For years, my corner kicks were a disaster. I just booted the ball and hoped for the best. It wasn’t until I learned that a corner kick is a precision weapon, not a lottery, that my game changed completely.
I’ve put together every simple, time-saving hack I discovered that turns a boring corner kick into a guaranteed scoring chance. Let’s dive into my personal playbook.
1. My Journey to Master the Set Piece:
When I was younger, I thought scoring goals was all about running fast and dribbling past four people. If the ball went out for a corner kick, I just saw it as a brief timeout before we went back to the real game. I completely underestimated just how much a corner kick, a set piece, could actually change the whole momentum of the match.
The journey to fixing my corner kicks wasn’t about getting a stronger leg; it was about changing my mindset. This was the first and most crucial lesson I learned that turned my corner kicks from messy crosses into tactical weapons.
My “Just Kick It Hard” Problem:
I remember watching the pros on TV, and their corner kicks always looked so easy. The ball would curl right into the perfect spot, and someone would score a beautiful header. But when I tried it, the ball either went flying into the crowd behind the goal or just plopped weakly right into the goalkeeper’s hands.
My personal problem was that I thought I had to be a hero and try to kick it past everyone. My goal was always to put the ball in the “general vicinity” of the goal, and I’d put all my effort into pure power.
I had to sit down and analyze why the pros were so successful. I realized they weren’t trying to score a goal right from the corner; they were trying to put the ball into an incredibly specific, dangerous zone where the defense was already confused.
The mindset shift was huge: A corner kick is not an open play cross; it’s a detailed, rehearsed play, like a snap in football.
Why Corners are Your Best Friend:
Think about it this way: when the ball is out for a corner kick, the whole game stops. The defense has to scramble and get their entire formation set up inside the penalty box in a few seconds.
- You Know Where It Starts: The ball is perfectly still on the ground, sitting on the corner arc. You know exactly where your kick is coming from.
- You Know Where It’s Going (Sort of): You get to choose the target. The defense only gets to guess.
- Everyone is Packed In: The penalty box becomes a total traffic jam of players (usually around 18 people!). When that many players are shoulder-to-shoulder, the chances of someone getting an unexpected touch or a defender making a mistake go way up.
I realized I wasn’t using this advantage. I was treating the corner kick like the opponent still had time to mark everyone and organize their defense. Once I started viewing the corner kick as a moment of calculated chaos that I controlled, everything changed.
Finding My “Go-To” Target:
The most important part of my tactical shift was learning to stop kicking the ball randomly and, instead, always choose a simple, achievable target area.
I decided I would choose only one of three spots for every single kick I took:
- The Near Post: The closest goalpost. Super-fast, low, and direct.
- The Penalty Spot: The central area where headers happen most.
- The Far Post: The deepest point, behind the defense and the goalkeeper.
By focusing on just these three spots, I stopped wasting energy trying to curve the ball over 20 people and focused entirely on accuracy. When I practiced, I didn’t just aim for the goal; I aimed for a specific colored cone placed in one of those three zones. This simple commitment to accuracy over power made me a much better, more effective set-piece taker, and it saved me endless hours of frustration.
Once I had the right mindset, accuracy is power, I was ready to tackle the actual technique. Because the best aim in the world means nothing if you can’t get the ball to bend the way you want.
2. How I Learned to Bend It Like Beckham (But Easier!):
Once I understood that a corner kick needs a specific target, the next hurdle was figuring out how to get the ball to actually go there without just flying straight into the first defender’s head. I needed to learn the curveball secret.
Why does the ball need to bend? Because if you kick the ball straight, it’s easier for the goalkeeper to judge the speed and height. But if the ball is curving away from the keeper (or curving toward the goal), it makes their job ten times harder! The bend messes with their depth perception and forces them to move their feet at the very last second. That tiny moment of confusion is all your teammate needs to score.
Inswingers vs. Outswingers:
The first thing I had to learn was the basic physics of the bend. I stopped calling them “left curve” or “right curve” and learned the real names, which actually made it easier to think about the tactic:
- Inswinger (The Attacking Curve): This is when the ball curves toward the goal. If I’m kicking with my right foot from the left corner, the ball curves right into the heart of the goal. This is usually the best, because it attacks the goal directly and makes the keeper step backward.
- Outswinger (The Defensive Curve): This is when the ball curves away from the goal. This is harder for the keeper, but the curve takes the ball away from the goal line. This is great if your players are running at the goal from the far post.
I decided to master the Inswinger first, because it’s the simplest way to put pressure on the goal.
The Technique Hack:
For a long time, I tried to kick the ball with my laces (the top of my foot) because that’s what you do when you shoot. But to get the bend, you need to hit the ball with the inside of your foot, the part near the ankle bone.
