Head the Ball is a free arcade game you can play right here in your browser. The core of it is football & soccer. You can jump in for two minutes or lose an hour to it; either works.
About Head the Ball
Head The Ball is a new way for soccer players to head the ball. By using your head, you can create an impact that is difficult for your opponent to miss. With your head, you can create an impact that is difficult for your opponent to miss. Your opponent will be forced to defend against the ball if it falls off your hand. You can also use this ability to create space on the pitch for your teammates.
How to play Head the Ball
You can work the whole thing out by playing it. On desktop the arrow keys / WASD do the moving; the full mapping is in the table below. Portrait layout: hold the phone the way you normally do, or play it centred in the page on desktop. There is no penalty for failing, so push a little harder than feels safe.
Controls
| Input | Action |
|---|---|
| Arrow keys / WASD | Move your player |
| Spacebar | Shoot or pass |
On mobile: Tap and swipe directly on the screen. The game is built for portrait, so you can play one-handed without rotating your phone.
Why it is worth playing
The appeal here is the loop: a short round, a clear result, and an obvious idea about what to do differently next time. A browser game does not need to be more than that.
At a glance
- Free to play with no account required
- Runs in the browser — nothing to download or install
- Portrait layout, comfortable one-handed on mobile
- Keyboard and mouse on desktop, full touch support on mobile.
- Football & Soccer gameplay — The beautiful game, in your browser
- Added to our catalogue from a 2022 release
Frequently asked questions
Is Head the Ball free to play?
Yes, entirely free. Head the Ball costs nothing to play, asks for no card and has no paid tier hiding behind it.
Do I need to download or install anything?
No download, no installer, no plugin. Head the Ball is HTML5, so the browser plays it directly.
Can I play Head the Ball on my phone?
Yes. Tap and swipe directly on the screen. The game is built for portrait, so you can play one-handed without rotating your phone.
What are the controls for Head the Ball?
Keyboard and mouse on desktop, full touch support on mobile. Arrow keys / WASD — move your player; Spacebar — shoot or pass.
Can I play Head the Ball fullscreen?
Yes. Use the fullscreen button in the top-right of the game player to expand it to the whole screen, and press Escape to come back out.
What kind of game is Head the Ball?
Head the Ball is a arcade game built around football & soccer. If that is the sort of thing you enjoy, the related games further down the page are picked using the same tags.
