The ultimate nutmeg technique that instantly wins matches and establishes dominance on the court.
The panna move is the defining technique of panna football - it's the move that gave the sport its name. Successfully executing a panna (nutmeg) doesn't just score you points; it wins the entire match immediately, regardless of the current score. This makes it the most devastating and respected move in street football.
Unlike flashy tricks performed for style, the panna is purely functional: play the ball through your opponent's legs and retrieve it on the other side while maintaining control. The psychological impact is immense - being "panna'd" is considered the ultimate humiliation, while executing one demonstrates complete technical superiority.
You cannot force a panna - you must create or wait for the right moment. Use feints, step-overs, or body movements to make your opponent shift their weight or widen their stance. The ideal panna opportunity occurs when your opponent is slightly off-balance or lunging toward the ball.
Watch your opponent's feet constantly. Look for moments when their legs are shoulder-width or wider apart. The best opportunities come when they're transitioning between defensive positions or when they commit to a tackle. Patience is crucial - rushing a panna attempt when the gap is too small will result in losing possession.
Once you identify the opening, act decisively but with control. Use the inside or outside of your foot to push the ball firmly through the gap. The ball must travel with enough pace to get through but not so much that you can't recover it. Aim for the center of the gap between their legs, staying low to maintain ball control.
Immediately after playing the ball through, move around your opponent to retrieve it on the other side. This is crucial - the panna only counts if you maintain possession. Be prepared for your opponent to turn quickly. Collect the ball with your first touch and protect it immediately. In official competition, referees will confirm the panna when clean possession is established.
The panna is not a move you should attempt constantly - it's a high-risk, high-reward technique that requires perfect timing. Attempt it when:
Avoid attempting pannas when your opponent has a narrow, solid defensive stance or when you're too far from the ball to recover it quickly. Also be cautious near the court boundaries where you might not have space to complete the move.
The most common error is trying to force a panna when there's no opening. Be patient and create the opportunity through skill moves and footwork rather than pushing the ball at closed legs.
Hitting the ball too hard means you can't recover it; too soft and it won't get through. Practice the exact touch needed to thread the ball through with pace while maintaining control.
Some players successfully put the ball through but fail to move around the opponent quickly enough to complete the panna. Your footwork after playing the ball is just as important as the execution.
Looking down at your opponent's legs or winding up obviously before attempting the panna alerts them to close their stance. Keep your eyes up and make the panna attempt seem like a natural part of your dribbling flow.
To truly master the panna move, watching professional executions is essential. Search for these on YouTube and social media:
These moves work excellently in combination with or as setups for the panna:
Visit our training page for detailed drills, but here are specific exercises for the panna move: