Did you know the average 90-minute football match has 11 corner kicks? The perfect corner kick can be a team’s secret weapon and allow a weaker team to defeat a stronger side. Remember the 2013 FA Cup Final when Wigan defeated the much stronger Manchester City thanks to a late corner kick?

The perfect corner kick is a goalscoring threat. Despite the danger a corner provides defences, many teams at the lower levels and amateur ranks do not practice them. So, how do you take the perfect corner kick? Let’s take a look.

Taking a corner kick

Preparation

Preparation is key when taking any set-piece in football. The right player needs to take the corner and that player needs to know exactly where to put the ball. In addition, the attacking team’s players need to know where they need to be when the ball comes into the box. Practicing preparation goes a long way to pulling off the perfect corner kick in games. Remember, if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Routines

Teams with good setpieces are dangerous and they have prepared routines to attack defences. Thank of a setpiece like a set play in basketball. Everyone has a place to be on the pitch when the ball comes in. The corner kick taker should signal to the other players which routine the team should run and where the ball will go. Depending on what the kick taker signals, the rest of the team will need to move into position.

In-swinging and out-swinging corner kicks

In-swinging corner kicks are aimed away from the goal. When the ball nears the near-post, the ball begins to swing back towards the goal. In-swinging corner kicks provide momentum to the ball and send the attacking players toward the goal. Out-swinging corner kicks are the opposite as the ball moves away from the goal. Out-swinging corners make it more difficult for the goalkeeper to come and collect the ball.

Short corner kicks

Short corner kicks confuse the opposition. By playing a short corner, you can change the angle of the cross into the box. You can catch defences napping and score goals from setpieces with short corners.