Collect flat balls safely: the scoop hands, elbows together, getting behind the ball – with DFB coaching points, ground work and milestones.
The honest answer up front: You collect flat balls safely by opening the foot nearest the ball, bringing your hands to the ball like an excavator scoop, keeping your elbows together, leaning your upper body over the ball and securing it on the ground [1]. It sounds minor – but it is the technique needed on almost every back-pass and every weak shot.
The DFB Academy ranks collecting flat or bouncing balls, together with catching high balls and the sideways falling techniques, among the goalkeeper's basic techniques [1]. BASPO therefore builds catching flat balls, bouncing balls and half-high to high balls into its warm-up [3]. Anyone who cannot do this securely does not need to try the specialised techniques.
With a still ball you start from the ready position. Open the foot nearest the ball towards the ball, bring the hands to the ball and make sure the elbows stay together [1]. The DFB Academy calls this "like an excavator scoop". That is Level 1: the ball is still [1].
Milestone: 10 out of 10 still balls secured cleanly, with no ball slipping between your hands.
Lean the upper body over the ball and pull it to your body. The DFB describes: secure the ball in front of the body [2]. The hands enclose it, the elbows stay close. A ball you only touch is not yet caught.
Milestone: 8 out of 10 balls held so that you can keep them for two seconds afterwards.
If the ball does not come straight at you, you move behind it with short sideways steps, if there is enough time, and drop into a deep split stance [2]. At Level 2 you move to the still ball, at Level 3 to the rolling ball [1]. The trigger for the movement is the rolling ball [1].
Milestone: 8 out of 10 rolling balls from 5 m collected cleanly.
If the ball bounces in front of you, the timing is harder. The DFB Academy shows "collecting flat and central bouncing balls" with the same posture: open the foot, hands to the ball, upper body over the ball, secure it on the ground [1].
Milestone: 7 bouncing balls secured in a row.
The DFB Academy explains that ground exercises are not primarily meant to get used to the ground; the coach can split the movement into single steps. From a kneeling position it is easier to check whether you work forward or let yourself be driven backwards [1].
Milestone: Kneeling, secure 10 flat balls cleanly without tipping backwards.
Ground work is part of goalkeeping but carries risks. Among high-school goalkeepers, injuries to shoulder, upper arm and elbow made up 8.0% of all injuries versus 1.9% for outfield players, mostly from falling on an outstretched arm [5]. So practise on soft ground and first learn collecting standing and kneeling. Warm up, for example with FIFA 11+, which cut injuries by 39% in a meta-analysis [6]. In a match, a goalkeeper cannot be challenged while controlling the ball with the hands [4]. This guide explains and motivates; it does not replace supervised training.
While collecting, already think about what comes next. In a match a catch is followed by a restart: first the goalkeeper secures the ball, then he puts it back into play with a throw or a kick [7]. So lift your head after securing and see who is available. The rule behind it: you may not control the ball with your hands for more than 8 seconds [4].
Open the foot nearest the ball towards the ball, bring the hands like an excavator scoop to the ball, keep the elbows together, lean the upper body over the ball and secure it on the ground [1]. Your weight stays on the balls of the feet.
If the elbows are too far apart, the ball slips through easily [2]. Together, arms and hands form a closed surface.
With the same technique as flat balls: open the foot, hands to the ball, upper body over the ball, secure it on the ground. The DFB Academy shows both together as "collecting flat and central bouncing balls" [1].
At most 8 seconds. If you hold it longer, a corner kick is awarded to the opponent. The referee counts down the last five seconds with a raised hand [4].
No. A goalkeeper cannot be challenged while controlling the ball with hands or arms [4].
Goalkeeper Throw: Rolling, Overarm and Why the Throw Often Beats the Kick