How it works
The move can beat a defender who stands with a wide base or shifts weight at the wrong moment. It appears in dribbling, passing, and sometimes shooting.
What people often miss
A ball passing between the legs is not always a successful nutmeg if possession is lost. The term describes skill and outcome, not an official rule or statistic.
Why this question comes up
The move draws strong crowd reactions because it makes a one-on-one victory especially visible.
Key points
- A nutmeg is a move in which a player sends the ball between an opponent's legs and regains it or finds a teammate on the other side.
- The move can beat a defender who stands with a wide base or shifts weight at the wrong moment. It appears in dribbling, passing, and sometimes shooting.
- A ball passing between the legs is not always a successful nutmeg if possession is lost. The term describes skill and outcome, not an official rule or statistic.
Bottom line
A nutmeg is a move in which a player sends the ball between an opponent's legs and regains it or finds a teammate on the other side.
Source and verification
This Answer was checked against FIFA Training Centre. Follow the source for the full official explanation and any later updates.