How to tackle in football – Pro tips for defenders

You should master how to tackle in football. Tackling is a fundamental skill to have no matter what position you play. Strikers and attacking midfielders often don’t know how to tackle properly, resulting in silly fouls or injuries. So, regardless of the position in the field, you must pay attention to the tips in this post and the video below.

If you are fast as your opponent, tackle the upper body with your shoulder first. When you do this, bend your arm up for extra strength and more stability. Do not use excessive force. The intention is to move the attacking player out of his line of attack, nothing more. The ball should be easier to take once your body is blocking the attacking path.

If your opponent is faster than you, get some speed first and then try to put your shoulder between your opponent and the ball. Tackle the ball when the opponent is stepping with their dribbling foot (usually their weakest). This foot won’t be touching the ball and therefore you will be able to make a clean tackle.

Stay in your feet as long as possible. Sliding tackles should be your last option. If you have to use a sliding tackle, do it from the side, not from behind. This will reduce the risk of a foul being call.

Finally, get your timing right. Executing the techniques above either too early or too late can result in completely missing the ball and the player or committing a foul. So, be patient and time your tackle.

In the video below, the team of Tactica demonstrates how to tackle in football. The audio is not great, but you will get the idea. Follow their tips, combine them with our other defensive tips, and you will win all one on one situations against top players.

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