Freestyle football

John Farnworth performing a freestyle trick in Singapore in 2011, where he broke two records

Freestyle football, also known as freestyle soccer in North America, is the art of self-expression with a football, while performing various tricks with any part of the body. Similar in style to keepie uppie, kemari and the ball discipline of rhythmic gymnastics, it has become a widespread sport across the world and is practised by many people.

Increase in popularity

Freestyle football has existed since the early 1900s,[1] but it has seen a surge in popularity as a result of global advertising campaigns and digital media sharing. In the early 21st century, Nike began an advertising campaign which relied heavily on the freestyle form of football, including video clips of freestyle performances. The videos are called Joga Bonito which means "Play Beautiful." These advertisements featured famous players such as Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo and Edgar Davids. Many link such mass media attention to the start of the freestyle craze. In the YouTube era, however, many previously non-famous players have risen to prominence, and internet searches easily yield thousands of videos by amateur "freestylers" around the world.[2]

Some of the more notable freestylers include: Hee Young Woo (Mr. Woo) of South Korea, Pawel Skora (Polish), Michal Rycaj (Polish), Beto (Mexican), Azun (Norwegian),Palle (Swedish), Reynoldz (Irish), Victor Rubilar,Kamalio. Four time Guinness World Record Holder[3] and John Farnworth, who appeared in Britain's Got Talent in 2009. Also in the same year of Britain's Got Talent (series 3) Uefa Training Grounds skill experts[4] Woody & Kleiny were the first freestyle double act to ever hit the programmes screens and the duo were branded by Simon Cowell as the Anty & Decky[5] of football juggling. Moreover, men are not the only ones capable of training this sports discipline. Since it started spreading all over the world more and more women have been taking up freestyle football. Some of the most notable women in the sport are current World Champion Kitti Szász (Hungarian) as well as runner up Mélody Donchet and North American non-competitive but high level freestyler Indi Cowie.

Freestyle has also become very popular in South America, with countries such as Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Chile forming freestyle crews of dozens or even hundreds of freestylers, some of the most important Latin Freestylers are Charly Iacono who got to the Semi finals of Talento Argentino, an Argentinian talent show, and Cristian "Rocky" Mayorga who came third in the South Africa 2010 Red Bull Street Style world finals.

Freestyle pioneers

Several freestylers have had an impact on the varying styles within freestyle football including Rickard "Palle" Sjolander, nicknamed the "godfather of airmoves". Palle invented many lower body tricks which are now used by several freestylers. Palle's progression of lower body freestyle was enhanced by Pawel Skora from Poland. Since 2010, the progression within lowerbody freestyle has been led by a group of around 10 "limit pushers", including Pawel Skora, MP, Hasip, Ars, Mirko, Gunther, Akim, LKR, Ethan, Memo and more.

The movie In the Hands of the Gods promotes football freestylers. The film followed five lads (Mikey Fisher, Paul Wood, Sami Hall, Danny Robinson and Jeremy Lynch) on a journey of a lifetime in search of arguably the best football player of all time Diego Maradona. The film became the largest release of a documentary ever in the UK, fourth biggest in the world when it came to screens on its opening weekend, was on show at the Cannes film festival and had a red carpet Leicester Square premier which was green AstroTurf for the boys.[6]

Freestyle competitions

Freestyle Footballers freestyling at the Red Bull Arena (Salzburg).

Shortly after the Joga Bonito advertising campaign Nike launched a freestyle football competition on the internet "Nike Football" in which participants could submit their own clips and receive feedback from a worldwide audience.

In December 2006 the "Masters of The Game" competition, held in Amsterdam and was won by Hassan Muxudin Ali. Nutmeg or Panna and other street football competitions have been held featuring street football players such as Edward Van Gils 'Edje', Issy Hitman, and Jermaine Vanenburg 'Vaantje'.

In 2007 there was a competition in Latin America called Red Bull Reaccion.

Also in 2007 Redbull futbol de calle was held in NYC's Webster Hall.

The French Arnaud "Séan" Garnier is the first world champion of Red Bull Street Style Soccer. The final of the Red Bull Street Style competition was held in Brazil In November 2008. Arnaud Garnier "Séan" beat out the other 42 competitors to win the competition.

The 2010 Red Bull street style was held in Cape Town South Africa April 24–28. The winner was Anders "Azun" Solum from Norway, who beat Kamalio Ranchod from South Africa in the final. The latest one was held in Italy where Kotaro Tokuda from Japan came first, and Daniel Dennehy from Ireland finished second.

