How to Hit a Volley

How do you Shoot a Perfect Volley?

Knowing how to hit a volley is a key skill in football. That’s because when you want to strike the ball, you won’t always have the luxury of it being on the ground. Sometimes, you’ll have to strike an aerial ball that’s bouncing or in mid-flight. That’s where the volley technique comes into play.

This is a challenging skill to learn, but it can be mastered with frequent practice and by implementing a few key tips.

In this article, I’ll be covering five steps for hitting the perfect volley. These are simple techniques you can take to the field and start implementing.

For your reference, I’ve included a brief video below showing how to strike the ball correctly. Good luck with your training!

1. Keep Your Eye on the Ball

The first and most important tip when striking a volley is to keep your eye on the ball. No matter how good the rest of your technique is, you won’t make clean contact if you lose sight of the ball.

Make sure you maintain eye contact with the ball as it comes towards you, this will give you a better sense of the ball’s speed and trajectory.

As you prepare to strike the ball, be sure to continue looking at the ball. This will ensure that you strike the ball in the location you want.

2. Place Your Plant Foot Towards Goal

In order to add more accuracy to your volley, you’ll want to have your plant foot facing towards goal. Similar to taking any other shot, the placement of your plant foot is crucial for directing the ball.

If you’re volleying the ball with your right foot, make sure that your left foot is pointed towards the goal. Not only will this add more accuracy to your shot, but placing your plant foot will help give you more stability as well.

3. Let the Ball Come Down

It’s a common mistake to chase the ball when it is in the air, but this is something you’ll want to avoid. If you reach your leg too high, you may end up off balance and scuff your shot.

Instead, do your best to position your body before the ball arrives to you. You want to have your chest pointed towards the ball, with your plant foot facing the goal (see Zidane above).

As the ball comes down, lift your knee up to help position your leg to strike the ball. You’ll want to make sure your leg is raised to approximately the same height as the ball. Avoid leaning back, as will result in your volley soaring over the crossbar.

4. Strike Just Below the Knee

Once you’ve aligned your body and locked eyes with the ball, you’re ready to hit the volley. To get the most fluid transfer of power to the ball, you want to strike the ball just as it falls below the knee.

Unlike a traditional shot, you don’t need to swing your leg back before striking the ball. The ball already has momentum behind it, so you just want the ball to come off your foot cleanly and with accuracy.

As you strike the ball, just extend your knee allowing for your foot to pass through the center of the ball.

5. Use Your Laces

When striking a volley, you’re going to get the best contact by using the laces area. This will help give you a clean strike and ensure the ball leaves your foot with power.

If you’re wondering where this area is, try feeling the top of your foot. You should feel a hard bone just beneath your laces. This is where you want to make contact with the ball.

As long as you’re able to keep your strike on target, it will be difficult for a keeper to save a well placed volley. With these tips, you’ll be striking the ball with more accuracy and power.