What Is a Two-Footed Player in Football?

What Is a Two-Footed Player in Football

A two-footed player is one who can strike, control and dribble with either foot at a comparable level. In practice almost none are born that way: the overwhelming majority have a dominant foot[1] and spent years training the other. "Ambidextrous" is the word people reach for, though it was coined for hands.

Imagine the scene. A winger sprints down the flank, heading for the penalty area. The defender awaits, knowing he is right-footed and prepares to close down the space for a cross. But at the last moment, with a sharp feint, the player cuts inside onto his left foot and unleashes a powerful and precise shot that finds the top corner. The defender is wrong-footed, the goalkeeper motionless.

This is not magic. It is the most devastating tactical advantage in modern soccer: the ability to use both feet. It is what made Andreas Brehme, Santi Cazorla and Ousmane Dembélé so hard to defend against. But is it an innate talent or a skill that can be trained?

If you want the names, I went through them in two-footed footballers: who genuinely qualifies, who does not, and why.

Natural and Functional Ambidexterity

In soccer, a player who can use both feet is often called "two-footed." It is important to make a distinction:

• The naturally ambidextrous: This is a very rare condition. These are people who, from a young age, have no clear preference between their right and left foot. They are a true statistical anomaly.
• The functionally ambidextrous: This is the category to which the vast majority of two-footed players belong. They are players who, despite having a dominant foot, have dedicated thousands of hours to training their "weaker" foot, to the point of making it a reliable and effective weapon, almost as good as the other.

I'm more accurate with my left foot but I can shoot harder with my right.

Andreas Brehme, who scored a World Cup penalty with his left foot in 1986 and the winning penalty of the 1990 final with his right[2].

Worth noting that ambidextrous was made for hands: it comes from the Latin dexter, "right hand". Merriam-Webster now lists a soccer sense too, but the words made for feet are two-footed and the rarer ambipedal. I have written about that in ambidextrous feet, along with how rare it genuinely is.

Having Two Feet on the Pitch

Knowing how to use both feet is not just a display of skill, but a strategic weapon that offers huge advantages:

• Total unpredictability: A two-footed player can dribble, pass, or shoot from either side, making it almost impossible for a defender to anticipate their moves. They can play on the right or left wing with equal effectiveness.
• Speed of execution: By not having to "set up" the ball on their preferred foot, the player can execute the play a fraction of a second faster. In today's soccer, that fraction of a second is everything.
• Better shooting and passing angles: Having two feet available doubles the options. You can shoot from positions that would be awkward or impossible for a "one-footed" player, surprising the goalkeeper.
• Market value: across Europe's big leagues, two-footed players earn a substantial salary premium, even after controlling for their performance[3]. Scarcity pays.

How to Train Your Weaker Foot

The good news is that anyone can improve their weaker foot. You won't become Paolo Maldini overnight, but with consistency, the results will come. Here's where to start:

1. The Wall is Your Best Friend: Start with the simplest thing. Pass the ball against a wall using only your weaker foot. First with the inside of your foot, then with the instep, then with the outside. A hundred repetitions a day work wonders.
2. Juggling and Control: Try juggling by alternating feet. And when you control a pass, force yourself to do it with your weaker foot. It will be clumsy at first, but your brain will start to create the right connections.
3. Dribbling Through Cones: Set up cones or bottles and dribble the ball using only your weaker foot. Focus on keeping the ball close to your foot.
4. Shots at an Empty Goal: Don't think about power, but precision. Start from close range and shoot towards the empty goal, trying to hit the posts or specific corners, always and only with your weaker foot.

The key is obsessive repetition and patience. You are teaching your brain a new language.

Beyond the Soccer Field

Training your weaker foot in soccer is a perfect practical example of the principles I always talk about here on the blog: the weaker side is not incapable, only untrained, and steady, boring repetition is what changes it.

The method and discipline required to improve in soccer are the same as those needed to learn to write or draw with the other hand. It is a complete growth path.

If this idea of "bilateral training" fascinates you and you want to apply it not only with your feet but also with your hands, I recommend you read this article where we will delve into how to become ambidextrous.

In my book "How to Become Ambidextrous" I collected tests and progressive exercises to train your weaker side with your hands: the same method players use on the pitch with their weaker foot.

Find the book on Amazon and train your weaker side!