Lamine Yamal pulls off a flip-flap rabona

Lamine Yamal combined a flip-flap and a rabona to produce a new dribble, an improvised move that stood out in the second half against Galatasaray. The action, near the byline, ended with a cutback to Gordon. It was described as unprecedented: more than a simple rabona, the move brings two techniques together in one sequence.

Speaking to Titi Henry on CBS Sports, Yamal explained that the feint is meant to mislead an opponent about which side he will go past them on using the outside of his foot. A quick movement of the ankle then helps him create separation from his marker.

The move also depends on coordinating body and ball: a lateral movement of the body accompanies the touch with the outside of the foot, changing the ball’s path. That combination gives the dribble its distinctive quality and helps Yamal wrong-foot his opponent.