Learning to dive

Diving effectively relies on applying key principles and coordinated body actions.

In this session, FIFA Goalkeeper Coach Thierry Barnerat shows a young group of goalkeepers some of the fundamental aspects they must perfect to dive effectively, such as:

assuming a low body posture with slightly bent knees and lowered hands;
sweeping the inside leg away and behind so that the body can get down to the ground quicker;
attacking the ball by diving onto it with two open hands and firmly grasping it into the ground; and
using effective eye-to-hand coordination to prepare for different scenarios, including balls in front and to the side.

Exercise 1: Snap-Down Save

(1/3) The starting position is the goalkeeper adopting a low posture with slightly bent knees and lowered arms. Position a ball behind the left leg and another to the right and slightly in front of the GK.

(2/3) The goalkeeper must swing the inside leg backwards to knock the ball behind the standing leg.

(3/3) The goalkeeper dives to their right and on top of the ball whilst firmly gripping it with both hands.

This exercise focuses on getting down to the ball as quickly as possible when faced against a striker from close range. The goalkeeper starts with a low posture and low arms, to help with eye-hand coordination, and must flick the inside leg backwards and out of the way so that they can get down faster to balls close to them.

Exercise 2: Low posture, fast choice

(1/3) The goalkeeper assumes a low posture with slightly bent knees and lowered hands with the palms facing outwards. The coach touches the cones with their foot.

(2/3) Goalkeepers should react to the coach’s movement. On the dive, the legs should release quickly to reduce drag and accelerate the descent to the ball.

(3/3) The goalkeeper must dive onto the outside cones with their palms open if the coach touches a cone that matches the same colour as it.

Faced with a mental challenge, this exercise tests a goalkeeper’s speed of reaction. They must quickly coordinate their reactions to identify and touch or dive onto the same coloured cone as the coach, even though the cone order appears different from their own perspective. A low posture with low hands must be maintained so they can either quickly tap the nearest cones or dive on top of the furthest ones.

Exercise 3: Firm-grip dive

(1/4) The starting position is the goalkeeper in a low body posture with bent knees and low hands facing the coach. If the coach touches a ball, the goalkeeper must move forward and touch with the closest hand.

(2/2) : The coach pushes the ball either side of the goalkeeper who must dive onto the ball. The diving action is performed with the inside leg being swept away to start with.

(3/4) Both hands must grasp the ball firmly on the ground so that it cannot become free. The outer leg is raised to create momentum toward the ground.

(4/4) A change of direction of the ball requires the goalkeeper to attack the ball by diving forward with both palms open.

This final exercise requires goalkeepers to focus on gaining a firm grasp of the ball. The goalkeeper starts in a standing position with a low posture and must quickly coordinate their hands to make the correct reaction. The ball should be attacked by sweeping the inside leg away and using open palms to dive onto the ball.