In soccer, teams of 11 players compete to get the ball into their opponents’ net. Except for the goalie, who guards their team’s goal, players can’t use their hands. The main way players move the ball is by kicking it with their feet. They kick the ball differently if they’re running with the ball, passing it, or shooting it.

For most kicks, players strike the ball with the inside of their foot rather than with their toe. Using this larger surface gives players more control over the direction the ball moves. Players can also control how much energy they move to the ball. They can softly tap the ball or send it speeding off their foot to their teammate—or straight into the goal!

Soccer players mainly move the ball with their feet. But when the ball is kicked high into the air, they often use a different body part to change its direction—their head. A shot or pass made with the head is called a header.

During a header, the ball can strike a player’s head with up to 300 pounds
(136 kilograms) of force! Hits to the head can cause the brain to bounce back and forth inside the skull, leading to serious injury. That’s why experts recommend players younger than 12 avoid headers completely.

For older players, it’s important to use proper form during a header. That means flexing their neck muscles and moving their head toward the ball. This causes their brain to bounce less inside their skull and helps prevent injury.

Jaedyn Shaw, a pro soccer player on the San Diego Wave, stands at the corner of the field. The ball sits on the ground before her. With a swift kick, she sends the ball soaring forward. At first, it moves through the air in a straight line. But then it does something strange. The ball starts to curve. It zooms past the goalie and into the net!

Players often use this impressive shot during a corner kick after a ball has gone out of bounds. By causing the ball to turn in the air, a player can have a chance of getting it close to the goal even when the angle looks impossible. It may seem like a magic trick, but it’s not! Read the steps above to learn how it works.