Here is the simple, step-by-step hack that finally unlocked the curve for me:
- The Non-Kicking Foot: This is the most important part! Your standing foot (the one you don’t kick with) should be planted about one shoe length away from the ball and pointed straight at the target (e.g., the near post). If your foot is too far back or too close, you won’t get the clean strike.
- The Approach: I started taking three big steps back and two small steps to the side. The key is that you need to approach the ball at a slight angle, not straight on. This angle is what allows your foot to come across the ball.
- The Strike (The Magic Part): Don’t hit the center of the ball. You need to hit the ball on the side, slightly underneath the middle. I aim for the ball’s “belly button,” but on the left or right side, depending on the curve I want. This is the sweet spot for generating spin.
- The Follow-Through (The Secret): This is the biggest difference between a straight kick and a bending kick. After you hit the ball, your leg needs to continue its swing across your body. It’s like you are drawing a curve with your foot in the air. I try to make my kicking foot finish by pointing the toe straight toward the opposite corner flag. This over-exaggerated swing is what puts massive spin on the ball and makes it curve.
Once I started focusing on hitting the side of the ball with the inside of my foot and swinging across my body, my corner kicks finally started whipping in toward the goal. It took a lot of practice, but the moment I saw that ball curve around the outstretched hands of a goalie for the first time? Total game changer.
Now that I could bend the ball, I needed specific plays. I started with the simplest, lowest-risk play that gets a high reward: the Near Post Nightmare.
3. My Hack for Scoring Fast and Simple Goals:
Once I mastered putting the right curve on the ball, I had to choose where to send it. I quickly learned that the more complicated the corner kick, the easier it is to mess up. Trying to float the ball over five people to land perfectly on the head of one guy at the back post is incredibly difficult.
So, I started with the simplest, most effective strategy: the Near Post Nightmare. This is a fast, low-trajectory kick that aims to confuse the defenders and the goalkeeper closest to the goal.
Why Simplicity Wins:
The Near Post Nightmare is low-risk, high-reward. Why? Because the near post is the closest target to you. It takes less air time, less power, and less curve to get the ball there accurately.
When a corner kick goes up high, the goalkeeper has time to shout commands, the defense has time to position their heads, and everyone gets organized. But if the ball is driven in low and fast to the near post, everything happens in a sudden blur of chaos.
This is the hack I figured out: the near post is where defenders are most vulnerable to making a mistake. They are stressed about the line, they are distracted by the attacker running toward them, and they are terrified of accidentally tapping the ball into their own goal.
The Attack: Low, Hard, and Inswinging:
Here is how I coach this play to my teammates, broken down into two roles: the Kicker (me) and the Runner.
Kicker’s Role (My Job):
- Angle: Use the inswinger technique we talked about (the curve comes toward the goal).
- Aim: I aim the ball to land just inside the six-yard box, right between the goalpost and the first defender standing on the line. It’s a tiny window, but because it’s close, it’s easier to hit.
- Trajectory: This is key! I keep the ball low, between waist height and shoulder height. I don’t want a huge looping ball; I want a driven, dangerous shot that is too low for the keeper to punch easily and too high for the defenders to clear with their feet.
The Runner’s Role (The Secret Weapon):
We always assign one of our fastest, most aggressive attackers to be the Near Post Runner. This is the secret weapon that makes the play work.
- The Start: The Runner starts outside the box, standing still, marked by a defender.
- The Sprint: The moment my foot touches the ball, the Runner sprints full speed directly to the near post area.
- The Objective: The Runner’s job is not necessarily to score. Their job is to beat their defender to that spot and create maximum chaos. If the Runner gets their head or foot on it, great! But their real job is to distract the keeper and force the defender to move awkwardly.
Why This is a “Nightmare” for the Defense:
This simple play works because it creates two massive defensive problems instantly:
- The Goalkeeper’s Dilemma: The keeper has to decide instantly whether to stay on the line (which lets the Runner have a chance) or dive out (which leaves the goal open for a quick shot or flick-on). Since the ball is fast and low, they usually hesitate, and hesitation equals goals.
- The Flick-On Threat: Even if the Runner doesn’t score, they usually manage to flick the ball with a slight touch. That tiny flick changes the direction and speed of the ball dramatically, sending it to the far side of the box where our other players (our “traffic jam” players) are waiting to volley it into the net.
I started scoring so many goals just because the Near Post Nightmare forced an opponent to make a frantic decision. It was the moment I realized that corner kicks are about creating controlled confusion, not just perfect passing. It’s simple, it’s fast, and it’s my go-to when we need a goal in a hurry.
