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Soccer drills

  • Make a square of 20 by 20 meters.
  • Have half of your players (A) with ball scattered on the outside of the square.
  • Have the other half of your players (B) stand in the middle of the square, without ball.

Execution:

  • Players B move around the middle area and by calling ask for the ball a players A.
  • Player A plays the ball to player B, who does the desired action and passes it back to player A.
  • Player A must always stand on his toes to make the pass.
  • Player B must accelerate slightly when asking for the ball (to outrun a defender in a normal game).
  • The tempo is medium to high so you have to switch within 45 seconds and 60 seconds, B to outside, A to inside. You can switch multiple times and have the players make different actions.

quality:

  • Each pass should be high quality and accurate.
  • Players in the middle must speed up their pace when they get into the ball.
  • Players on the side are always on their toes.
  • As the difficulty increases, the quality must remain high.
  • All balls must stay in the square.
  • Don't forget to encourage successes!

Progress

  • Build up skills, e.g. 1st time for each group hit 2 times
  • Then 1 only hit once
  • Then hit only once and play back to another outfield player
  • Add a passive defender, the players inside must accelerate to shake off the defender.
  • You carry out this warming-up in two lines, for example from one side to the other side of the field or around it.

Execution:

  • Players walk at a jogging pace and a few feet away from the player in front of them.
  • The coach or a player is leading this warm-up by calling out instructions.
  • Example: Walk from sideline to sideline, the captain leads the warming-up.
  • He/she shouts e.g. jump, left or right hand on the ground. Another possibility is that the captain calls out “back to feed†and at “go†the two back players sprint forward.

Quality:

  • It is a joint, team warm-up. All players keep the same pace.

Progression:

  • Back to front, the back players run forward
  • Front to back, the front players sprint forward five meters, then walk backwards and join the back of the line.
  • Have the players run five metres apart. The back player sprints forward slalomming through the other players, or the front player turns around and sprints backwards slalomming.
  • Use this as a conditioning exercise towards the end of a football training session, you can do it for up to 10 minutes.
  • You can add all kinds of movements to this exercise. Experiment!
  • Make three lines with four to five players each.
  • With pawns, make a start and end point at a distance of 10 to 15 metres from each other.

Execution:

  • Have your captain lead this exercise.
  • Players walk as a group, in lines of three, from the start to the end. At the end they turn around and form the same line again.

Quality:

  • This exercise should be sharp and fast paced.
  • Variety of activities can be done: knee up, heels buttocks, short sprints, running backwards, etc.

Progression:

  • Increase speed/sharpness as players get warmed up

For this soccer practice, each 2 players are given one ball. They stand about five meters away from each other.

Execution:

  • The players do each of the following exercises 10 times with each foot
  • Hitting once
  • Hit twice (accept and pass again)
  • Volley in the feet or on the chest of the team-mate
  • With the instep back to the hands or feet
  • Thigh, then volley, 10 each leg.
  • Chest, then volley, 10 total.

Quality:

  • Players stand on their front feet each time during the drill
  • All passes must be completed as accurately as possible

The players line up in a circle, ideally 6 to 8 players per circle. Per circle you have only one ball.

Execution:

One player passes the ball to another player, runs after the ball towards the player he plays in â€" the second player receives the ball and plays it again to another player from the circle, he too runs after the ball again towards the player he just played in. This keeps repeating itself.

Quality:

  • Passes must be clear and accurate.
  • The passes are played over the ground, keep the ball low!
  • Just after the pass, the players accelerate (short sprint)
  • The players call out the name of the player they want to play in
  • All players are constantly on their toes, not flat footed, this is to improve handling speed.

Progression:

  • You can make the game more difficult by applying one hit
  • You can play with two balls
  • Split your team into three teams of four
  • 1 ball per team

Implementation:

  • Players play the ball around within their team of four in the marked area

Quality:

  • Players keep moving constantly, with many tempo changes to find space.
  • Each team must try to maintain a diamond shape
  • Players should all communicate with teammates, asking for the ball and calling out the name of the player by the person passing the ball
  • Passes should arrive well, in space or at the feet.
  • Players may not touch each other, nor may the balls touch each other.
  • This drill requires great attentiveness from the players.

