 So when you're protecting the ball, I want you to think about a few things. Number one is I want to initiate the contact first. If I'm waiting here for the ball and he's the one who makes first contact, so push me on the back of it. Okay, I'm already off balance, I'm not ready. Whereas opposed to I know the ball is coming, at some point I can't anticipate the play, I know it's coming into me. Before that pass is even played, I already want to be owning my space and stealing some of his space and really initiating contact with my arms, with my butt, with my body, okay? If you guys are always just playing with your feet, play with the ball. If I'm just always playing with my feet, I'm only using half of the tools available to me, okay? So when you're receiving that ball, I want you to think about initiating contact and then getting real low, play with the ball. Yeah, another thing I want to receive it on my back foot or my furthest foot from him, if I receive it on this foot, play it in, if you can. If I receive it on this foot, that's easy for him, he can win that all day, okay? So keep it far away from him, initiate contact, keep him as far away from you as you can and then it's all about leverage, play with the ball. Okay, so here, I'm into him. Leverage is getting lower using your balance, using your strength. The lower I am, the more strength I can produce. If I'm trying to hold him off up here, push me around. Okay, it's hard for me to keep my balance. What if he's pushing me down here? Okay, the lower I get, the stronger I can be against him, even if he's a big strong six foot five center back, I can still keep him off if I'm down here. That's why being a smaller player is almost an advantage. Okay, so one more time, the ball gets played in. Receive on a back foot, making that contact first and then I want to get low. As he moves, trying to get the ball, I'm trying to get in front of him, stay low. Okay, if I'm just like this, this is a foul. But if my eyes are on the ball and I'm just moving my body, using my body, that's how you play the game, that's how you use all the tools available to you. So try to get the ball. Okay, I'm just moving, shifting in front of him, wherever it goes, sometimes I'll move the ball if I need to, but always shifting my butt, my arms, my legs, using everything I can to protect the ball. Obviously, use your technical skills to get yourself out of trouble, but start thinking about using your body more often. If you only use your skills to keep the ball away from opponents, you'll get knocked off the ball and lose possession far too often. When protecting the ball, think about keeping the ball as far away from your opponents as possible. In these clips, I'm overemphasizing the use of my body. If you don't know about me, I used to be a huge underachiever, but through obsessive self-improvement, I found my success. Earned a college scholarship, played for my national football team, a YouTube channel with over 100 million views. I've helped players worldwide and I'd love to help you improve faster and achieve more. If you want to improve faster and achieve more this season, use the Soccer Success Planner. It's 100% free, players all around the world have already used it to improve. You can download it right now. There's a link in the description below. From moving up divisions to making national teams, players who use the Online Soccer Academy get results. Access elite level coaching and training, become a complete player, make a difference on the field and get noticed when you play. Limited spots available, apply today, start improving tomorrow. Link in the description below.