Objective To conduct a simulation study of the kicking process using the finite element method and investigate the effects of shoe upper stiffness on foot force and ball motion. Methods Solid models of bones, soft tissues, football shoes, and balls were established, and the kinematic parameters of the dorsal medial foot during ball striking were tested using an infrared high-speed motion capture system. The foot velocity and positional relationship between the foot and ball were loaded into the finite element model to complete the striking simulation. Results Different shoe upper stiffness affected the rotational speed of the ball, but had no significant effect on its translational speed. As the shoe upper stiffness increased, the pressure on the foot instep gradually increased and stabilized, with a maximum pressure difference of 200 N. The 1st and 5th metatarsal stress increased by 40.07% and 16.2%, respectively, and the 3rd and 4th metatarsal stress decreased by 22.96% and 4.64%, respectively. Conclusions Different shoe upper stiffness have a significant impact on the motion state of the ball. Compared to shoe materials with higher upper stiffness, shoe materials with lower upper stiffness effectively reduced pressure on the foot instep and helped to reduce the impact on bone stress, thus reducing the injury risks that may result from long-term wear.