What Is a Volley in Football? Types and Famous Goals

What is a volley in football? A player strikes the ball before it touches the ground. The ball arrives in the air, and the player hits it first time, with no controlling touch. In fact, that is what makes a volley so thrilling to watch.

Last updated: November 2026

Quick Answer

• A player strikes a volley before the ball touches the ground, and a half-volley just after the bounce.
• The main types are the full volley, half-volley, side volley, diving volley and overhead kick.
• Keep your eyes on the ball, lock your ankle and strike through the middle with your laces.
• Famous volleys include Zinedine Zidane in the 2002 Champions League final and Marco van Basten in the Euro 1988 final.
• A bicycle kick is a type of volley, not a separate skill.

What Is a Volley in Football? The Basics

Players strike a volley before the ball touches the ground. A striker is the player most likely to try one, meeting crosses and clearances in the penalty area.

In contrast, a player strikes a half-volley just after the ball bounces. For example, a player can hit a ball that drops in front of him and bounces once on the half-volley. In addition, a half-volley is often easier to control than a full volley. In fact, the ball’s path is more predictable after the bounce.

That is what is a volley in football at its simplest. It is a first-time strike, with no touch to settle the ball first.

The Half-Volley: Struck Just After the Bounce

The half-volley sits between a volley and a normal shot. First, the ball bounces once. Second, the player strikes it as it rises from the bounce. As a result, the timing is more forgiving than a full volley. The player can still hit the ball hard.

David Beckham scored a famous half-volley against Wimbledon in 1996, from the halfway line. Similarly, Wayne Rooney scored one against Newcastle in 2005, from outside the box. In both cases, the bounce gave the player a split second to set himself.

However, a half-volley still needs good timing. Hit it too early and you strike the ground. Hit it too late and the ball has risen too high.

What Is a Volley in Football? The Main Types of Volley

There are several types of volley, and each one suits a different kind of ball. The table below compares them.

Type	When the ball is struck	Difficulty	Famous example
Full volley	Before it touches the ground	Hard	Zidane vs Bayer Leverkusen, 2002
Half-volley	Just after the bounce	Medium	Beckham vs Wimbledon, 1996
Side volley	From the side, while in the air	Hard	Van Basten vs USSR, 1988
Overhead kick	Acrobatic, above the head	Very hard	Ibrahimović vs England, 2012

The table above shows what is a volley in football across its main types.

In addition, two more types are worth knowing. For a diving volley, the player strikes the ball while diving towards it. For an instep volley, the player strikes the ball with the laces of the boot. Both are rare: both need perfect timing.

What Is a Volley in Football? The Side Volley

The side volley is the classic volley from a cross. For example, the ball comes in from the side, often at pace. The player swings across his body to meet it.

Marco van Basten scored the most famous side volley of all against the USSR in the Euro 1988 final. In fact, he met the cross from a tight angle and volleyed it over the goalkeeper. The Netherlands won 2-0. The goal still ranks among the great goals.

In contrast, most side volleys in a match come from fast crosses.

The Diving Volley and the Overhead Kick

The diving volley is one of the most acrobatic types. The player throws himself forward and strikes the ball while diving. In fact, the player is often horizontal. The timing must be exact.

Even more acrobatic is the overhead kick. The player jumps, turns his back to goal, and kicks the ball over his own head. Zlatan Ibrahimović scored a famous overhead kick for Sweden against England in 2012, from 30 yards. In addition, people also call the overhead kick a bicycle kick, and our guide to the bicycle kick explains it in full.

What Is a Volley in Football? The Technique

Good technique turns a wild swing into a clean strike. First, keep your eyes on the ball all the way onto your foot. Second, get your body over the ball so the shot stays low. Third, lock your ankle and strike through the middle with your laces.

In addition, keep your follow-through low so the shot does not fly over the bar. Next, time the strike as the ball drops to knee height or lower. Use your arms for balance.

For high, wide balls, use a side volley by swinging across your body. For balls that bounce just in front of you, a half-volley is often easier. In short, the volley is a skill of timing, balance and clean contact.

Why Volleys Are So Hard to Save

A volley gives the goalkeeper almost no time to react. The player strikes the ball without a controlling touch, so the goalkeeper cannot read the shot from the attacker’s first touch. In fact, the shot is often on its way before he has set his feet.

As a result, goalkeepers rely on position, standing where the cross is likely to go. Yet a well-struck volley into the corner leaves no chance.

In addition, a volley can complete a hat-trick in style. Three goals in one game, and a volley is a fine way to score the third. Similarly, a volley in a big game is the goal fans remember.

What Is a Volley in Football? The Famous Goals

Some volleys are so good that they define a career. Zinedine Zidane scored the most famous volley of all in the 2002 Champions League final against Bayer Leverkusen. He met a Roberto Carlos cross first time with his left foot. Real Madrid won 2-1.

Marco van Basten scored his famous volley in the Euro 1988 final against the USSR from a tight angle. The Netherlands won 2-0. In addition, James Rodríguez scored a fine volley for Colombia against Uruguay at the 2014 World Cup. First, he took a chest control, then volleyed into the top corner.

For example, Robin van Persie scored a first-time volley against Aston Villa in 2013, from a long Wayne Rooney pass. Similarly, Tony Yeboah scored a famous volley for Leeds United against Wimbledon in 1995.

The Volley and the Rules: Dangerous Play

A volley is legal, but the way a player strikes it can break the rules. In fact, the referee can penalise a foot raised high near an opponent’s head as dangerous play. The punishment is an indirect free kick. If the player makes contact with the opponent, the foul is a direct free kick or a penalty.

In contrast, a high kick with no opponent nearby is fine: the referee judges the danger, not the height alone.

As a result, the best volleys come from crosses into space, not from crowded areas.

What Is a Volley in Football? Volley vs Bicycle Kick

So what is a volley in football, and where does the bicycle kick fit in? A bicycle kick is a type of volley, not a separate skill. A bicycle kick is an overhead kick: the player strikes the ball in the air before it touches the ground.

In contrast, most players strike volleys facing the goal, not with their backs to it. The bicycle kick is the acrobatic end of the volley family.

In short, every bicycle kick is a volley, but not every volley is a bicycle kick. The volley is the wider skill, and the bicycle kick is its most spectacular form.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a volley and a half-volley?

A player strikes a volley before the ball touches the ground, while a half-volley comes just after the ball bounces. The half-volley is often easier to control, since the bounce makes the ball’s path more predictable.

Is a bicycle kick a volley?

Yes. A bicycle kick is an overhead kick, which is a type of volley. The player strikes it in the air before the ball touches the ground. Our guide to the bicycle kick explains the skill in full.

What is the best volley ever scored?

There is no single answer. When fans ask what is a volley in football at its best, two goals come up most often. First, Zidane scored his volley in the 2002 Champions League final. Second, Van Basten scored his from a tight angle in the Euro 1988 final.

Can a goalkeeper save a volley?

Yes. In fact, a well-struck volley is very hard to save. The shot comes with no controlling touch, so the goalkeeper has little time to react. Good positioning is his best defence.

Is a high volley a foul?

Not by itself. A high kick is only a foul when it endangers an opponent. A foot raised high near an opponent’s head is dangerous play, punished with an indirect free kick. If the player makes contact, it is a foul.

Conclusion

That is what is a volley in football: a first-time strike before the ball touches the ground. Above all, it needs timing, balance and clean contact, and it gives the goalkeeper almost no time to react. From Zidane in 2002 to Van Basten in 1988, the great volleys are the goals fans remember longest. For more explainers, visit our sports news section and the free live scores page.