How to Do an Around the World in Soccer

Juggling and Striking the Ball

Find a firm, dry surface. You should attempt this trick on a soccer turf, in the grass, or in a gym. Avoid practicing outside during wet conditions, which could cause you to slip. Pick a firm and level surface to practice on.

Balance a soccer ball on your dominant foot. Practice balancing the ball on top of your foot without letting it roll off. Once you've succeeded, try to hold the ball for as long as possible.

Juggle the ball on your foot with little to no spin. Work on reducing the amount of spin as much as you can. The ball should bounce straight up and down on your foot.

Keep the ball very low. Don’t juggle the ball too hard or too high, both of which can make this trick more difficult. Juggle the ball very slightly so that it stays below your knee, which will give you more control over it.

Bounce a little on your planted foot. The foot which remains on the ground should bounce slightly when you do an around the world. This gives you the extra height and momentum you need to get your foot all the way around the ball before it hits the ground.

Hit the ball with the outside of your dominant foot. Hitting the ball with the outside, rather than the inside, of your foot gives you more time to loop your foot around the ball while it is in the air.

Completing the Rotation

Start the rotation around the ball with your foot. Once you’ve juggled the ball up in the air, use that momentum to lift your foot and take it around the top of the ball on the inside, or around the top of the ball to the outside. Choose whichever is easier for you.

Complete a full rotation before the ball hits the ground. Your foot should go over and around the ball, back to the starting position, before the ball drops back to the ground. The circular motion needs to be both quick and controlled.

Catch the ball with your foot. Your foot should make a complete circle in the time it takes for the soccer ball to go up and down once. Try to cradle the ball with your foot while it is falling back toward the ground.

Continue juggling the ball. Once the ball lands back on your foot, continue to juggle it. Bounce it up and down a few times, then try to another around the world.

Practicing the Specific Movements

Practice juggling a soccer ball. Before you can do an around the world, you need to be confident juggling the ball. Practice bouncing a soccer ball up and down on your foot as many times as you can.

Try the movement without a ball. Pretend you have a ball bouncing on your foot. Practice making a circular motion with your foot moving around “the ball” in the air. You want to do one smooth motion in which you juggle the ball up and then rotate your foot around it.

Attempt an around the world without juggling the ball. Start with the ball cradled on top of your dominant foot. Toss it up into the air with your foot and practice getting your foot all the way up and around the ball, then catching it. Once you’ve gotten this down, you can move on to doing an around the world while juggling the ball.

Keep practicing. Don’t feel bad if you don’t get the trick down right away. It may take you days or weeks to get it down. Stay calm and focused, and keep practicing until you succeed.