Soccer Drills and Moves

“Soccer Drills & Soccer Moves” _______________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________ © SoccerDrillsTips.com www.SoccerDrillsTips.com

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

Copyright 2008 by Andre Botelho - www.SoccerDrillsTips.com

All rights reserved. This document may not be copied in part or full

without express written permission from the publisher.

All violations will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.



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Table of Contents

Introduction _______________________________________ 3

How to kick a soccer ball _____________________________ 7

Soccer juggling (how to juggle a soccer ball) ______________ 9

How to bounce, bend and curve a soccer ball _____________ 12

How to pass a soccer ball _____________________________ 13

Soccer warm up drills ________________________________ 14

Ball control drills ____________________________________ 20

Foot speed and quickness drills ________________________ 22

Soccer dribbling drills ________________________________ 25

1v1 soccer drills ____________________________________ 30

Heading drills ______________________________________ 33

Shielding drills _____________________________________ 36

Soccer moves with 40 video clips _______________________ 39

Passing and receiving soccer drills ______________________ 60

Speed and running drills ______________________________ 62

How to improve acceleration __________________________ 63

Shooting and finishing soccer drills _____________________ 65

Penalty kick drills ___________________________________ 70

Bicycle kick drills ____________________________________ 73

Free kick drills ______________________________________ 75

Corner Kick drills ____________________________________ 77

Crossing soccer drills ________________________________ 79

Defensive soccer drills _______________________________ 83

Soccer slide tackle drills ______________________________ 84

Aggressiveness soccer drills ___________________________ 87

Soccer goalie drills __________________________________ 90

Indoor soccer drills __________________________________ 95

Glossary __________________________________________ 97



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Introduction

Soccer, otherwise known as football, is the most popular game

in the world. While it is not as recognized in the United States and

Canada as it is in South America and Europe, the popularity of it is

growing.

Whether you are a seasoned soccer player or just learning how

to play the game, it is always in your best interest to keep up with

teaching techniques, drills, moves, and tricks so that your game will

be top notch.

You also want to have fun while you are training or playing the

game, right? Of course you do. Are you a coach who has trouble

motivating your players? Are you a parent who sees your child is not

getting the full benefit of the training? Of maybe you are a player,

learning yet frustrated and bored at your training sessions.

This can be the worst of all, because if you are bored, you may

give up. You may turn your back on a game that you love and in

which you could be a star.

Why am I telling you this? How do I know about motivation

and boredom in training? I have been there. When I first began to

play soccer, I had a tough time fitting in with the other kids who had

already formed their own elite groups amongst themselves.



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On top of this, the coaches had no idea how to motivate us and

make learning fun. I wanted to play with the ball, not run boring

drills the entire training session. It was agonizing. So much so, that

I took it upon myself to train every day and teach myself everything

I needed to know about soccer.

I went from being the unknown kid in our soccer community to

being the best on the street. Soon everyone was asking me to play

on their teams.

I went on to have a successful professional soccer career. I

have played on numerous professional teams and I have been the

captain of every one of those teams. I have enjoyed playing the

game of soccer for 15 years with the Portuguese Soccer Federation.

Now I want to pass on all I have learned to future generations

of coaches, soccer parents, and players. I want you to know that

learning how to play soccer well is something that can be fun and

rewarding if it is done the proper way.

That is what this book is about. Giving coaches the tools they

need to make training fun and effective (these are not mutually

exclusive) and showing players that they can learn to master things

in a fun and exciting way.



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For this reason, many of the “drills” in this book will seem more

like games, and they are. Players will have a lot more fun putting

their learning into practice from the beginning than standing around

doing boring drills.

Another thing you will notice with these drills is that none of

them involve any sort of punishment/reward system (such as sit-ups

or push-ups) for those who come in last.

This type of training technique serves only to embarrass

players and help them to feel poorly about themselves and it has

them trying to get it right for the wrong reasons.

One last thing that needs to be said is that neither I, Andre

Botelho, nor “SoccerDrillsTips.com” are responsible for any injury or

other physical harm resulting from the implementation or use of any

of the drills, moves, or tricks that are described in this book.

It is assumed that if you are taking it upon yourself to use

these techniques for yourself or for you team, that you or they have

the proper physical conditioning to do so.

We also do not guarantee that you will become a professional

level soccer player or coach just by looking at this book and doing

nothing. We are not responsible for your actions. Results are based

on the individual.



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Take action and DO IT!

Now that this has been said, please read, enjoy, and go out

there and have FUN!

Andre Botelho, President

www.SoccerDrillsTips.com



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How to kick a soccer ball

The first thing to know about kicking a soccer ball is what not

to do. Do not kick a soccer ball with your toes, unless you are poking

the ball to steel it from an opponent.

There is not enough surface area on the toes to be able to aim

the ball properly.

When kicking the ball the most powerful place to strike the ball

with is the instep of your foot (the place where the shoelaces are).

You will use this kicking technique most often.

• Your supporting foot should be in line with the ball and the leg

should be slightly bent.

• Once you strike the ball, follow through with a sweeping

motion.

The inside of the foot is also used to kick the ball.

• The supporting foot should be pointed at the target and in line

with the ball.

• Swing your kicking foot through the ball using a sweeping

motion.

• The ball should move smoothly along the ground.



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A more advanced kick is achieved by using the outside of the foot:

• The supporting foot should be angled at about 15º from the

target.

• You need to be sure your foot is firmly locked before striking

the ball.



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Soccer juggling (how to juggle a soccer ball)

Learning how to juggle a soccer ball can be very frustrating,

especially for new players.

It takes time and can seem to be unlearned between practices.

Be patient with yourself and others when learning this technique.

Points to remember when juggling:

• You should use the instep of the foot and the fleshy part of the

thigh.

• Never use the knee itself, as it is too hard and can send the

ball flying.

• Start with a dispensable and slightly under-inflated ball.

• Practice on pavement when beginning.

• At first just hold the ball in front of you and let it fall to the

ground.

• After it bounces, touch the ball once with your foot, catching it

in your hands again for bounce-touch-catch.

• Once you get the hang of this, you can start to vary it by

adding an extra bounce and touch for bounce-touch.

You can keep developing this drill by adding more bounces and

foot touches.



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When you are ready:

• Try just dropping the ball directly on your foot and then

catching it.

• Try this and touch it with your foot, then let it bounce, touch it

again, and catch it.

• Mix it up by using different variations on this bounce-foot-catch

idea.

Once you feel comfortable with this, the next step is to bounce

the ball, then touch with the foot twice in a row and then catch it.

This is very difficult to transition to and it is the beginning of true

juggling.

You can play with this for a while, adding bounces followed by

two touches and see how long you can keep it going. You can even

have a friendly competition with another person to see who can keep

their ball going the longest.

When you feel you have mastered this, then try adding a third

touch. Again, this is a very big transition. You can go back and forth

between two touches and three touches, mastering control of the

ball.

When you feel you are ready, you can drop the ball directly

onto your foot and begin juggling. Go for two first, then three, and

keep increasing it as you feel comfortable.



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Juggling is tedious to learn, but you can shake it up by playing

a game called “juggle-horse”. With two or more people, you can

each take a turn giving a move to another person, who must perform

the move or get a letter.

Remember to practice each exercise with both feet, first one

side then the other. It is also important to know that if you need to

go back and work on one-touch exercises after trying the two-touch

exercises, that is fine.



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How to bounce, bend and curve a soccer ball

Bending and curving a soccer ball are incredible soccer

techniques because they allow you to get the ball around defenders

in order to maintain possession and take shots on goal that are

concealed from the goalkeeper.

It is also useful for corner kicks and crosses into the box.

When bending the ball, you will either use the inside or outside

of the foot, depending on which foot you are kicking with and which

direction in which you want the ball to go.

If you are using your right foot, then to bend the ball to the left

you want to use the inside of your foot to make contact with the right

side of the ball. You can swivel slightly on your support foot to get a

better kick.

If you want to curve the ball to the right, then you need to

bring the outside of your foot in contact with the left side of the ball.



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How to pass a soccer ball

Passing is crucial to keeping possession of the ball during a

game. While any kick that ends with the ball in the possession of a

team-mate is passing, there are proper techniques to use to pass

effectively and accurately.

