Seal (dribble) of Approval

Wondering what you guys think of Brazilian teenager Kerlon and his seal dribble. If you haven't seen it yet, be patient, there's a link below. But basically during play he flips the ball up onto his forehead and balances it like a seal at Marineland, then attempts to run through the defence. Sometimes the race down the wing, heading the ball to himself as he runs. Other times he'll try to weave through traffic at the top of the 18-yard box.

It's pretty clear what his opponents think of this teenage sensation and his novelty play.

MARCUS SEDIMONI/AP

Shout out to Kerlon and his dribble.

They hate it.

Check out the boot to the stomach from the guy in yellow in the first clip, and the Scott Stevens-style shoulder to the sternum from the guy in blue the next time Kerlon tries to seal through the defence.

Their disdain for the tactic is clear, but how do the rest of us feel?

Personally, I don't mind it. Don't know if I'd watch a whole team full of Kerlons seal dribbling for 90 minutes, but I respect his ingenuity. As far as clever plays are concerned, I'd rank it a notch or two below the hockey player from the University of Michigan who scored that lacrosse style goal.

Kerlon stays out of the top spot because the seal dribble, while it's entertaining and innovative, still hasn't proved effective. The move might make highlight reels world wide, but seal dribble or not, he only scored once in his first 33 appearances with Cruzeiro.

I can't help noticing that the goals in this Kerlon tribute reel come from free kicks and open play, and not from fancy tricks. But as I said two weeks ago, as a soccer non purist I reserve the right to be impressed by flashy plays that accomplish nothing.

The seal dribble accomplishes one important thing:

Entertainment.

Often, that's enough for me.

Comments

[Peter Lee]

I don't mind the trick for entertainment value, but here's the main problem with the seal dribble. How does a defender go for the tackle without going for the kid's head? So if an opposing player didn't want to hurt the kid, there aren't many options. It's a fun play, but I see why he received the boot to the midsection and a shoulder tackle. It's better than a defender's boot to the face. "Hey man, I was just going for the ball, not my fault if he own let it off his face!"

[Morgan Campbell]

Great point, Peter. I guess Kerlon doesn't give you too many alternatives besides fouling him...hard.

Does anyone know if he's every made a pass using the seal dribble, or does every seal dribble end with an opponent flattening him?

[Paulo Porto]

Hey Morgan, I am from Brazil and I saw Kerlon "the seal" play. No defender has found a way to take the ball from him without commit a foul. Some defenders allege that there is a lack of respect on that dribble. Kerlon has never made a goal or a pass using this the seal dribble (once he suffered a foul near the 18-yard box that ended up in goal after the free kick).

[LeoSC]

The only fair way to get the ball away is to shoulder him (it must be shoulder to shoulder). I like the way he receives passes, and especially the goal where he flipped it over the goalie. Some N. American players need to see this video to learn that in some situations you don't need to blast the ball. I think Lombardo could learn a trick or two from this youngster.