Football is an ever-changing game. Everyday some or other tactical advances to help the players cover greater areas on the pitch in order to starve the opponents off the spaces they quite regularly exploit to make their living. However, there has always been and will be one constant in football – the necessity to control the ball.
With tactical formations designed to cover greater areas and the physical nature of players as well as their pace exploited to the fullest to close down spaces, or to press an opponent out of possession, the need for football’s biggest artists to possess a killer first touch has never been more important.
Here’s a look at 5 players, active in the game today, who possess arguably very best first touches on the planet.
#5 Andres Iniesta
When looking for the magicians of the game, who better than the illusionist himself. Here’s one of the many pictures of Andres Iniesta, in complete control of the football despite being surrounded by quite a handful of opposition players. For, some players – and by some, I mean barring a few who can be counted on fingers – it would be quite a problem. But here stands the don, unperturbed by the presence of a few mere mortals, caressing the ball.
He plays in one of the busiest and crowded areas of the pitch, central midfield, and yet his teammates look up to him and pass to him despite the circumstances and oppositions.
A perfect example of his amazing first touch is his 2010 World cup final goal. With acres of space to his right, Iniesta takes a fizzed pass from Fabregas, receives the ball and angles his body for a half volley, all in one ballet like movement.
Such is his magnificence, such is his mastery over the ball that despite playing 115 minutes of football at the biggest stage in the world football, this Spanish maestro displayed supreme composure and unfailing first touch to bring the world at his feet. Such is the grandeur of Don Andres Iniesta with a ball at his feet.
#4 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan needs no introduction. Standing at 6’5”, the big Swede is an ideal striker for a midfielder to play the ball up to and then run off. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is pretty much the perfect No. 9.
The 35-year-old Manchester United striker has been one of the most feared strikers in the game throughout his time at Juventus, Inter, AC Milan, Barcelona, PSG and now in Manchester, and much of the reason for that is because of his technical acumen and the outstanding general nature of his first touch.
“I love Zlatan Ibrahimovic, exquisite touch & technique, unique playing style & an excellent finish, he’s got everything. Simply world class.”
– Laurent Blanc
Ibrahimovic’s ability to control whatever kind of ball is fired into him – with whatever part of his body it arrives at – is pretty much unrivalled among forwards across the planet. Using his imposing figure, along with a very flexible body even at this age, he plucks the balls out of thin air as if it were a stroll through a park leaving our beloved, Sir Isaac Newton, in some serious doubts over validities of his Laws of Gravitation and Motion.
Going strong at the age of 35 and still improving like a fine wine, let’s hope that we can see Ibra in full flow for many more years to come.
#3 Dimitar Berbatov
How many players are there in the world who can stop a cross-field lobbed ball dead at their feet? Probably quite a few. How many of them can do this on a regular basis with an unperturbed look etched on their face? Only Dimitar Berbatov.
Currently a Free agent, Dimitar Berbatov wowed the Premier League crowd on a weekly basis, playing some aesthetic football at his own pace. Although he had a tendency to go missing when things are not quite going his way and isn’t quite adaptable to the high pressing game currently used by most of the European elites, these negatives cannot take anything from his technical brilliance, chief among them being a magnetic first touch.
Our man here has a velvety first touch and can control all types of passes sent to him, whether it is a cross-field pass or a simple ten-yard pass, he, like an effortless virtuoso stops the ball so well, it appears as if it had been placed there by hands.
See him as you want: an underachiever or an effortless genius. You simply cannot deny that had ‘ controlling the ball’ been a separate sport, this prodigal Bulgarian would have won a few Ballon D’ors in it.
#2 Juan Mata
We have a second Spaniard on our list – Juan Mata. Two times Chelsea player of the season, now plying his trade at Manchester United, Juan Mata is an attacking midfielder by trade. His position is one of the most crowded areas in a football field and for anyone to play in that position, a magnetic first touch is an absolute necessity.
Juan Mata is no exception. In fact, his first touches are better than most of the players plying their trade in England. The way he controls the balls, it appears as if he has sandbags in his boots that just stops them dead. Here, have a look.
The way he stops the ball, it is a surprise the defenders don't stop to applaud the Spanish international. He controls cross field passes by simply trapping the ball with the sole of his foot with effortless ease and then moves on with the game as if it was nothing leaving us to wonder, “How did he do that?”
Here is another fine example of his exquisite touch. Do enjoy and do not try this at home. Chances are that you will fail. Badly.
#1 Ronaldinho
There is a lack of footballing adjectives that can be used to define this genius. What has not been written or said about this metronomic talent or his playing style or simply put, his greatness in the football world.
Not many players whose peak lasted 2-3 years can boast of being mentioned in the same company as Pele, Maradona, Cruyff etc. Since our man here has made a name for himself among the greats of the game, this should be a testimony of his outrageous talent.
Ronaldinho at his very best was an explosive player. He had everything – speed, acceleration, dribbling, scoring, set-pieces – everything. He is celebrated for it.
However, if there was one thing in which he was better than everybody else, it had to be ball control. Football allows a player to control the ball using any part of the body, except hands. Ronaldinho could control a pass using any part of his body, that too while sporting a lovely smile.
His age and partying lifestyle may have taken that old pace and acceleration away but his first touch is still amazing, in fact, they are awe-inspiring. Retiring at the end of the season, this legend will certainly be missed. Rarely shall we see such cushioned touches.
Here are some players who are worthy of an honourable mention.
David Silva, Mesut Ozil, Andrea Pirlo, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Francesco Totti .