4. My Strategy for Tricking the Goalkeeper Every Time:
The Near Post Nightmare is great for simplicity and speed, but sometimes, the defense knows it’s coming and stacks the front of the goal. When they do that, I know it’s time to pull out my Far Post Float.
This is the high-risk, high-reward strategy that aims to land the ball way in the back of the penalty box, right over the goalkeeper’s head. It requires more power and a lot more curve, but when it works, it’s one of the most beautiful goals you can score!
The Power of Height:
I realized that the biggest weakness of the defense is the space right in front of the far post and the area between the goal line and the six-yard box. This area is often called “no man’s land” for the goalkeeper.
If the kick is short, the keeper rushes out. If the kick is too long, the ball goes out of bounds. The trick with the Far Post Float is to send the ball high enough and deep enough that the goalkeeper has to make a split-second decision:
- Stay Home: If the keeper stays on the line, the ball drops right onto the head of our biggest player in front of an open goal.
- Come Out: If the keeper dives out, they often get caught in the crowd and misjudge the flight of the ball, leaving the net wide open.
The key to the Far Post Float is knowing that the height is your friend. You need to hit the ball with power underneath it to get that massive lift and hang time.
The Team Strategy:
Because this kick is so far, the entire team has a specific, rehearsed job. We simplify it into three crucial movements:
Kicker’s Role (My Job):
- Aim: I aim the ball to land just inside the penalty box, right around the far post area. I need to kick the bottom half of the ball with my bending technique to get maximum lift and spin.
- Trajectory: This must be a high, looping curve, it needs enough air time to get over the heads of the players clustered near the penalty spot.
- The Tell: I make sure to take an extra step back before running up. This slightly longer run-up tells my teammates I’m going for the deep kick, not the fast near-post one.
The Target Man (The Goal Scorer):
We always assign our biggest, strongest player to be the Target Man.
- Starting Position: The Target Man starts near the penalty spot (the center of the box).
- The Run: As the ball is kicked, the Target Man makes a hard, diagonal run away from the keeper and toward the far post. Their job is to meet the ball as it drops in that “no man’s land” area and head it back across the goal or straight in. They are using their speed and size against the defenders, trying to hold the line.
The Blocker and Traffic:
Our other players are essential here. We assign one person to be the Blocker.
- Blocker’s Job: This player stands right in front of the goalkeeper and makes sure they can’t get a clear line of sight to the ball. They don’t touch the keeper (that’s a foul!), but they stand there to make the goalkeeper’s job as difficult as possible by crowding the space.
- The Traffic: Everyone else crowds the center of the six-yard box. They are there to pick up any deflections or missed headers. If the Target Man misses or the defense clears it weakly, someone else is there for the quick rebound shot.
I love this play because it’s the ultimate way to use the size advantage of our taller players. When the defense sees that high, arcing ball coming in, they know they have a massive problem, and that panic leads to goals. It’s the perfect tactical opposite to the Near Post Nightmare, ensuring we always have a play no matter how the defense lines up.
5. My Trick for Confusing the Whole Defense:
After using the Near Post Nightmare and the Far Post Float for a few games, the opponents started to figure us out. They would yell, “Watch the near post!” or “Get back deep!” before I even ran up to the ball. Predictability is the death of a good attack.
I realized I needed a trick, a secret weapon that completely messed up their defensive plan. I found the solution in the short corner.
The Short Corner Sneak is the best hack for when the defense is packed so tight in the box that kicking it over everyone is almost impossible. Instead of forcing the ball into the crowded area, you pull the defense out and open up space for a better cross or a shot. It is genius because it uses the defenders’ own discipline against them.
When to Use the Sneak (And Why It Works):
The Short Corner Sneak is a two-player play. I am the Kicker, and I need a reliable teammate, the Receiver, to stand nearby, just outside the corner arc.
The main purpose of the sneak is not to score immediately. The purpose is to:
- Force a Defender Out: When I stand over the ball and a teammate stands nearby, the defense usually sends one or two defenders out of the box to guard us. Every defender pulled out means more open space inside the crowded penalty area.
- Create a Better Angle: When I pass the ball to my teammate, they can dribble forward a few steps. This changes the angle of the eventual cross from the very difficult corner line to a much better, more dangerous diagonal cross.
I found that the best time to use the sneak is when we are dominating the game, but the defense is just sitting back and packing their box like sardines. You have to be patient, but the payoff is worth it!
The Simple, Three-Step Movement:
I keep the movement as simple as possible. No fancy running, just a quick pass and a change of position.