Short passes are most effectively executed by using the inside

of the foot because of the large surface available for accurately

aiming the ball.

If you are passing long, then the instep is the most effective

kick to use. If you need to pass behind, your heel is the used.

Passing involves communication between the passer and the

receiver. For more information on passing, refer to the section

“Passing and Receiving”.



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Soccer warm up drills

When asking a team to warm up on their own they will often do

so with no real sense of purpose. Instead of having them aimlessly

pass the ball back and forth up and down the field, use some specific

warm up drills to get them focussed. What follows are some drills

that you can use for an effective warm up session.

Warm-up 1: Boxes Warm-up



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Divide your team into 3 groups of 6; 6 blue, 6 red, and 6 yellow.

• Take a 50 by 35 yard area and divide it into 6 boxes of

different dimensions.

• The basic drill has one player of each color in each of the

boxes.

• The players will pass back and forth to each other at your

direction. For example, you can call for blue to pass to red to

pass to yellow or blue to red to yellow to red to blue.

• Mix it up. Variations can include rotating he players between

boxes or having all 3 players in a box be of the same color.

This exercise is great for getting the players thinking about

space and what the other players are doing around them.

Players off the ball must adapt to support according to what

they know the moves will be. They also need to be conscious of

communication, vision, and passing for possession technique.

Warm-up 2

This is a warm-up drill for 8-16 players and 9 balls. The balls

are in the center of the field and the players are distributed equally

around the corners of the playing area, which is a 25x25 grid.



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• The drill begins when the first person in each line runs to the

middle to get a ball.

• They dribble their balls back to the corner and then the second

person runs out to get a ball.

• From this point on, players may take a ball from the center or

from one of the corners.

• Shielding of the ball is not allowed.

• The drill or game is over when one of the teams have 3 balls in

their corner.

A lot of communication goes on during this game as the

players who are not running are telling the person who is running

where the best place is to get the ball.

You can shake it up by placing restrictions on the players.

These restrictions could include using their right foot only, using the

inside of their foot only, or any other variation you can think of.

Warm-up 3

This is a warm-up drill that does not use balls. It may be a

good one to use first, just to get the players moving then the balls

can be used in later warm-ups.



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• Have the players jog in a finite area of the field.

• Every so often, the coach will call out some instruction to be

followed such as visual Simon Says, making a human pyramid,

or calling out a type of clothing such as shorts and having the

players find others with the same color of that clothing on.

• The players need to do what the coach asks.

Warm-up 4: Circle Drills

There are an endless number of variations you can use while

having the players jog in a circle. Some examples include a variation

on monkey-in-the-middle and pass and follow.

You can also have two circles, one inside the other going in

opposite directions, and have the players do a number of passing

drills and throw-ins or heading.

Warm-up 5: Three-Player Drills

Have your players separate into groups of three and rotate

through the following exercises:



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a. The players form a triangle and then as each player passes

the ball he runs between the other two players.

b. In a smaller triangle, one player passes the ball across the

body of the next player encouraging him to open his body up

as he uses his outside foot to receive.

c. Two players alternate throwing balls to the side of the third

player who volleys the balls back. The balls start out low and

increase in height and the player receiving the balls should be

constantly moving.

Warm-up 6: German tunnel

• Have players separate into groups of 5 or 6.

• All the players except one make a tunnel by laying side-by-side

and then putting their butts in the air.

• The single player rolls the ball through the tunnel and then

runs to the other end, picks up the ball, rolls it back through,

and then joins the end of the tunnel.

• The player at the other end of the tunnel repeats this and so

on, causing the tunnel to slowly move down the field.

You can have it be a race between groups to see which tunnel

can travel a certain distance the fastest.



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Warm-up 7: Tag

The players may move freely within and limited area and two

players are “it” (they can hold pinnies).

Players who are “it” are only allowed to tag players who do not

have a ball so you need to have a minimum of two balls in play and

fewer balls than there are players.



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Ball control drills

Drill

• Using pylons, mark off an area that is 20 m by 30 m.

• Divide your players into two teams , A and B.

• If team A begins with the ball their aim is to play the ball right

up to the feet of one of their corner players (A4 or A5) and

make a pass.

• That player would then take the place of the player he just

passed to.

• The B team tries to take possession and if they do they play

the ball to the feet of one of their corner players (B4 or B5).

• If the ball goes out of bounds it is passed back in by the team

that would normally get the advantage of the throw-in.



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In this drill players focus on opening up to receive the ball, on

possession, and space. They need to be particularly aware that the

first touch is the most important and that they need to get the ball

away from the attackers so they can play the ball.



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Foot speed and quickness drills

ZigZag Speedwork

• Set up a series of five to seven cones, flags,

or other objects as markers in a zigzag and

mark the beginning and end of the course

with two pylons at each end.

• There should be five yards between the

beginning of the course and the first zigzag

marker, between each of the zigzag

markers, and between the final zigzag

marker and the end of the course.

• Have two players run the course together.

• When they start, they sprint to the each

marker and they must touch beside the

marker with their near foot (the left foot for

P1 and the right foot for P2).

You can change the angle of the turn the players make by

widening out the markers, so you can have them practice turning at

more acute angles.

The ability of a player to change directions quickly is

fundamental to the game of soccer and this will help them learn to

adjust their stride to compensate for foot placement and turning. In

this drill, they need to see every marker as a ball.



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Footwork with Sticks

One very simple yet effective tool for improving footwork is

sticks. Whether you purchase some, use kindling, or use fallen twigs

(make sure they are straight) you can create a great training course

with them.

Have sticks that are 4-5 feet long and 1x1 inch and lay them

down so they look like the rungs of a ladder. You can then have the

players do running, hopping, and ball work.

Running – running drills can includes stepping once or twice

between each stick, shuffling sideways between them (they can

change direction at each turn), or running between the sticks

lengthwise.

Hopping – players can hop on one foot or two feet, they can

hop forward and backward, they can hop sideways, they can

alternate feet.

Ball Practice – dribbling around the sticks, passing the ball

through and sprinting after it, shuffling between the sticks and

pushing the ball from the end of one stick to the next stick (position

balls at both ends of each stick for this one), passing exercise

through the channels between the sticks.



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Goalkeeper Practice – goalkeepers can practice catching and

saving balls while shuffling through channels or sprinting through

them The possibilities are endless. You can use your imagination to

come up with an infinite supply of drills and activities that will

improve the player’s speed and precision with their footwork.

Set up two courses and have them race. Ask the players to

come up with training ideas. Have fun with it!



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Soccer dribbling drills

Flag Dribbling

One of the most common drills for improving dribbling and

speed of footwork is dribbling the ball around objects.

The key is to use something that sticks up out of the ground so

that the players are not doing head-down dribbling, but can keep

their heads up so they can see where they are going.

Flags are ideal for this because they stick up but can be put in

the ground so they will not fall over the way pylons can.

Place six to ten flags in a straight line, two to three yards apart

and have the players dribble around the flags.

This drill is ideal because you can use so many variations the

players can really improve their footwork skills.



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Some examples are:

• Free dribbling

• Inside foot cut – when to the right of the flag use the right foot

and vice versa

• Outside foot cut – the player moves well outside the ball and

drags it between the pair and then the other foot drags it

between the next pair.

• Using right or left foot only

Encourage the players to move as quickly as they can and keep

their heads up.

Also, promote loose hips and bent knees. The possibilities are

endless, so use your imagination and come up with your own ideas.

Dribbling Set-up

Have a line up with a maximum of four players, each with a

ball, facing another line up of players.

Have the first player in each line up dribble the ball forward the

opposite line up, then at the last moment, right before collision with

the other players the player performs the move indicated by the

coach. Example of this could be:



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• Make an outside cut with right foot then move to the right .

• Make an inside chop with right foot then move to the left .

• Pass with the right (left) foot down the right (left) side, receive

a pass from opposite line, and then pass it back to the next

player in opposite line.

• Opposing players run at each other without the ball, turn and

receive pass from their original line, turn in the direction

indicated by the coach and pass to a second player while the

next player is running to the center.

• Any of these moves can be altered to account for age level and

ability.

Follow the Leader

This is a great game for 2 to 10 players.

• Each player has a ball and one player is selected to be the

leader.

• The other players must mimic the leader, wherever he goes or

whatever he does. Whether he changes speed or direction or

performs certain moves, the others must do the same.

• Give each player the opportunity to be the leader for two

minutes. You can make it into a game by awarding points to

the leader every time he gets 5 yards or more away from the

other players.



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Tag

This game takes place in an area of up to 18 yards.

• Pair the players up and give each of them a ball. One player is

“it”.

• The players begin the game 2 yards away from each other.

• The “it” player tries to tag the other player.

• Each player must always be within 2 yards of his ball and the

“it” player’s ball must be within one yard of him to tag the

other player.

• Have the players switch roles once a player has been tagged.

This game and the previous game of Follow the Leader are

both ideal for getting the players focused on changing speed and

direction.

They will gain an understanding of how this works in a setting

in which they are not being told what to do, but are simply following

the direction of the game.

Stop the Dribbler

This drill is excellent for speed dribbling and keeping the ball

under control. You will want to use a 40 yard field with a 5 yard

buffer zone at each end.



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• Have three players (defenders) at the back of the buffer zone.

They do not have balls.

• The remaining players (attackers) each have a ball and are

lined up along the end line, 5 yards in front of the three

defenders.

• When the coach says to go the attackers dribble their balls to

the opposite end of the field.

• The defenders try to stop the attackers by winning the ball,

either by playing the ball or sending it over the end line.

• The attackers must be able to keep possession and make three

touches on the ball in the opposite buffer zone in order to

advance to the next round.

• If a player loses the ball he becomes a defender in the next

round.

• The last player with a ball wins.

You can play this game again and again, giving each players

the opportunity to begin as a defender and an attacker. This game is

not only super for developing dribbling skills, it also works to develop

shielding, change of speed and direction, and it is great for fitness.



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1v1 soccer drills

Dribbling Drill

• Have your players pair up and give each pair a ball.

• The attacker has the ball and dribbles from one touch line to

the other at 50% speed.

• The defender practices defensive footwork while the attacker

practices their dribbling moves.

• The defender does not actually try to take the ball and the

attacker does not actually try to get past the defender.

• Once they get to the touch line they switch roles and go back.

Repeat this at 75% speed and then 100%.

The next step is to include a third player who acts as the

second defensive player.

This player starts out behind the

attacker and must move into position

behind the first defender by sprinting

around the attacker and first defender.



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Then the exercise carries on as before with D1 communicating

with D2 and covering. They can repeat this at the different speeds

with each player experiencing the different roles.

Then take the players up a notch and have the defenders

actively try to take the ball while the attacker actively tries to get the

ball past the defenders.

Perform this drill first with the touch lines and then with real

goals. Then the players are ready to take what they have learned

and implement it in a game setting.

1v1 Attacking

Although this drill is suitable for any number of players, here it

is assumed there are 16 players. You will set up 8 fields that are 10

yards wide and 15 yards long. There will be no goals.



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• Pair the players up and give them one ball.

• Have one player start on each end line.

• Player X passes the ball to player O.

• Player O dribbles the ball and tries to beat player X by reaching

the end line player X is defending and stopping the ball on the

line.

• If player X wins the ball, he then tries to score on player O.

• If the ball goes out of play, then whichever player it went off of

starts with the ball on their own end line. When a goal is

scored the players change directions and the person who

scored begins by passing the ball to the other player.

Each game lasts for 90 seconds at which time the winner

remains in the field they are in and the loser rotates to the next field

on the left. If they tie then they go until someone scores. This is the

winner.



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Heading drills

Heading Game

This game is a lot of fun.

• Have your players split into teams of five and give each team a

ball.

• Have four players form a line and have one player stand five

yards away from the player at the front of the line.

• Player 1 gently throws the ball to player 2 who heads the ball

back to player 1.

• Player 2 goes to the back of the line and player 1 heads the

ball to player 3 who heads it back to player 1 and goes to the

back of the line.



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Have the players see how long they can continue heading the

ball in a one- to two-minute period before it hits the ground. When

the ball does touch the ground, another player replaces player 1.

Make it a competition to see which team can head the ball for

the longest amount of time.

Bowling with Headers Game

Have your players divide into teams of five to seven players

and form a line of all but one of the players.

• This player, the server, moves about ten feet from the front of

the line and places three balls, one in each, of the “flat style”

training cones.

• The server takes a fourth ball and serves it gently to the first

person in line who heads the ball down in an attempt to knock

one or more of the three balls off the cones. It is very unlikely

that a player will hit more than one ball off in one try.

• Have them continue until all the balls have been knocked off

the cones and make it a competition between the teams to see

which team can knock all three balls off first.



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Animal Ball

This soccer game is great with anywhere between 8 and 18 players.

Create a field 30 yards wide and 44 yards long with a goal at each

end.

• With a player in each goal have the ball served onto the

playing field and have the teams try to gain possession of the

ball from the air.

• They then need to head the ball and try to score as quickly as

possible in either goal.

• The other team will try to take possession of the ball from the

air and if they do gain possession then they are trying to score

in either goal.

This game is great fun and you can make it such that if the ball

hits the ground, another is served in its place.

This game focuses on heading, but it also focuses on

communication, aggressiveness, winning balls in the air, possession

and defensiveness, and finishing.



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Shielding drills

When shielding, the two most important points to get across to

the players are that they need to keep their shoulder turned toward

their opponent and they need to use their far foot (the foot that is

the farthest from their opponent) to control the ball.

Their entire body needs to be between the ball and their

opponent. When teaching the shielding techniques, it is very simple

and effective to show them through example why certain positions do

or do not work.

The key is not to have them all sitting down watching you

demonstrate, but to have them paired up and doing it with you,

especially if you are working with children as they need to learn by

doing.

Demonstrate stance and proper arm positioning and have them

do it.

• They should look like they are sitting in a chair with their arms

held out from their bodies.

• As long as they do not push their opponents away this arm

positioning is legal.

• Have them be aggressive with each other and try to encroach

• on each other’s space.



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Now you can bring the ball into play and have the opponent try

to steal the ball. If you wish you can suspend the normal rules for a

while and can allow the opponent to push and pull the shielder to try

to gain possession of the ball.

This of course is not to become dangerous or to show them

how to break the rules, but to instil some aggressiveness in them by

thinking with a “the ball is mine” attitude.

This will progress to adding a support player to which the

shielder can pass. You can then add another attacker and defender

to the mix.

50/50 Drill

• Have the players pair up and give each pair a ball.

• With the partners standing shoulder-to-shoulder and the ball in

front of them, the player on the left will gently tap the ball with

the inside of his foot and then move for it.

• The player on the right steps across his partner and uses his

inside leg to block his partner from the ball.

• The player on the right can also drop his shoulder and get low

to move across on front of his partner and shield the ball,

taking it back to the starting point.

A variation on this is to have the ball a few feet in front of the

players and have them race to the ball. The first one there has to

control their speed and cut in front of their partner to keep them

from reaching the ball.



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Or the first person there can control the ball and turn it away.

This situation can have different scenarios. Be creative.

Hand Shielding

• Have the players pair up and give each pair a ball.

• Each pair is in a 5x5 yard box.

• One player (attacker) begins with possession of the ball and

has the ball on the outside of his right foot and his right hand

on the ball.

• The other player (defender) begins by the left foot of the

attacker.

• When the signal to start is given, the defender will try to win

the ball with his hands.

• The attacker must shield the ball by keeping his body between

the defender and the ball and must keep his hand in the ball at

all times.

• After 10 seconds they switch roles.

By beginning with hand on the ball, the attacker is forced to

stay low which is an ideal position for shielding. They do this drill

performing in each role four times each.

After this, repeat the drill allowing regular play so that hand

use is not allowed. The attacker works on shielding technique and

both players learn what it is like to have the type of contact they will

experience in a game situation.



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Soccer moves with 40 video clips

I. Warm-up Touches

1. “In-betweens with step-over 180º turn”

To see a VIDEO CLIP* of me doing this move type the url

below into your browser:

http://www.soccerdrillstips.com/downloads/mov_w1.mpg

*You need to have Windows Media Player

(http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/) or Real

Payer (http://uk.real.com/home/) installed to see the video clips)

• Player will do 15 in-betweens up, step-over, turn, and go back.

