The trivela, an elegant technique that allows footballers to curl the ball with the outside of their foot, has become one of the most visually stunning skills in the beautiful game. This unique striking method creates a mesmerizing trajectory that can deceive goalkeepers and defenders alike, often leading to spectacular goals and precise crosses that seem to defy physics.
The Origins of the Trivela
While many modern football fans associate the trivela with Portuguese maestro Ricardo Quaresma, the technique’s origins stretch back much further. The term “trivela” itself comes from Portuguese football vocabulary, but the skill was not formally invented by any single player. Rather, it evolved organically through the creative expression that characterizes South American and Southern European football.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Brazilian and Uruguayan players were already experimenting with outside-of-the-foot techniques, though they weren’t yet known by the name “trivela.” Football historians often point to players like Didi and Garrincha who utilized similar techniques, although their versions were less refined than what we see today.
Quaresma: The Modern Master
Ricardo Quaresma didn’t invent the trivela, but he certainly perfected and popularized it to the extent that many now consider the technique his signature move. Beginning in the early 2000s, Quaresma demonstrated such consistency and precision with the outside of his foot that commentators began referring to his trivelas as “trivelaços” – essentially meaning “great trivelas.”
What made Quaresma’s execution so special was his ability to use the technique not as a trick or showboating gesture, but as his primary method for crossing and shooting. While most players resort to using the outside of their foot only in specific situations, Quaresma often preferred it over conventional techniques.
The Technical Execution
Performing a trivela requires exceptional technical skill. The player strikes the ball with the outside of the foot, typically with the area around the little toe. This contact creates a spin that curves the ball in the opposite direction to what would happen with an inside-foot strike.
The beauty of the trivela lies in its counter-intuitive nature. When a right-footed player uses the outside of their foot, the ball curves to the right – the opposite of what would happen with an inside-foot curler. This unexpected trajectory often catches goalkeepers and defenders off-guard.
Modern Practitioners
By 2025, the trivela has become a more common sight in professional football, with players like Luka Modrić, João Cancelo, and Trent Alexander-Arnold demonstrating remarkable proficiency with the technique. The emergence of social media has also helped popularize the skill, with young players around the world practicing their own versions after watching their heroes execute perfect trivelas.
The trivela represents the artistic side of football – a technique that combines functionality with beauty. While it wasn’t invented by any single person, its evolution through generations of creative footballers shows how the sport continues to develop in unexpected and marvelous ways. From South American streets to the World Cup stage, the trivela remains one of football’s most captivating techniques.
