The association football long pass
A long pass is an attacking skill that allows players to switch the direction of the attack very quickly to create space, find a teammate or to catch out the opposition.
Stage one
- Move parallel to the ball and place your non-kicking foot to the side of the ball.
- Hold your arms up and wide to support your balance.
- Keep your eye on the ball until you have it under your control.
- Look up to see where is the best place to pass the ball.
Stage two
- On selection of your pass, maintain a strong body position.
- Explosively bring your kicking foot through and strike the ball with laces of your football boot.
- Aim to hit the middle of the ball to ensure it stays close to the ground or the lower half of the ball if you want to lift it over opposition players.
Stage three
- Keep looking at your target.
- Follow your kicking leg through towards the intended target and your body over the ball.
- The speed of the kicking leg will direct how hard you kick the ball.