This will be done twice.

• The player stands with feet shoulder-width apart and the ball

between his feet.

• Touch the ball gently with the inside of the right foot so that it

will reach the inside of the left foot and then tap it back to the

right foot.

• The ball should move back and forth constantly and when you

get the hang of it, you can begin to carry the ball forward like

this.

Now for the step-over and the turn.

• To execute the step-over stand in the same positions as for the

in-betweens.

• Lean onto your left foot and lift your right foot up and over the

ball turning to the left in a counter-clockwise direction.



40

• Plant your right foot firmly on the ground beside the ball and

pivot in a clockwise direction, bringing the left foot to rest on

the other side of the ball.

• You can then begin the in-betweens with your left foot in the

other direction. This is incredibly effective if you can make the

step-over look like a shot or a pass and fake your opponent

out.

• You can then take the ball in the other direction before your

opponent realizes what is happening.

2. “Toe-touches moving forward”

VIDEO CLIP:


Do 15 toe-touches up and back twice, using the pullback turn.

• The ball should be slightly in front of your feet to begin.

• Bring up your right foot and gently touch the top of the ball

with the underside of your toes.

• Set the right foot back on the ground and do the same thing

with the left foot.

• Continue alternating and when you get the rhythm, you will

keep this up continuously with little hops.

• You can then begin to move the ball forward. The key is to

move the ball forward just the proper distance so that it is

barely in front of the other foot. This way you can keep going

forward smoothly.

• When you have gone bout 10 yards, perform a pullback turn

and then do the toe touches back the other way.



41

3. “Toe touches moving backward”

To see the VIDEO CLIP:


Again, do this 15 times up and back and repeat. Very similar

to the toe touches moving forward, but you are moving backward

and with each toe touch, you move the ball diagonally toward the

opposite foot. Although this technique is more difficult, it really helps

develop quick feet.

4. “Side hop rolls moving forward”



These are also known as drag rolls. You will go p and back 2-4

times with your right foot up and your left foot back.

An effective shielding and rolling move, you start by facing

sideways to the right and you will move to the left down the field.

Place your right foot on the ball and roll the cleats across the

top until your foot rests on the ground again.

• Then hop onto your left foot and repeat the roll.

• Go back to the right using the left foot.

This is a very effective way to move the ball while keeping a

defender behind you and it is important to know how to move the

ball in different directions while shielding it.



42

5. “Outside foot touches with fast feet between touches”



Practice this move up and back 2-4 times. Simply push the ball

ahead with the outside of your foot and then take a couple of quick

steps to keep up with the ball and touch it with the outside of the

other foot. Make sure players learn this move when they are young.

6. “Speed changes with a sudden stop”

Also known as Hop-Stop, you can practice this move a few

times up and back. Players dribble forward slowly or perform in-

betweens and then out of nowhere they break into a run for about 4

steps and come to a turning stop. This will help them learn to

accelerate when attempting a feint.

7. “Outside-to-inside: roll right foot across body and touch forward

with left foot”



Perform this move 10 times up and back, then repeat.

• Begin with the ball between your feet.

• Lift your right foot and step down on the right side of the ball,

ending in a small lean or lunge.

• You do not want your weight to go down on this foot, but shift

your weight to the left foot and brush your cleats over the top



43

of the ball moving it to the left.

• Once the ball has completely crossed in front of your body

touch it forward with the inside of your left foot and then

repeat this sequence starting with the left foot.

Once you get comfortable brushing the ball with your cleats

you will be able to move the ball in any direction and fake your

opponent.

8. “Inside-to-outside: roll right foot to the right side and touch

forward with right foot”



Perform this move 10 times up and back then repeat. This

move can follow the outside-to-inside roll.

• Begin with the ball between your feet and quickly bring your

right foot up, stopping momentarily with you cleats resting on

the top of the ball.

• It will appear as though you are passing the ball or moving it

across to the left side of your body, but you will actually keep

your weight on your left foot and brush the ball from the inside

to the outside with your right foot taking it to your right side

and a little behind you.

• You will then turn your hips to the right and touch the ball with

the inside of your right foot to send it off diagonally away from

you.



44

Practice this with the right foot a few times and then practice

with the left foot. This move is crucial to the fake-kick V feint.

9. “Skip touches”



This is a very simple move.

• You start by standing with your right foot just in front of the

left foot.

• The ball is just in front of the leading foot and you touch the

ball forward with the right foot.

• You then place the right foot on the ground and skip or hop,

bringing your left foot to the front and touch the ball forward

with it.

Repeat this for a few yards. This skip will freeze your opponent

and allow you to shift pace and direction easily.

10. “Run throughs”

In this drill you are running through an air ball.

• Toss the ball in the air in front of you and run forward through

it, touching it forward with your head, chest, waist, thighs,



45

shins, or feet.

• Touch with just enough force to start the ball moving away and

then hit it again to push it down the field.

This is effective to teach young players how to handle a high

ball.

II. Turning Fakes

1. “Pull backs (turn with or turn away)”

To see the VIDEO CLIP 1:

http://www.soccerdrillstips.com/downloads/mov_t1a.mpg


http://www.soccerdrillstips.com/downloads/mov_t1b.mpg

This goes with the outside and inside rolls discussed in the

previous section. The difference is that the ball is brushed or

scraped backward.

• Begin with the ball between your feet.

• Bring your right foot up as though you are going to kick the

ball, but instead rest your foot on top of the ball and brush

your cleats backward to move the ball behind you.

• Turn to face the ball.

• Using your right foot for the pull back, if you turn clockwise it is

a turn-with pull back and if you turn counter clockwise it is a

turn-away with pull back.

Practice both of them with both feet, although the turn-away

pull back is the better choice because you will continue to face your

opponent.



46

These moves are most beneficial in the deep offensive third of

the field and should not be used in your penalty area or in the middle

of the field if there is a defender that could steal it and breakaway.

2. “Fake kick into inside/outside cuts”





This move cuts the ball more sharply than usual and it cuts the

ball backward, either to the inside or to the outside. This sets the

ball up for a fake kick.

• Start out by dribbling the ball forward.

• Just touching the ball slightly in front of your feet, plant your

left foot and bring your right foot up as though you are going

to kick the ball with force.

• Instead of kicking the ball, you bring the right foot down in

front of the ball and cut it sharply toward your left foot or your

body.

• You can then follow through in the new direction and do it

again.

This is the inside cut. The outside cut is similar except instead

of cutting the ball backward, you use the outside of your right foot to

sweep it away from the defender.



47

This move shields the ball and is less aggressive. Cutting the

ball needs to be done with a fake or the ball will end up between you

and your opponent.

3. “Step-over 180º turns (using inside/outside of the foot)”





• Begin as though you were going to do in-betweens, with the

ball between your feet.

• Put your weight on your left foot and bring your right foot up

over the ball, turning counter clockwise and placing it on the

ground to the left of the ball.

• Next, pivot on the right foot in a clockwise direction so you are

facing the ball again and you can move in the other direction.

This step-over is a great move for fakes and feints. You could

also fake the step-over and just ouch your right foot down before

spinning back around and taking the ball with the outside of the right

foot in a new direction.

The key with either of these is to make the step-over look like

a shot, pass, or lunge



48

4. “Shield turns (3/4 turns or spin turns)”


http://www.soccerdrillstips.com/downloads/mov_t4.mpg

Begin by dribbling the ball to a mark that represents the

defender and just shy of the mark begin a series of sharp inside cuts

with the right foot.

These cuts will bring you around to face left, backward, and

right and will open it up for you to make lateral or trial passes if the

opportunity is available. Sometimes the attacker can lose the

defender with this move.

You can vary this by cutting the ball with the outside of the foot

instead of the inside of the foot. These moves work best when the

dribbler is running full out.

5. “Cruyff turns”



• Dribble the ball forward and place the left foot beside the ball.

• Then bring your right foot back as if you are going to shoot or

take a big kick, but instead bring the foot down and chop the

ball backward underneath your left leg.

• You may have to hop to get out of the way of the ball.



49

6. “Stop Hop”



Also known as the Half Garrincha, this move begins at a full

run.

• While running, stop the ball by tapping it lightly on the top with

your cleats of your right foot.

• Keep your momentum forward slightly and lift your right foot

off the top of the ball, hopping onto the ground just in front of

the ball.

• Next, bring your left foot up, set it on top of the ball, and turn

to the side.

The player has now gone from a full out run to a change in

direction and is ready for the next move.

III. Fakes to Beat the Opponent

When practicing these fakes, dribble for about 10-20 yards and

then back again, doing 10 fakes each way, alternating feet.



50

1. “Lunges”


http://www.soccerdrillstips.com/downloads/mov_o1.mpg

You can do this move while standing still or when running.

• Begin to dribble the ball forward and then unexpectedly lunge

forward with your left foot and to the left of the ball.

• Your left foot should come down hard as you take the ball back

toward the right on the diagonal with the outside of the right

foot.

• Then you accelerate and take the ball in the new direction.

This is a move that is crucial to feints.

2. “Double Lunges”



This catches opponents off guard when they have caught on to

the lunge described above. It is virtually the same move except that

you lunge with the right foot after lunging with the left foot and then

you take the ball to the left with the outside of the left foot.



51

3. “Fake kick (pull Vs, alternating feet)”



The ball should be between your feet.

Start with quick movement of your right foot bringing it to the

top of the ball and stopping briefly there. It will look like you are

going to pass the ball or are going to take it to your left side across

your body.

• What you will actually do is keep your weight on your left foot

and use your right foot to brush the ball from the inside to the

outside.

• The ball will roll back to the right and you will turn your hips to

the right (with the ball) and touch the ball with the inside of

the right foot to send it to the right on the diagonal.

Practice this with both feet.

4. “Fake kick (pull Ls, alternating feet)”



This move is similar to the V move described above. It begins

the same way as the V move, but when you have your right foot on

top of the ball you then brush or scrape the ball from the inside to

the outside with the right foot, placing the ball slightly behind you.

You can then tap it behind your left leg to your left side and

turn to the left to dribble the ball in that direction.



52

5. “Scissors”



Begin by dribbling the ball between your feet. Place your right

foot to the right of the ball and swing your left leg in a counter

clockwise direction from the inside of the ball to the outside of the

ball. This is an inside-to-outside step-over with the left foot.

• From here you will move the ball back to the right with the

outside of the right foot and accelerate in this direction.

• You can perform this move to the front of the ball, front side

scissors, or from the back with the step-over mostly behind the

ball, back side scissors.

The key is to make your opponent believe the step-over is truly

a move to the left.

6. “Double Scissors”



When you think your opponent will not be fooled by the

scissors move, you can change things around by performing a double

scissors move in which you do step-overs in both directions, with the

left and then with the right, before moving off with the ball to the

left.



53

7. “Fake kick and push outside”



In this lunge type move you are going to fake a kick to the left

using your right foot. Just prior to putting your right foot back on

the ground you push off with your left foot and quickly take the ball

to the right using the outside of the right foot. Then you accelerate.

8. “Fake kick and cut inside”



Same as the previous move except you cut to the inside

instead of pushing to the outside. This sends the ball to the left.

9. “Rivolino (step-over-push outside)”



With this move, you step-over like in the scissors, but you go

in the opposite direction.

• Place your left foot behind and to the left of the ball and swing

your right foot around the ball in a counter clockwise direction,

going form the outside right to the inside left.

• You will then push off of your left foot and move the ball to the

right with the outside of your right foot.

• You can do this move either facing toward or away from your

opponent.



54

10. “Matthews”



Also known as Touch and Go or Inside Out Move, this move

creates a slight movement of the ball in the wrong direction to help

fool your opponent.

• Begin by dribbling the ball forward and then touch it lightly

with the inside of the right foot as if you are going to kick it.

• Hop slightly on your left foot to move it over and then, pushing

off your left foot, take the ball back to the right using the

outside of the right foot.

11. “Fake Matthews”



Like the Matthews, you take the ball to the inside with the right

foot and hop. However, you then step past the ball to the right with

your right foot in a small lunge motion and move the ball with the

outside of the left foot.

12. “Reverse Matthews”



Here the ball is not pushed to the inside, but it is pushed to the

outside with the hop and then it is quickly pushed back to the inside

with a sharp cut from the inside of the right foot.



55

13. “Half Preki”



• Fake a lean or lunge to the right, placing your right foot lightly

to the right of the ball, but put your weight on your left foot.

• Brush the cleats of your right foot over the bal, moving to the

left across your body.

• Then, touch the ball lightly with the inside of your left foot to

take it around your opponent and accelerate.

14. “Preki”



This is the same as the Half Preki except you will step-over

with the left foot after you roll the ball, stepping down with the right

foot and pushing the ball with the outside of the left foot.

15. “Garrincha and Maradona”



This is a spinning move.



56

• Dribble the ball forward and then stop it by placing your right

foot on top of the ball.

• Then you hop the right foot over to the other side of the

immobile ball then spin counter clockwise and have your left

foot brush the ball pulling it with you.

• You will ultimately end up facing the original direction in which

you were travelling.

As you master this move you will be able to have both feet

leave the ground for an instant during the hop-turn part of the move.

It is not necessary to end up in the same direction as you were

originally going. Use your discretion to utilize open space or pass the

ball.

16. “Stop and go”



Start with your right foot on top of the ball and brush the ball

to the left to begin moving the ball in that direction. Then you will

stop the ball momentarily with your left foot and then brush it again

to the left.



57

17. “Scotch Moves”


http://www.soccerdrillstips.com/downloads/mov_o17a.mpg


http://www.soccerdrillstips.com/downloads/mov_o17b.mpg


http://www.soccerdrillstips.com/downloads/mov_o17c.mpg

Variations on this move redirect the ball underneath your leg.

• The basics start as you step over the ball with your left foot

and place it down.

• Then touch the ball with the inside of your right foot, moving it

underneath your left leg and off to the left side at an angle.

• You can then easily turn to the left and take the ball with your

left foot.

A variation on this has the left foot stopping the ball briefly,

then step past the ball with the left foot and use the inside of the

right foot to cut the ball under the left leg.

Yet another variation has the ball being dragged with the right

foot on top of the ball, when the left foot becomes planted beyond

the ball, and then the right foot pushes it under the left leg.



58

18. “Drag Swerve”



Using the cleats of the right foot, roll the ball to the left and

then push the ball back to the right with the outside of the right foot

just before it touches the ground. The left leg can then push off in

the new direction.

19. “Drag Scissors”



Use the cleats of the right foot to roll the ball as above.

Instead of pushing the ball back to the right you perform a scissors

move stepping over and moving the right foot around the front of the

ball. You can then push the al away with the left foot.

20. “Outside-Inside Swerve”

Also known as the “Reverse Drag Swerve” or the “Ronaldo”.

Begin with a swerve of the ball to the outside and then back to

the inside.

• The left foot remains planted on the ground and you push the

ball with the outside of the right foot.

• While keeping contact with the ball you switch your right foot

around so that it cuts the ball to the left with the inside of the

foot.

• You can accelerate in this new direction.



59

21. “Inside-Inside Swerve”



Cut the ball sharply to the inside with the inside of the right

foot and then instantaneously cut the ball the other way with the

inside of the left foot and rush past your opponent. There are no

steps between the cuts so it is fast and effective.



60

Passing and receiving soccer drills

Passing and receiving a soccer ball is more than just kicking it

back and forth. These are skills that involve communication,

organization, and vision. What follows are some simple, yet effective

drills you can use to have your team practice the skills of passing and

receiving.

Pass and Run

This is a drill that accommodates 6 or more players. Using 12

players in the following example, note how there are 4 players set up

in each corner of the field.

• The first player 1 passes to the front player 4 and then runs to

the back of line 4.

• Then the first player 4 passes to the front player 1 and follows

up by running to the end of the number 1 line.



61

• They continue in this pattern and meanwhile the same

exchange is happening between lines 2 and 3.

Passing Drill

This passing drill effectively works on passing technique and

combines this with training on receiving, fitness, and movement.

• Create a rectangle 4 yards by 10 yards with a pylon at each

corner.

• Have one player stand behind each pylon.

• The drill begins when player one passes to player 2 and then

player 1 switches places with player 4. Player 2 passes to

player 4 and then switches places with player 3.

• They then repeat this drill on the other side.

• Then it passing takes place between players 3 and 4.

One great variation is to have two balls going at once so that

while player 1 is passing to player 2, player 4 is passing to player 3,

then they switch and pass the ball back and switch again. Use your

imagination to come up with other ways to vary this game.



62

Speed and Running Drills

Sprint and Tag

• Have the players divide into teams of three and place two

pylons, 30 yards apart for each team.

• Put two players at one pylon and one player at the other pylon.

• Have the first player from the two-person pylon sprint to the

second pylon and tag the second player’s hands.

• Then player two sprints to the first pylon and tags the third

player’s hands.

• Then the third player sprints to the second pylon and tags the

first players hands.

• You will find each player gets about a seven-second rest

between sprints.

Continue this drill for 5, 10, 15, or 20 minutes depending on

the condition of the players.

Sprint Relay

• Have the players form two lines and start jogging across the

field.

• When they are halfway across the field the first two players will

sprint to the touch line, turn, and sprint to the other touch line

(passing their team-mates along the way), and then turn and

sprint to the back of the lines.

• When they reach the back of the lines, the players at the front

of the lines will repeat this.

Have the players do this for up to 20 minutes depending on

their conditioning. This is a great drill as the players can socialize

while they jog and won’t get bored.



63

How to improve acceleration

Acceleration is how quickly a player can build up to maximum

speed. The player must move his feet quickly to begin with and

gradually increase his stride length to build up to maximum speed.

First Step Drill

This drill focuses on explosiveness from a stationary position.

The first step out is the key in this drill, as in any acceleration. You

will need one line (two lines if you want to run two players at the

same time) of a minimum of 8 cones set up in a zigzag pattern and

set about 2 ½ yards apart.

• Player begins at one end of the cones about 2 ½ to 3 yards

from the first cone.

• Player sprints to the first cone with an over-exaggerated first

step.

• If the cone is to the right, the right leg is the lead leg and vice

versa.

• Player decelerates as he approaches the first cone, turns, and

sprints to the next cone.

• Weave in and out through all the pylons and jog back the

beginning.

In this drill, you want to focus on the first step. Make sure it is

powerful. Also focus on pivoting and turning, arm movement, and

leaning forward.



64

Speed Starts

This drill does not involve the use of cones. Using a sprinter’s

starting position:

• Use a two-point stance and explode forward.

• Use a three-point stance and explode forward.

• Use a four-point stance and explode forward.

This drill helps improve the preliminary movement toward the

ball.



65

Shooting and finishing soccer drills

Down the Grid

• Set up two grids on an angle and extending out from the 18

yard box.

• Divide your players into four groups.

• Have two groups designated attackers (A) and two groups

designated defenders (D).

• The attackers will each line up at the top of one of the grids

and the defenders will line up at the bottom of each of the

grids.

• You will also need a goal keeper.

• The first attacker in one of the lines dribbles the ball down the

grid and tries to beat the defender and cross the 18 yard line.

• If the attacker gets across the 18 yard line he takes a shot. If

the defender stops the attacker, the play is over and the next

attacker and defender take a turn.



66

Once the play is over the attacker from the other grid should

be moving. The plays should happen quickly and players should

rotate through all 4 lineups.

Serving 1v1

Divide players into two groups and have a goal keeper. Have

the groups form two lines: line A are the players and line B are the

servers.



67

• The first player in line A, A1, sprints out to the server (B) who

plays the ball to A1.

• As soon as A1 is two steps into his sprint, A2 sprints out and

becomes the defender.

• A1 tries to get the shot and A2 tries to slow or stop the lay.

• Once the play is over, A2 becomes the attacker (line A) and A1

joins the serving line (B). B becomes the defender (A2).

Opening up for the Shot

• The area will include the goal out 30 yards.

• Have the goal keeper and three players A, B, and C.



68

• Player A takes the ball and plays it to player B, who is working

to create space to receive the ball and turn to make a shot.

• Player C defends and tries to prevent player B from turning and

shooting.

• If player B can shoot he does and if not he pays the ball back

to player A to start over. However the goal is to have player B

create that space to get the shot away.

• A second defender, player D, can be added to the mix to

support the first defender.

• Player A can try to throw the defense off once he plays the ball

to player B.



69

You can continue to add attackers and defenders. However the

focus of this drill remains getting the shot off quickly and taking

chances on goal.



70

Penalty kick drills

Penalty kicks are an important skill to master because they can

win or lose the game. If they are well executed, they are almost

impossible for the goal keeper to stop.

There are two types of penalty kicks: placers and blasters.

Placers use the instep, the power, to kick the ball and blasters use

the inside of the foot, the accuracy.

It is also important to consider the psychological aspect of the

penalty kick. It is crucial that the player not allow the goalkeeper to

be a distraction, who will try anything to throw you off and ruin your

kick. Taking a deep breath before the kick may help.

There are a few basic concepts to know when it comes to

penalty kicks:



71

• Once you decide where you are going to shoot the ball , do not

change your mind after you have started;

• Shoot as low to the ground as possible – you can kick the ball

over the goal, but you can’t kick it under;

• Aim for one of the two bottom corners and practice with the

same run-up every time.

Kwik Drill

A great way to practice the penalty shot is to place a small goal

such as a Kwik Goal on the goal line in the center of the goal. Take

shots and only the goals that go into the large goal count.

Rope Drill



72

Tie two ropes at the left and right sides of the goal. You will

only consider a goal when the ball goes between the ropes and the

nearest posts. If they score in the middle do not consider it as goals.

Check witch players have the better stats. Those are probably

the ones that should be taking the penalty kicks during the games.



73

Bicycle kick drills

The bicycle kick is a sensational kick and very impressive when

you learn to do it effectively. It is an incredibly useful kick as you

can send the ball in the opposite direction to that which you are

facing, yet you will not much movement or energy to do so.

A bicycle kick is executed when you catch an air ball that has

come to you and the kick should follow form the catch in one swift

motion. Always have a target when you perform a bicycle kick,

otherwise it will result in a scramble for the ball and a possible loss of

possession.

Children are not ready to begin learning the bicycle kick until

they are at least U10 level. Have them start by trying to kick the ball

into the goal. To do it, you need to keep your back to the target and

your eyes on the ball.

Have them practice by themselves or with a partner. When the

ball comes to them, they can attempt the kick. To execute the kick:

• Raise the knee of the non- kicking leg to your chest and then

immediately bring the kicking leg up the same way.

• Your non-kicking leg should push down while you extend your

kicking leg to make contact with the ball.

• Pull your toes back to make a right angle with your foot and leg

so you can catch the ball and kick through it.

• Have your palms facing down and continue to look at the knee

of your kicking leg so that you will not hit your head when you

fall.



74

Bicycle Goal

If you are working with older children or adults, you can use

this drill.

• Have 4-5 players line up in front of the goal.

• The coach stands to the beside the line of players and throws

the ball to the first player who attempts to bicycle kick the ball

into the goal.

• After the kick the player runs to the end of the line and the

coach throws a ball to the next player.

The bicycle kick can be a time saver and it is an effective way

to score a goal. However, caution needs to be used as people can

get hurt if the kick is poorly timed and there are a lot of people in the

path of the ball. Make sure your players know how to assess the

situation and are able to tell if and when to use the bicycle kick.



75

Free kick drills

Free kicks are taken by a player who has been fouled but is not

inside the penalty box. There are two types of free kicks: direct

kicks and indirect kicks.

Both can be scoring opportunities, especially around the

penalty area. The direct kick does not have to touch another player

before scoring. The indirect kick must touch at least one other player

before scoring.

Here are some important points regarding free kicks:

• It is best to have as few touches on the ball as possible before

taking a shot .

• Aim for a direct shot (when possible) or only one pass before

the shot to allow less time for the defence to get organized.

