after contact. A long approach is not a requirement for a clean strike, and one that is too fast can make it harder to place your plant foot accurately. Start from a standing ball, then add a few easy steps when the movement feels coordinated. Power comes from your hips and core working with your leg, rather than from the leg alone, so a relaxed, rhythmic approach gives your whole body a chance to join in.

A good follow through means your kicking leg swings through the ball and carries on toward your target, instead of stopping at the ball. Swinging too hard is a common mistake, so I would suggest trading some speed for smooth contact while you learn. If your momentum carries you forward after the strike, that is natural. The aim is to finish balanced and facing the direction you intended, which also tells you something useful about the whole sequence.

Why Does The Ball Fly High Or Drift Sideways?

Excess height often traces back to leaning back, and sideways drift often traces back to contact away from the middle of the ball or a foot traveling across the line to your target. Change one thing at a time so each attempt tells you something. If the ball keeps rising, bring your chest forward and keep your eyes on the ball. If it drifts, slow the swing and check that your laces are facing your target at contact.

Toe poking is the other common fault, and it usually shows up when the foot arrives pointing forward instead of down. Reset your stance, point your toes down and make another controlled attempt. In my opinion, easing off the swing speed is a good first adjustment whenever contact becomes inconsistent, because a calmer swing gives you a better chance to notice what your foot is doing.

How Can You Practice Clean Contact Between Sessions?

Start with a stationary ball and a broad target, standing at a comfortable short distance where an easy swing can reach it. Pause after each attempt and notice how the contact felt, which way the ball started and how high it traveled before you reset. Move farther back only when you can keep the same balanced action. Then try gently rolling the ball into your path and placing your plant foot beside it before you strike. Use your laces for a driven shot or long pass, and the inside of your foot when placement matters more than pace.

For practice between sessions and at home, Curl Master One spins a standard ball at controlled speeds, so you feel straight away whether the strike was right. It costs $119 once, with no app and no subscription, and it comes with a 30 day money back guarantee and a 1 year warranty (Curl Master One product page, Oct 2026). The suggested rhythm is three sessions a week of twenty minutes each, and players aged 8 to 12 should train with an adult nearby. Finish your next practice by returning to a stationary ball and checking your plant foot before each strike.