Akka, elastico or flip flap: what is the difference?
The elastico and flip flap are two names for the outside-to-inside move closely associated with Ronaldinho. You push the ball one way with the outside of your foot, then bring it back with the inside of the same foot. In Pannahouse’s street football teaching, that is the Basic Akka.
Akka is also the name for a wider family of skills. The Basic Akka stays on the ground; other akkas lift the ball and redirect it in the air. So the elastico is an akka, but an akka does not always look like Ronaldinho’s familiar flip flap.
The appeal is in the deception. Your first movement makes the defender believe you are going one way. The change of direction lets you take the ball somewhere else. If that opening is between their legs, the akka can become a panna.
How to do the elastico: start with the Basic Akka
Put the ball in front of you, within comfortable reach. Use the outside of your foot to push it out to the side. Keep your foot travelling with the ball, gliding around to its far side so the inside of that same foot can bring it back across you.
Take your time finding that change of contact. If the first touch sends the ball too far away, make it smaller. Your foot needs to stay close enough to reach the other side without chasing the ball.
As the movement becomes familiar, connect the two directions more smoothly. Then try the reverse, moving from the inside to the outside of your foot. Practise on both sides so you can feel which parts still need work.
Your body has to tell the same story
The movement of your body matters as much as the touch. Let your body follow the first direction so it looks as though you really intend to go that way. Then bring the ball back and move with it. Practise that change of weight alongside the footwork, rather than trying to copy only the speed of Ronaldinho’s move.
Once you can control the movement, try it against a partner. Give them a chance to follow your first touch and notice how they react. If they stay still, work on making the first direction more convincing rather than simply doing everything faster.
The aim is to move the defender and keep the ball. If an opening appears between their legs, you can use it. If there is room beside them, take that route instead.
From the flip flap to air akkas
The Basic Akka is only a beginning. Air Akkas take the change of direction off the ground, and variations such as the Issy Akka introduce a different setup and way of sending the ball around an opponent. You do not have to learn them all at once.
Spend time making one version feel natural, then explore what catches your eye. Try a different angle, connect the move to another touch or see how it feels in a game. That room to experiment is a big part of street football.
Learn the movement, then make it yours
The Street Football Starter Pack in Pannahouse Academy includes a Basic Akkas lesson, and the entire pack is free to access. Use the demonstrations to understand the movement, then take your ball and try it for yourself.
When you want something new, the trick library lets you explore more akkas, including the Issy Akka shown here. Come back to the details when a move gets stuck, and give yourself time to turn an unfamiliar touch into something you can use.
Want to use your skills against a defender? Learn how to create an opening for a nutmeg.