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There's a lot of talk about what exactly natural ability in football is. This is an absolutely fair question to ask and a great point of discussion so I thought I'd make a thread of what I think it is. There are a few indicators of an elevated level ability on the ball.
Before I begin, I should clarify that natural ability isn't the sole end of football, I'm a big proponent of it and am unashamedly biased towards players I and many others consider to be aesthetically pleasing, but it isn't all football is about. But anyway..
I'm going to be supporting my points with clips and videos, as this will help demonstrate precisely what I'm showing. Let's begin with dribbling ability. The ability to go past many players alone isn't a truly elite ability in my opinion, what's mroe important is the WAY its done
First example is Andres Iniesta, one of the most beautiful and technically gifted footballers of all time and a prime exemplar of the 'natural ability' I'm trying to bring to light. Look at how smooth his touch and dribbling are here in a high pressure situation.
It's this smoothness and ability to 'glide' like Iniesta has done here that shows that his ability to control the ball is natural, almost instinctual and looks as easy as anything for him. Let's see another example, this time by David Silva.
Like Iniesta, there are multiple defenders coming at David from all sides in this short yet very demonstrative clip. Yet he never looks nervous or as if he's going to lose the ball. Like Andres, he's able to use his smooth touch to fool the defenders and get free of the pressure.
To round off the ball control/dribbling aspect, let's look at clip by the GOAT himself, Lionel Messi.
This was against Mourinho's Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey final 2011. One of the most athletic and physically robust as well as brilliant teams of all time. When Messi gets the ball, three players converge on him immediately, yet due to Messi's otherwordly close control
he is able to escape the pressure and even play a perfectly weighted through ball that should have been one of the greatest assists ever. But anyway... Let's move on to the next aspect - passing.
This next aspect will be controversial perhaps, as there are many different kinds of passes. But how many players have been elite passers and yet also not been rated for high technical quality in general?
For me the ability to play the sort of passes that depend on excellent weighting of the ball is one of the most central aspects of 'natural ability' because this sort of ability, like the dribbling and close control we've already seen, is extremely difficult to teach.
The pass I will be using as an example is the classical through ball. The reason I am using this pass is because it is the most difficult to pull off perfectly AND requires excellent vision also. It's the best proxy for playmaking ability that there is.
Let's look at this assist by Xavi to Pedro in the 09/10 season. This is one of the most pleasing through passes to watch and Xavi was a real master of this sort of pass.
It's small details here, Xavi's vision and ability to spot the run is one thing, but that pass had to be perfectly weighted in order for Pedro to be able to have the time to control and finish without facing pressure from the defenders and prevent the keeper running out in time.
This sort of pass is extraordinarily difficult to coach because the vision and technique required to pull it off are primarily innate and given, therefore natural.
Let's look at an example by Mesut Ozil, a player also lauded for natural genius and ability. He was undoubtedly a superb talent in his prime, and the natural aspects of vision and weight of pass converge brilliantly in this clip
The vision and weight of pass required to pull off this reverse through ball cannot be underestimated. Any mishit and Ramsey doesn't score here.
To further highlight the natural abilities of vision and weight of pass let's look at another passing clip, this time by Lionel Messi. Now this pass isn't anywhere close to being one of Messi's best, but it's a very underrated example.
This is the GIF
Like the Ozil-Ramsey clip that preceded this one, Messi has to perfectly weight this pass. If Messi hits it too hard, the keeper would have time to come out and Cesc probably wouldn't have controlled it as well, if he underhits it, the Osasuna defenders will gobble it up.
The likes of Messi, Iniesta, Xavi, Diego, Laudrup and others have consistently played these sorts of passes to perfection. Anyone can pull this sort of thing off every now and again, just like a defender who never scores can score an otherworldly goal from time to time.
But to do this sort of thing repeatedly and consistently throughout your career is demonstrative of a high level of natural ability.
The last aspect will be slightly different. It's a hard aspect to define and categorise. I'm going to call it 'moment of genius'. As always, the clips will corroborate what I'm saying. Let's start with Messi.
Minute 7:12 of this video, his pass to Suarez.
Minute 7:12 of this video, his pass to Suarez.
What amazes one when viewing this clip is the simplicity of this moment of genius, yet 99% of players wouldn't have done this. Messi could've easily passed to his left but his natural instinct and genius ensured that a return pass to Suarez is the best option and indeed it was.
This sort of instinct you cannot teach. It's perhaps the attribute of football that's LEAST able to be taught. It is simply pure genius. Let's look at an example by El Diego. 1:33 of this clip
After falling in the penalty box, he managed to instantaneously kick the ball in a sort of mini-overhead kick to score. It seemed impossible to score from here but he made it look so easy.
The last 'moment of genius' clip is by Dennis Bergkamp, one of the most naturally gifted forwards of the 90s.
The ability to take that touch so smoothly, make it look as easy as that and then score with a beautifully smooth finish afterwards is utter genius. Bergkamp isn't an all time great overall, but his touch is up there with the very best ever.
To conclude, I believe that smooth ball control and dribbling, vision, smooth passing and ability to weight a pass and instinctive moments of genius are footballing attributes that are impossible to coach to an elite level. The ability HAS to be there.
What connects Messi, Diego, Iniesta and others is their ability to make it look incredibly easy. These are not easy dribbles or passes or moments to pull off, they require an exemplary level of natural ability. But the ability to make such difficult acts so easy is the
hallmark of footballing genius. It doesn't look forced. coached or professionally instructed. It just looks aesthetically natural, and that's the most beautiful thing for me.
