At first glance, this trend might look like just another sports tutorial. A creator stands next to a soccer ball (or an imaginary one), promises to demonstrate the proper technique and gets ready to take a shot.

Then, instead of kicking the ball, they suddenly spin around and start dancing, catching viewers off guard in a thirst trap prank.

Known as the "Kick A Ball Trend" or "How To Kick A Soccer Ball" trend, the viral prank combines bait-and-switch humor with twerk and thirst trap content.

Since November 2025, the format has spread rapidly across TikTok and Instagram Reels before becoming an international social media trend. But where did it start, and why has it become so prevalent online even months later? Let's explain.

@izzil888

lol this has been on my fyp too many times not to do it

♬ Leave Em Alone – Quality Control & Layton Greene & Lil Baby

Where Does The 'Kick A Ball' Trend Come From?

The trend first appeared on TikTok sometime in late November 2025, with the earliest known example stemming from a Nepali American TikToker by the name of only3ms.

On November 24th, TikTok user only3ms uploaded the video under the caption, "how to kick a soccer ball properly," presenting the video as a genuine tutorial before abruptly abandoning the lesson to strut toward the camera instead.

@only3ms how to kick your ball #soccer #viral #tutorials ♬ back flip. – Nerd1k

Other creators quickly adopted the format over the following days, often adding their own dance moves.

One of the earliest variations came on November 29th, when TikToker kayy_millzz incorporated twerking into the fake-out, establishing the version that would become most closely associated with the trend.

@kayy_millzz #trend ♬ Leave Em Alone – Quality Control & Layton Greene & Lil Baby

How Is The 'How To Kick A Soccer Ball' Trend Used?

Most videos begin by convincing viewers they are about to watch an instructional soccer (or football) video. Just before making contact with the ball, however, the creator intentionally misses the kick, spins around and performs a dance or twerking routine instead.

@jamesdnpng It’s all in the release. Plant your feet. #howto #zesty ♬ Leave Em Alone – Quality Control & Layton Greene & Lil Baby

The trend spread rapidly throughout late 2025 and into 2026 as creators across TikTok and Instagram posted their own takes, with some leaning into the thirst trap aspect while others exaggerated the bait-and-switch for comedic effect.

A handful of users also subverted expectations by actually demonstrating how to kick a soccer ball correctly after setting up the prank.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @madtekkerz

As participation increased, the format spread internationally, with creators from numerous countries recreating the joke.

For instance, on December 15th, 2025, Korean Instagram user and content creator joyyourtype shared a video participating in the trend, humorously playing into the twerking and dancing element that had already proliferated in the trend by then.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joy🪄 (@joyyourtype)

By mid-2026, the trend had become a familiar sight on short-form video platforms, where new variations continued appearing alongside captions claiming to offer legitimate soccer advice before delivering the now-expected punchline instead.

@your1weaknesss

♬ original sound – Ron♦️🎌

What Are Some More Examples Of The 'How To Kick A Ball' Trend?

@chofff330

♬ original sound – Ron♦️🎌

@urfavfivehead

so was this a good tutorial🙂‍↔️

♬ Leave Em Alone (教学版) – 阿娇同学

@hellcatqueenz

♬ original sound – Ron♦️🎌

@joycezsecret1

♬ original sound – Ron♦️🎌

@wendychavezz #trending #fyp ♬ Leave Em Alone – Quality Control & Layton Greene & Lil Baby

@lyssamree444

♬ original sound – Ron♦️🎌

---

For the full history of the How To Kick A Ball Trend, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for even more information.