Bicycle Kick

Advancedshooting

Explode off one foot, throw your non-kicking leg upward.

The spectacular overhead kick. Lean back, scissor your legs, and strike the ball above your head. Not for the faint-hearted.

Key points

•Jump off one foot
•Lean back with arms out for protection
•Scissor — non-kicking leg goes up first
•Strike with laces overhead, land safely

Practice with Coach Diego

Camera setup tips

· Place the camera side-on to you, 2 to 3 metres away.
· Keep your whole body in frame, head to feet.
· Phone on a tripod or a laptop webcam both work.
· Perform the movement, pause, repeat. Your coach speaks every 15 seconds.

Theory & Technique

The bicycle kick is the most dramatic skill in football but also the most demanding. It starts with a vertical jump off your non-kicking foot. As you leave the ground, throw your non-kicking leg upward first — this generates the rotation. Lean your upper body back while keeping your eyes on the ball. Your kicking leg then scissors over and strikes the ball with the laces when it is above head height. Your arms should be spread behind you to cushion the landing. The most critical coaching point is the safe landing: land on your upper back and shoulders, never on your head or neck. Practice on soft ground first.

Fun Fact

Wayne Rooney's overhead kick against Manchester City in 2011 was voted the greatest Premier League goal of all time. He said afterwards he just 'saw it and hit it' — but the technique was instinctive from years of practice.

Watch the real thing

Learn from real coaches first. Your live scoring compares you to the reference figure above; these videos are for learning, and stay with their creators on YouTube.