6 Football Skills That Have Been Banned: From Ronaldinho’s Seal Dribble to Donkey Freekick

• Football players often employ the use of trickery to get the better of their opponents
• There are, however, some skills that could get you on the wrong side of the referee if you use them in a game
• The skills have now remained a reserve for warm-up sessions and whenever a player is being unveiled at a new club

Football in itself is a very interesting sport, with players often using skills to get past their opponents. Players like Neymar and Eden Hazard made their names out of their ability to beat opponents with their silky moves.

However, as the game continued to develop, other skills were deemed unsafe and 'banned' from live football games.

Skills like balancing the ball on your head or the neck are nowadays frowned upon when done during a game. When done in the middle of the game and deemed inappropriate by the referee, the player might get booked.

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Most of the skills were banned because of players' safety.

1. Seal dribble

This is a form of dribbling made popular by former Brazilian player Kerlon where a player flicks the ball using his head as he runs past opponents. The updated version of the Laws of the Game outlaws a player from doing this in a manner that can endanger him/her.

2. Shirt catch

This is basically trapping the ball inside your shirt and running around with it. Imagine how the game would be flawed if players put the ball in their shirts and ran around with it.

When you do this, it is often considered as an extension of the arm and therefore, you will be penalised for handball. However, it is important to note that a player can do this while celebrating a goal. Players usually use this sign when they are expecting a child or their partners have just delivered.

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3. Running knee-lock

Similar to the shirt catch, this is when a player locks the ball in between his knees and runs around with it to gain an advantage over the opponent. This also results in an automatic booking.

4. Donkey kick freekick

This is a technique where players use the donkey technique to elevate the ball for their players to hit them. It is one of the rules you won't understand why it was banned. The brilliance in its execution is so aesthetic.

5. Neck stall

Just like the seal dribble, this involves a player running with the ball while balancing it on his/her neck. While it is often done during the unveiling and warm-ups, it is rarely done during live games. It is often left to the discretion of the referee whether to book you or not.

6. Low header

Well, the laws of the game have been adapted to help players avoid concussion-related injuries. Just the same way a high boot is illegal in the game, the low leader is also discouraged.

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Passing the ball with your head while it's on the ground is dangerous and one can get booked for it. The same rule applies when a player flicks the ball from the ground and directs it back to his goalkeeper using his head. It is always adjudged to be a back pass.

Additional information from Goal 90(Youtube) and modap_(Twitter)

Football records that might never be broken

Sports Brief had earlier reported that football is typically a game of statistics and numbers, and some of the biggest names in the game have set some unbelievable records in the course of their careers, which we may never see again.

Part of the reason the sport can be so exciting is the prospect of seeing records getting broken. This season, for example, we have Erling Haaland, who has broken a number of records in his maiden season in English football.