List of International Competitions and Winners

F3 World Tour

Year Events General 1st Place General 2nd Place General 3rd Place United Kingdom London Winner China Beijing Winner
2014 2 Argentina Charly Iacono Colombia Boyka United Kingdom Andrew Henderson Colombia Boyka United Kingdom Andrew Henderson
Year Events General 1st Place General 2nd Place General 3rd Place United Kingdom London Winner United Arab Emirates Dubai Winner
2013 2 Poland Michryc Poland Luki Norway Tobias Poland Michryc Poland Michryc
Year Events General 1st Place General 2nd Place General 3rd Place Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Winner
2011 1 United Kingdom Andrew Henderson France Gautier Poland Michryc United Kingdom Andrew Henderson

Superball - World Open Championships

Year Location Battle 1st Place Battle 2nd Place Battle 3rd Place Routine Winner
2015 Czech Republic Liberec, Czech Republic Poland Michryc Norway Erlend Fagerli Brazil Ricardinho France Gautier
2014 Czech Republic Liberec, Czech Republic Brazil Pedrinho Norway Tobias Poland Michryc France Gautier
2013 Czech Republic Prague, Czech Republic United Kingdom Andrew Henderson Mexico Esteban Poland Luki France Gautier
2012 Czech Republic Prague, Czech Republic United Kingdom Andrew Henderson Poland Michryc Italy Gunther France Gautier
2011 Czech Republic Prague, Czech Republic Poland Szymo Poland Pawel Skora United Kingdom Andrew Henderson France Gautier

Red Bull Street Style

Year Location 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place
2014 Brazil Salvador, Brazil United Kingdom Andrew Henderson Argentina Charly Iacono NorwayErlend Fagerli
2013 Japan Tokyo, Japan Poland Szymo Argentina Charly Iacono United Kingdom Andrew Henderson
2012 Italy Lecce, Italy Japan Tokura Republic of Ireland Daniel Dennehy Italy Gunther
2010 South Africa Cape Town, South Africa Norway Azun South Africa Kamalio Colombia Rocky
2008 Brazil São Paulo, Brazil France Sean Japan Yosuke Brazil Murilo

F3 European Championships

Year Location 1st place 2nd place 3rd place
2015 Netherlands Amsterdam, Netherlands Norway Tobias Netherlands Maarten Poland Mikolaj
2014 Belgium Brussels, Belgium Poland Mikolaj Poland Michryc Italy Gunther
2013 Hungary Budapest, Hungary Poland Luki Poland Mikolaj Serbia Djota

Freestyle tricks

Freestyle football is divided into different disciplines/styles:

Within the above disciplines, the following individual moves are among the most popular:

1. Simple combo : ATW - crossover; ATW - ATW; ATW-cross-ATW; ATW - HTW; HTW-ATW; crossover- ATW. 2. Intermediate combo : ATW - ATW - cross - HTW - ATW; toebounce (TB) - ATW - ATW - HTW - TATW. 3. Pro combo : ATW - ATW - HTW - HTW - ATW - TATW - TATW - {TATW - ATATW (no touch)}- LATW - ATW - ALATW.

Combos were introduced in early 2000-2002 and are popular in freestyle football.

Nowadays, the number of new freestylers is constantly increasing so is the number of new moves. Connecting freestyle football with break dance moves has become more popular recently and has given name to the new style mentioned above - Special. It adds up to creativity in this sport and keeps it developing. This style of performing may be easily noticed in Japan but not solely there.

List of Tricks in Freestyle

AIRMOVES:

-Beginners

-Medio

-Intermediary

  1. -Advanced
  1. -Pro
  1. -Extreme Hardcore

BASICS UPPERBODY:

BASICS SITDOWNS:

BASICS GROUNDMOVES:

Akkas(air moves)

AIRMOVES Breakdown by Category:

0.5 Revolution Trick

1 Revolution Trick

360 Around The World 1.5 Revolution Trick

2 Revolution Trick

2.5 Revolution Trick

3 Revolution Trick

3.5 Revolution Trick

Freestyle in Association Football

Although freestyle football exists on a standalone basis in its own right, the incorporation of freestyle skills into association football has enabled both sports to leverage off one another. Notable association football players who incorporate freestyle tricks into their game include Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Robinho, Ricardo Quaresma, Garrincha, Neymar and many other players.

Freestyle Football Websites

There are some freestyle football forums where it is easy to find out more about tricks and meet many freestylers that may impart some advice on how to practise efficiently. This is also a place where on-line competitions are organized. The internationally well-known websites are: World Class Freestyle SSA Freestylers Global Freestyle, Football Freestyle Show,UK Football Freestyle, German Freestyle Football,Mexican Football Freestyle, BeyondFootball and Freestyle Football Federation, Iran Football Freestyle , Freestyleworldfootball.com, Komball

Launched in June 2014, Freestyle Football TV is the first TV channel dedicated to Freestyle Football. News, tricks and events on a 24/7 mode : Freestyle Football TV

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Football freestyle.
  1. ↑ "The History of Freestyle Football" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-03-09.
  2. ↑ "Brits lead freestyle revolution". BBC. 2008-05-23. Retrieved 2010-05-31.
  3. ↑ Sanghvi, Jahnavi (10 December 2009). "I get very close to the audience: Victor Rubilar". dnaindia.com (Daily News and Analysis). Retrieved 5 January 2010.
  4. ↑ http://www.uefa.com/trainingground/skills/video/videoid=1714426.html?autoplay=true#classic_skills. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ↑ http://talent.itv.com/2009/news/story/item_100133.html. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ http://www.caughtoffside.com/2007/08/29/caughtoffside-exclusive-in-the-hands-of-the-gods-preview/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
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