Progression:

  • Limit the number of touches to one or two.
  • Add a passive defender who can defend every ball.
  • Add a defender who may conquer the ball.

For this fun and interactive football warming up you let the players make a circle around you, about 15 metres away from you. You stand in the middle of the circle.

Execution:

  • The starting point of the players is their spot in the circle, they stay “jogging†on their spot.
  • Call: “Inside†and all players sprint towards you up to a meter or two away from you. Then they turn around and quickly sprint back to their spot keeping moving.
  • Call out “outside†and all players sprint away from you until you call out “backâ€, then everyone returns to their starting position in the circle.

Quality:

  • Make sure players are not standing on their flat feet, but always on their toes.
  • Players should sweat profusely after this drill.

Progression:

  • You can add different variations: sit-ups, push-ups, jump up, knees up at base position, sprint to the right or left while maintaining the circle shape.
  • Make groups of 2 for this passing warm-up, with 1 ball per group of 2.
  • The players with the ball line up on the sideline. The other players stand opposite, about 6 meters from the player with ball.

Execution:

  • Player A dribbles forward, while player B jogs backwards across the field.
  • As the players jog across the field, player A passes the ball to B, who passes it back to A, until they reach the opposite sideline.
  • The roles reverse when the players reach the other side of the field. Player A then runs backwards to the line where they started.

Quality:

  • Have passes alternate from right foot to left foot.
  • Players should try to hit the ball once, only if it is really necessary can they hit it twice.
  • Focus on quality over speed, it's not a race.
  • Don't forget to encourage successes!

Progress:

  • Play the ball on the thigh, bring the ball under control and volley back to partner.
  • Play the ball on the chest, bring the ball under control and volley back to partner.
  • Play the ball on the head, head the ball back to partner.
  • For this warm up, set out an area of 30 by 40 yards.
  • Give each player a number.

Execution:

Players pass in numerical order: # 1 to # 2 to # 3 etc. as they move through the plotted area.

Quality:

  • Use 2-3 balls to increase speed and awareness.
  • Make sure players are moving through the entire area and not just staying close to the players they are supposed to pass to.
  • Players should all ask for the ball when it is their turn and call out the name of the player they are going to play in themselves.

Advancement:

  • Have players perform special actions when making a pass, for example:
  • Play the ball in the run. The receiving player must accelerate.
  • The odd numbers may only hit once, the even numbers 2 times. Alternate this.
  • 6 players with the ball try to dribble to the opposite side without the defender(s) stealing the ball
  • If the defender captures the ball and has the ball under control(ball under foot) or if the trio shoots the ballthey get 1 point
  • when the defender scores 3 points, another defender comes on


size: depending on age and skill

  • length: 20 metres
  • width: 10-15 metresalways play this form in a rectangle
  • player 1 starts with the ball and has to play the first ball to player 2 and then play 2 against 1
  • pair can score on goal with goalkeeper
  • defender + goalkeeper can score by dribbling the ball over the linedribble
  • when the ball is out dribble in (defender) or pass in (pair)
  • at a back ball / corner kick / goal restart
  • set out the organisation 2 times and change after 3-4 minutes.


size: depending on age and skill

  • length: 20 meter
  • Width: 10 meter


Number of players

  • 10 players (set out organisation 2x)


Equipment:

  • 8 balls
  • 4 cones
  • 8 caps (4 by 4)
  • 2 goals (5 by 2 meters)
  • if the trio has passed the ball around 10 times it scores 1 point
  • if the defender conquers the ball and has it under control(ball under foot) or if the trio shoots the ballthey get 1 point
  • if the defender scores 3 points, another defender joins the game


size: depending on age and skill

  • length: 10-12 metres
  • width: 7-10 meter


always play this form in a rectangle