HOW TRIPPIER BENT IT LIKE BECKHAM
THAT was an old school free-kick from Kieran Trippier, straight out of the David Beckham playbook. His aim is to get as much whip and dip on the ball as possible. Trippier addresses the side of the ball, plants his left foot alongside it and his right takes care of the rest. The way he wraps his foot around the ball generates a top-spin effect, like a sweetly struck forehand from Rafael Nadal. It’s how I used to take free-kicks. They may not look the fastest but if you get it right, the way the ball gets up and down so quickly will completely fool the goalkeeper. Plenty of players try to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo’s knuckleball technique. He stands directly behind the ball and strikes it with his laces to create as much power and movement through the air as possible. It is a difficult technique to master, though, and there is every chance of seeing your effort end up in the stands. With Trippier’s curling delivery, you are more likely to hit the target, which is exactly what he did. What a time to score your first goal for two years — a World Cup semi-final.