Football juggling isn’t just a cool trick you can show off to your teammates, the skill of juggling also improves your game in terms of touch, balance and general confidence with a football. If you can pull off a bunch of tricks like they are second nature, those skills and confidence are going to translate onto the pitch.

Mastering the art of juggling isn’t as hard as it looks either. Anyone can do it – you just need to be dedicated and PRACTICE!

In this article we want to show you just how easy it is to do the around the world football trick. If you’ve been juggling and feel like you want to take the next step and add one of the most universally popular tricks to your skillset, read below and check out FC Ultra’s Tom who has done a quick video walkthrough over on our TikTok page which you can view below.

Before step one we’d highly recommend getting comfortable doing kick-ups. If you can do kick-ups with ease and feel in total control, the following steps are going to be even easier.

Step one – Practice the movement

This first step is all about getting used to the movement required to pull off the coolest freestyle football juggling trick on the planet. To begin with, stand with your feet planted on the ground in a comfortable position and begin bringing up your foot and rotating it around in the circular (around the world) movement.

Leave the ball aside for now (you’ll be using it soon enough, don’t worry!) and simply just get used to that movement. Watch how Tom does it, taking note of how high up his leg moves to ensure he will be able to complete it once the ball is actually used. 

This may seem simple and it is, but you’ve got to get your mind and body in the zone and used to the technique before you start making it harder. Visualise the ball as you repeat the movement and concentrate on your balance which is going to be key in the next steps.

Step two – Do it with a bounce

Once you have mastered the movement without the ball and are feeling ready to take things up a notch, introduce the ball but don’t go straight to into trying to pull off the complete move! In step two you should use the bounce method so you can easily begin to get comfortable with your foot making the circular motion with the ball involved.

Balance is a key point here. As your preferred foot leaves the ground, you must be able to comfortably balance on your non-preferred foot to ensure you are able to complete the circular movement all around the ball in a perfect way. You’ll notice when you begin that if you are off balance, the movement will be slower, and you won’t be able to complete the move.

The trick is not to plant your weak foot too heavily. Focus your weight on the ball of your foot so that you are more agile when undertaking the movement. Don’t stress if this isn’t clicking right away, like we said at the top, practice makes perfect!

Start by doing some regular juggles and then once you feel the timing is right, let the ball bounce which will make it easier for you at the start to get used to the circular motion over the ball. The flat surface will ensure the ball comes back up vertically which is important.

Heads up – even with the bounce method being easier, it’s going to take a bit of time and practice to master this. Allowing the ball to bounce and not requiring yourself to kick-up with the perfect amount of power (not too high, not too low) will take a layer of complexity out and make the rest easier.

Step three – Start from a stall

This next step will make you more balanced and encourage the right movement and timing.

Check out how Tom does it to properly understand. You don't have to be a master at balancing the ball on the top of your foot, this is just the starting point.

Start by having the ball on the top of your foot and balance it until you’re ready to go. Lift the ball into the air vertically and because your foot is lifting to bring the ball up, you’re already on your way to completing the full around the world movement.

Once the ball is lifted to the right height you can quickly move your foot around the ball and before you know it, you’ll be seeing the ball land on your foot which means you’ve completed it!

Once you get this a few times you’ll be used to the skill and you’re ready to go.

Step four – Put it all together!

Now a quick reminder, if you aren’t polished at kick-ups like we mentioned before step 1 – we suggest getting more confident before you try the final step. The reason kick-ups are so important is because you need to be consistently kicking the ball with perfect power to ensure the ball is at the right height before you start the movement. You also need the ball to be almost completely vertical before you attempt the ATW movement. Remember step two where we told you to get used to the movement via the bounce method? That’s because the bounce will guarantee the ball is going to come back up vertical, not skewed to the left or right which might happen if you aren’t comfortable with kick-ups just yet.

If you know you’re comfortable with your juggling, then you’re set to go! Put all these steps together and you’ll have mastered this skill and can them move on to more advanced moves we’ll cover off in detail at a later date!

Keen for a challenge? Why not try mastering the movement with your non-preferred foot!

What if things aren’t working?

If things aren’t working – go back to the steps where things were, and if that’s the very beginning don’t feel ashamed in starting back at the start! It’s a tricky skill, but we’re confident you’ll get it with practice.

The key as mentioned in putting it all together is being confident with your kick-ups. If you’re still struggling by the end, be honest with yourself in terms of whether you can consistently kick-up with perfect power and make sure the ball stays vertical. If you can get the kick-ups right, then after a while you’ll get used to the around the world movement and speed required to pull it off.

Mastered the skill? Tag us on Instagram for your chance to be featured!