• A team can also run decoys or late runs into the penalty area,

or try to disrupt the wall and be available for a pass.

• If the ball is being played from the midfield, it is a great

opportunity to build an attack.



76

Past the Wall

This drill mimics the live game situation.

• Have your players for a wall of 3 to 4 people across and about

10 yards away from the ball, between the ball and the goal.

• This will teach young players to become comfortable with the

ball while it gives the players the opportunity to practice taking

shots.

You can vary this drill by having the players taking the shot

receive a pass from another player and then shooting quickly.

Try different scenarios. Make sure to rotate the players so that

each of them gets an opportunity to shoot, receive a pass, and

defend.



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Corner kick drills

Players often have a difficult time executing a proper corner

technique. While this is often the result of the corner arc being too

small, there are ways to kick the ball effectively.

A right-footed player should approach the ball from the goal

line side of the flag when he is to the left of the goal and from the

touch line side of the flag when he is to the right of the goal.

Corner kicks should be aimed just outside the 6 yard box, not

inside it. Ideally the ball is sent to the near or far corner, although

other targets create great shooting opportunities.

Corner Kick Game

This game is simple yet effective.

• Use a half field to play the game with two goals and two

goalkeepers. There are two teams of eight players and they

are each split into groups of four.

• Play is four-on-four with the other four players from each team

waiting at the corners of their attacking goal.

• Each game lasts four minutes at which time the corner players

switch with the field players.



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When the ball goes out of play the team who last had

possession of the ball is allowed to take a corner kick. One of the

corner players sprints in to the penalty area and takes a corner kick

as quickly as possible.

If the goalkeeper gains possession of the ball, it is to be given

away as soon as possible in the hopes a breakaway may take place.



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Crossing soccer drills

Channel Crossing

This game is great for teaching proper crossing techniques as

well as attacking and defensive heading, and timing of runs into the

box.

• Create two channels, one down each side of the field. One

player from each team is permitted to go into the channel and

play the ball.

• The player in the channel who has the ball is allowed to dribble

undefended and to serve the ball into the box.

Three-Player Crossing Game

In this drill, there are three attackers and a goal keeper.

• A2 receives the ball and dribbles a few yards before passing to

A1 who has come down the wing.

• A1 then has the option of passing to A2 at the near post or A3

at the far post.

• The goal keeper is confined to the 6 yard box.



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• Variations include allowing the goal keeper to have free reign

and using up to 3 defenders.

• You can add additional attackers in the box and have A1

dribble to them while A2 offers support.

• If defenders cut of the chance to get into the box, A1 can seek

support from A2.

• A1 and A2 must communicate well.



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Free Reign Crossing Drill

This drill helps the players get organize and analyze the plays

themselves to see where they went wrong and what would have been

a better move.

• Have four players, A, B, C, and D, begin at midfield and have a

server about ten yards back from them.

• Give the server a few balls and have one ball served at a time.

• The server may serve the ball to any one of the four players.

• The players must execute three passes in moving the ball to

the end line, making the appropriate runs to get in place for



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receiving passes. There will be no structure or pattern to this

drill. Instead players are free to make decisions about what

plays to make. They will learn by doing.

The four diagrams below show the basic setup and three

different examples of plays that can result from this drill.



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Defensive soccer drills

A team is on defence as soon as they lose possession of the

ball. Defence is all about anticipating your opponent’s next move

and countering that move to prevent a goal and regain possession of

the ball.

The slide tackle is something to be taught to older players, at

least U10 and up. The improper application of the slide tackle can

result in a serious foul and injury to either or both players.

Players need to be sure they are able to execute this move

properly before they attempt it. Following are some drills that are

helpful for training defensively.



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Soccer slide tackle drills

The slide tackle is an effective means of taking possession of

the ball from your opponent when you are coming in from the side. It

is important to practice these drills on a soft surface to avoid injury.

Players younger than U12 are not ready to learn the Slide

Tackle. Players need to be taught when to use this move and when

not to. They need to be proficient in executing the move because it

is easy for them and the attacker to be injured if the move performed

improperly.

It is also likely to be considered a serious foul.

Slide Tackle Drill #1

• Have your players pair up and give each pair a ball.

• One player dribbles the ball while the other is the defender and

runs along side.

• The defender slides in from the side at some point in order to

take the ball away from the attacker.

• The defender makes the tackle by landing on his back and

sliding in to kick the ball away from the attacker with his

outstretched leg.



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Slide Tackle Drill

In this drill each players has a cone and a ball. The drill is split

into phases and it requires a small space. The ground should be soft,

either with long grass or wet or snowy.

Phase 1:

The purpose of this phase is to teach the players how to

transition from a run to a slide.

• Do not jump in the air; instead slide onto one of your hips.

• Tuck in your lower leg so that it is at a 90º bend.

• Do not catch either of your feet on the ground as you slide.

Phase 2

Once the players are able to slide comfortably, without

hesitation they will work with the cones. The cone becomes the

target to get the players used to hooking the ball rather than just

poking it away.

• Have the players come at their cones from about 20 feet away.

They will practice sliding in from either side to hook the cone

and pull it back the way you have come from.

• Players will learn to time it so they are horizontal as their foot

reaches the one and they will roll onto their stomachs as they



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come in contact with it.

• They will also learn to get back up immediately, facing the

direction they came from, in order to maintain possession of

the ball.

Phase 3

Now the players will work with the ball. First they practice the

same way they did with the cone, then they are paired up and they

begin to practice the moving slide tackle. Remind the players that

they are helping each other learn and they want the tackler to be

successful.

One payer dribbles the ball while the other player runs along

side at the same pace.

• Tackler needs to commit, follow through, and get back on his

feet immediately.

• They need to work on timing, spacing, hooking the ball,

positioning their foot and leg properly, and getting back on

their feet.

• Have them switch roles.



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Aggressiveness soccer drills

Being aggressive on the soccer field means having the attitude

that “the ball is mine” and doing whatever it takes within the rules of

the game to achieve and maintain possession of that ball.

It is important to remember that these are aggressiveness

drills and they can become very physical. When teaming players up,

try to put more aggressive players with less aggressive players and

match them in size and weight.

Who Can Score?

• Split the team in half and have each group umber off.

• Set up 10 pylons in a square, 4 larger ones along opposite

sides and two smaller ones on each of the open sides as goals.

• Have each group on opposite sides of the square and call a

number. The players with that number must run around the

pylons and enter through on of the goals with the aim of

scoring through the goal opposite them.

• The coach throws the ball into the middle of the square when

the players are just a few steps away from entering the goals

so that they cannot locate the ball too soon.

• There will be a serious battle for the ball.



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Taking the Ball

• Split the team in half and have them line up.

• The first to players should face each other and the coach will

throw the ball into the air between the players.

• They then have to fight each other to gain possession of the

ball.

• You can also serve the ball to them on the ground so they must

run diagonally to get to the ball.

Protecting the Ball

• Have the players partner up which each other.

• One player, the attacker, is in possession of the ball and stands

next to it feet shoulder width apart.

• The other player begins by standing on the outside shoulder of

the attacker and is required to try to get his foot on the ball

any feasible way.

• The attacker must maintain balance and protect the ball

against full-on aggressiveness by the defender.

Closer to the Ball

This drill is set up the same as the drill “Protecting the Ball”.

This time the defender is required to place his body between the

attacker and the ball suing any means necessary.



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Fight for the Ball

• Pair the players up again and have them hold onto the

shoulders of each other’s jerseys.

• They are facing each other and are in a strong place to fight for

the ball.

• The coach stands about 10 yards away with the ball and the

players must make their way to the coach to obtain possession

of the ball.

• They have to try to hold each other back while trying to reach

the ball first.

• The coach can always encourage aggressiveness by moving

further away or placing the ball in a position that favors one

player over the other.



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Soccer goalie drills

It is important for the goalkeeper to have fast and strong

hands because he stops the shots with his hands. It is important for

the goalkeeper to practice catching the ball.

In a game, the priority is to stop the ball at all costs, but if the

goalkeeper hits the ball away, the opposing team may gain

possession and score. If the goalkeeper catches the ball, he has

possession.

