Goalkeeper Shot Stopping: When to Catch, Parry, or Use Your Feet

Shot-stopping is often the difference between securing a crucial victory and suffering a bitter defeat. Mastering the techniques of catching, parrying, and using your feet can elevate you from a competent goalkeeper to a true match-winner.

This guide breaks down these core techniques, explains when and why to use them, and shares drills to help you become a shot-stopping pro.

The Basics of Shot-Stopping

Before diving into the specifics, it’s essential to understand that shot-stopping isn’t just about reflexes; it’s about decision-making, positioning, and confidence. A good goalkeeper reads the game, anticipates shots, and chooses the best technique for the situation.

Beyond the physical techniques, shot-stopping requires mental clarity. You must stay calm under pressure, make quick decisions, and trust your instincts. As goalkeepers, we need to be constantly alert, assessing threats while managing the stress of facing powerful shots. Successful goalkeepers develop not only technical skills but a strong mindset that allows them to remain confident and focused.

Now let’s explore the physical shot-stopping techniques in depth.

1. Catching: Eliminating the Threat

Catching should always be your first choice when the ball is within reach. If a shot is aimed at you within arm’s stretch, or at a low enough pace that you can gather it, your goal is to catch the ball cleanly and safely.

Why Catching Is Important

Handling the ball gives you control over the situation. When you catch the ball, you immediately reduce the pressure on your defense and allow your team to regroup. It’s the safest option, as it prevents rebounds and gives you the chance to distribute the ball effectively.

When to Catch

• It’s shot directly at you within your reach
• It’s coming at a pace that allows you to gather it without putting it at risk of spilling
• It’s a high ball that you can secure with the right technique

In these scenarios, catching the ball keeps you in control and avoids unnecessary risk.

How to Catch the Ball

• Be in the correct set position, with your body balanced and your hands ready
• Use the “W” shape with your hands for a solid grip on the ball, particularly for high balls
• Adjust your feet if the ball is coming at you from the side, allowing you to catch without diving unnecessarily
• Focus on absorbing the impact, ensuring a secure grip rather than just “snatching” at the ball
• Make sure to invest in quality gloves, as they significantly affect your ability to catch and hold the ball, especially in difficult conditions.

I recommended watching the following video by The Kit Lab for an overview of the basic catches.

2. Parrying: Reducing the Risk

While catching should always be your first choice, there will be times when it’s not an option. In those cases, parrying becomes the safer choice to control the ball’s direction and prevent a rebound.

Why Parrying Is Important

Parrying allows you to control the direction of the ball when catching it is unsafe. It’s crucial for reducing the risk of the ball falling into a dangerous area or being deflected back to an opponent. Parrying ensures you can get the ball away from the goal and out of the immediate danger zone.

When to Parry

• The shot is at point-blank range, making it too fast to react with your hands
• The ball is swerving due to the striker’s technique or weather conditions
• The shot is high or wide, and you’re at full stretch
• There’s a deflection that alters the ball’s trajectory, making it difficult to anticipate with a catch

In these cases, parrying ensures you maintain control over where the ball goes, minimising the chances of a rebound into the net.

How to Parry the Ball

• Use the bottom part of your hands or strong fingertips, especially when dealing with fast, swerving balls
• Keep your body balanced, positioning yourself to direct the ball away from danger
• Aim to parry the ball to a wide area, like around the post or over the bar, to avoid allowing a second chance for attackers

The key with parrying is making sure the ball is deflected safely, even if the deflection itself is out of your control. It’s about minimising risk, not always about making the “perfect” save.

Take a look at this close range shot stopping compilation for some great parries.

3. Using Your Feet: Reacting Swiftly

While some may be critical of using your feet for shot-stopping, they’re often the last line of defense in situations where using your hands isn’t possible. Today’s fast-paced game, combined with advanced pitches and equipment, has made foot saves a necessary skill for modern goalkeepers.

Why Using Your Feet Is Important

Using your feet allows you to make saves when you’re unable to get your hands into position. It’s essential for dealing with fast, low shots or situations where you can’t react quickly enough with your hands. It’s also vital when you’re recovering from a misjudgment.

When to Use Your Feet

• The shot is low and close-range, and you can’t get down to make a hand save in time
• The shot is coming from an obstructed view, so you can’t react quickly enough with your hands
• You need to recover after misjudging the direction of the shot and can’t use your hands to adjust quickly enough

Using your feet is crucial in high-pressure moments, when making a save with your hands isn’t possible.

How to Save With Your Feet

• Keep your body low and ready to use your legs, especially for fast, low-driven shots
• Stay alert to the position of the ball and prepare to react with a quick movement of your legs
• Use your feet for recovery saves, such as when diving in the wrong direction but needing to extend your leg to block the ball

Goalkeepers like De Gea are known for their quick reflexes with their feet, and this skill can make the difference in a match when your hands aren’t fast enough.

Essential Drills to Sharpen Your Handling Skills

To master these techniques, you need to practice. Here are some targeted drills for catching, parrying, and foot saves:

Catching Drills

• Basic Catching Drill: Stand a few meters away from a partner, who will throw the ball at various speeds and heights. Focus on catching the ball cleanly each time. This drill helps improve hand-eye coordination and overall catching ability.
• Cross Catching Drill: Stand in the goal and position yourself to catch high balls chipped into the box. To add realism, invite partners to act as both defenders and opposing attackers. This drill enhances your ability to win aerial duels and improves your high ball handling skills.

Parrying Drills

• Point-Blank Parry Drill: Have a partner shoot from close range. React quickly, using your hands to deflect the ball safely away from goal, before getting up for the next shot. This improves reflexes and control when dealing with fast shots.
• Swerve Ball Parry Drill: Use a swerving ball to practice your parrying technique, ensuring you make solid contact and direct the ball away from danger. This helps develop your ability to handle unpredictable shots.

Foot Save Drills

• Low Shot Foot Save Drill: Have a partner shoot low, fast balls at you. Focus on blocking with your feet, developing quick reactions for low shots. Using 5 a side goal is suitable for this exercise.
• Foot Save Recovery Drill: Start with a dive to one side, and have a partner fire a shot to your opposite side as you are getting up. This helps you to practice using your feet to make a follow-up save after misjudging the initial shot. This drill enhances recovery and foot-saving ability after a dive.

Shot Stopping Isn’t Everything

While shot-stopping is undoubtedly crucial, it’s only one aspect of goalkeeping. To truly stand out, you need to balance technical skills with adaptability, decision-making, and mental focus. The best goalkeepers don’t just stop shots—they also read the game, stay calm under pressure, and communicate effectively with their team.

Incorporating shot-stopping techniques into a broader skillset is key. Whether it’s catching, parrying, or using your feet, each technique should be part of your overall game strategy, supported by strong mental focus and tactical awareness.