1. The Pass:
I simply tap the ball lightly to my Receiver. I make sure the pass stays on the ground and is easy for them to control. Crucially, I have to make sure the ball leaves the corner arc completely so they can legally play it.
2. The Exchange (The Confusion):
- The Receiver’s Job: They control the ball and dribble forward slightly, getting the ball away from the corner line. This draws the nearby defenders even further out of the box.
- The Kicker’s Job (My Secret Move): The instant I pass the ball, I don’t just stand there. I sprint immediately into the penalty box. Why? Because the defender who was marking me outside the box has to decide: stay with me (which opens up a crossing chance for the Receiver) or stay with the Receiver (which leaves me wide open in the box!).
3. The Finish:
Because the defenders are confused and scrambling, the Receiver now has a few great options that didn’t exist two seconds ago:
- The Shot: If the defense is slow to react, the Receiver can take a clean, powerful shot from the edge of the box.
- The Cross: They can deliver a much flatter, more powerful cross right into the space where I ran, or into the center of the box, which is now less crowded.
The biggest thing I learned about the Short Corner Sneak is that it’s about making the defenders run. When they have to run, they stop thinking, and when they stop thinking, they make mistakes. It is the perfect strategic pause that leads to open space and clear scoring chances, saving us time on a messy, crowded attack.
6. The Simple Practice Routine That Fixed My Game:
Learning the tactics, the Near Post Nightmare, the Far Post Float, and the Short Corner Sneak, is only half the battle. You can know the perfect strategy, but if you can’t deliver the ball exactly where it needs to go, it’s just a wasted opportunity.
The biggest time-saver I found wasn’t a complex trick; it was a simple, boring thing: consistent, dedicated practice.
When I first started trying to bend the ball, I would practice for five minutes and get frustrated. Then I realized I needed a system. Here is the super simple routine that finally made my corner kicks reliable and accurate.
My Cone and Clock System:
I decided to treat practice like an actual job, focusing only on accuracy and repetition for a fixed time.
- The Three Targets: I used three different colored cones and placed them exactly where my three main targets are: one at the near post, one at the penalty spot, and one near the far post.
- The 20-Minute Drill: I committed to spending exactly 20 minutes after every single practice just on corner kicks. No running, no shooting, just corners.
- The Goal: The goal wasn’t to score; the goal was to hit the cones. I would spend five minutes aiming for the near post cone, five minutes aiming for the penalty spot cone, and five minutes aiming for the far post cone.
- Tracking: This is the real hack! I kept a little notebook and just made a tally mark every time I successfully hit the cone or landed the ball within one yard of it. Seeing that number go up, seeing my accuracy percentage improve, was the biggest motivation. When I could reliably hit the near post cone eight out of ten times, I knew I was ready to use that play in a game.
This routine works because it turns the kick into muscle memory. You don’t have time to think about your stance or your follow-through in a game; it has to be automatic. By the time I perfected this routine, I didn’t have to look at the post anymore; I could just feel where the ball needed to go.
A powerful corner kick isn’t about having a huge leg; it’s about having precision. And precision comes from boring, consistent practice. Commit to the 20-Minute Drill, and I promise you will see your entire team’s attacking game change almost instantly.
Conclusion:
I went from being a player who just wasted every corner kick to being the player my teammates rely on to create the scoring chance. This whole experience taught me that the biggest difference in soccer often isn’t your speed or strength, but your tactical precision. Just remember these simple lessons: see the corner kick as a strategic weapon, focus on accuracy over power, and commit to the 20-Minute Drill. Mastering the curve and knowing when to use the Near Post, Far Post, or Short Corner are the simple hacks that will save you time and start winning you games. Go out there, practice your bend, and turn those boring corner kicks into spectacular goals.
FAQs:
1. Should I use an inswinger or an outswinger most of the time?
I highly recommend mastering the inswinger first, as it bends the ball toward the goal, making it much more dangerous for the keeper.
2. How hard should I kick the ball when aiming for the far post?
Don’t focus on hardness; focus on hitting the bottom of the ball with the inside of your foot to get maximum lift and hang time.
3. Is it true that I should aim for the near post more often than the center?
Yes, the near post is a simple, high-percentage target because it forces quick mistakes from the defenders and the goalkeeper.
4. What’s the biggest mistake players make on corner kicks?
The biggest mistake is trying to kick it with the laces (top of the foot) instead of the inside of the foot to generate spin and curve.
5. When should my team use a short corner instead of a long cross?
Use a short corner when the penalty box is too crowded and the defense is highly organized; the short pass pulls defenders out and creates space.
6. If I want to score directly from the corner, where should I aim?
Aim your inswinger right at the far side of the six-yard box, hoping the ball hooks into the net before the keeper can reach it.