There are a number of exercises that are ideal to train a

goalkeeper to develop strong hands. These exercises are good for

speed as well and it becomes quickly obvious when hand speed is

lacking.

The other major thing a goalkeeper has to be aware of is the

angles. In other words, the goalkeeper must gain a solid knowledge

of how all the angles work so that he can reduce the target area as

much as possible.

The goalkeeper must be able to assess the shot in relation to

his position in the goal and he must also be able to move outside the

goal quickly and effectively to stop the shot.



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Situps

• The goalkeeper does sit-ups with ball, bringing it forward each

time.

• As the ball is brought forward, the coach kicks it.

• This helps reinforce the goalkeepers hand position on the ball.

• If the goalkeeper drops the ball, he must recover immediately

and do another sit-up.

Service 1

• The coach stands about 2 yards from the goalkeeper and

serves the ball.

• The goalkeeper catches the ball and sends it back to the coach

who then punches the return pass immediately back to the

goalkeeper.

• This pattern of catch and return is continuous with the coach

punching the ball in various directions.

Service 2

• The goalkeeper stands in the mouth of the goal.

• The coach serves the ball as high as the goalkeeper can reach.

• The goalkeeper must jump, catch, and throw the ball back to

the coach before his feet touch the ground.

• The coach serves the ball as soon as he catches it, using the

cross bar as a locater.

• Try doing two to three sets of 10 jumps with a rest in between.



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Service 3

• The coach serves the ball and the goalkeeper performs a diving

catch.

• When the ball is caught and planted, the coach must kick the

ball.

• This reinforces the hand positioning.

• The coach will adjust the power of the kick based on the

goalkeeper’s level of ability, with the intent being to improve

the goalkeeper’s ability and confidence level.

The Triangle Goal

You will need 3 pylons and one ball. Divide your payers into

two teams, each with their own goalkeeper. The pylons will be used

to set up a triangular goal in the center of a 50 yard by 50 yard grid.



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• Have the goal in the center of a 20 yard diameter circle.

• Both teams try to score by shooting through any of the sides of

the triangle.

• Only the keepers are allowed in the triangle.

• If a goalkeeper catches the ball, his team must take the ball

outside of the 50x50 grid before they may shoot again.

• The goalkeeper of the team with possession may become an

attacking player as well.

• To make it really exciting you can use two balls.

The Goalkeeper Dive

You will need four players, one of which is the goalkeeper,

three balls, and three pylons. Place the cones in a triangle about 12

feet apart.



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• The keeper stands inside the triangle at pylon D.

• Player A rolls the ball to pylon E, not with the intention of scoring.

• The goalkeeper dives and stops the ball, returning it to player A

immediately.

• The goalkeeper then moves into position at pylon E and player B

rolls the ball to pylon F.

• This is repeated and you can switch the goalkeepers every 90

seconds or when they get tired.

• This is a great way to look at their diving technique.



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Indoor Soccer Drills

Many soccer players live in areas where winter is a reality and

they do not have the luxury of an outdoor soccer field all year round.

This is when indoor soccer training techniques become important.

Following is a few suggestions for the types of drills you can do

with your players indoors. They all teach the same techniques you

want to get across during regular outdoor practices while using what

you have available in the gym.

Dribbling and Faking: Players can use the lines on the gym

floor as dribbling courses with different colors for different dribbling

techniques. You can use any of the equipment in the gym to create

and obstacle course. Have players work one-on-one to practice

keeping possession and shielding the ball, staying between the ball

and their opponent and using foot techniques to keep possession.

Passing and Shooting: You can use walls and benches as

passing stations and you can use various pieces of gym equipment as

goals. Soft mats are ideal to teach some of the kicks such as bicycle

kick.

You can also hold shooting competitions with large boxes as targets.

Ball Control: Again, use the walls and benches as passing

stations and allow the players to kick (either on the ground or in the

air) and throw the ball into the bench or wall in order to help them



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learn to control the ball.

Heading: the gym equipment can be used as a heading

obstacle course and you can have a heading shootout on the

basketball court. The hard and soft mats are ideal for practicing

heading techniques.



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Glossary

Midfield line: Line that divides the field into equal halves.

Touch Line: The line that defines the outer edge of the longer sides

of the field.

When the ball goes out of bounds over the touch line, a throw in

occurs. Also called the sideline.

Goal lines: Lines that mark out of bounds at either end of the field.

When the ball goes out of bounds over the goal line, either a goal

kick or corner kick occurs, depending on which team last touched the

ball. Also called end lines.

Penalty area: Arguably the most important portion of the field,

because a foul inside the penalty area results in a penalty kick. Also

called the penalty box.

Goal area: Goal kicks are taken from the corners of this box.

Goal: Points are scored when the ball passes through the 8-foot tall

goal.



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Center circle: Opposing players must stand outside the circle until

the ball is kicked to initiate the game in a kickoff.

Center spot: A mark at the center of the halfway line where the ball

is placed during kickoffs.

Corner kick quarter-circles: Area where ball is placed on corner

kicks. A flag at least five feet high stands at all four corners.

Corner kick: When the ball crosses the goal line after last touching

a defender, a member of the offense restarts play from the closest

corner.

Cross: A pass sent from near the sidelines to the front of the goal to

create a scoring opportunity. Also called centering.

Direct kick: A unguarded kick awarded following severe fouls, such

as kicking, tripping, jumping at, charging, striking, pushing, holding

or spitting at an opponent. When tackling an opponent, the player

must first make contact with the ball or a direct kick results.

Additionally called for hand ball. A goal can be scored directly from

the kick; it does not need to touch an additional player after the kick.

Dribble: Keeping control of the ball while running by tapping,

dragging, or rolling it in front of the body.



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Drop kick: When a goalkeeper who is holding the ball drops it and

kicks it after it bounces.

Free kick: A kick from the spot of the foul, awarded to the team that

was fouled, in which the opposing players must stand at least 10

yards away until the ball is kicked. A free kick is either a direct kick

or an indirect kick, depending on the type of foul.

Goal kick: When the offense sends the ball over the goal line, the

defense kicks the ball from within the goal area. Opposing players

may not enter the penalty area until the ball has been kicked.

Hand ball: The illegal action of touching the ball with an arm or

hand.

Header: Using the head to pass, shoot, block, or otherwise control

the ball.

Indirect kick: An unguarded kick following minor fouls, such as

offsides, dangerous play (e.g. high kick), impeding the progress of an

opponent, or preventing the goalie from releasing the ball. The ball

must touch at least one player after the kick before a goal can be

scored.



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Juggling: Performing a series of touches while keeping the ball from

hitting the ground.

Kickoff: The ball is put into play from the center circle at the start of

each half and after a goal.

Marking: Guarding an opponent.

Man on: Players yell “man on” to inform a teammate that a defender

is nearby.

Nutmeg: A pass that goes between an opponent’s legs.

Offsides: Foul frequently enforced during a game to prevent unfair

fast-break goals. Called when a player is closer to the opposition’s

goal line than both the ball and two defenders (the goalie and one

additional defender).

Penalty kick: When a foul is called inside the penalty box, the

offense is awarded a direct kick from the penalty spot. Only the

goalkeeper can stop this shot attempt.

Penalty-kick tiebreaker: In case of a tie, five players from each

team alternate penalty shots. The team that scores the most goals is

the winner. If the teams remain tied after five shots, they alternate

penalty shots until one team misses and the other scores. Also called

a shoot-off.



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Punt: A long distance kick by the goalie, who drops and kicks the

ball before it hits the ground.

Save: When a player, usually the goalie, blocks a shot from going

into the goal.

Scrimmage: A practice game. Also called a friendly.

Strike: Legal contact (kick, header, etc.) with the ball; hands and

arms are not permitted.

Tackle: To steal the ball from a player. Stealing the ball by sliding in

front of a player is called a slide tackle.

Throw-in: A two-handed, overhead pass, taken from the sideline

when the opposing team knocks the ball out of bounds.

Touch: Contact that a player has with the ball while it is in his

possession (e.g. “one-touch,” “two-touch,” etc.).

Trapping: Stopping the ball to gain control before advancing.

Volley: Kicking the ball while it is in midair.



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“Soccer Drills & Soccer Moves”

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Soccer Drills and Moves

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