Soccer drills

  • Divide the amount of players among equal teams. 
  • For example 3 teams of 3 or 4 teams of 3. 
  • Give each team its own coloured jacket. 
  • These teams compete against each other in 1 field. 
  • The first team to score is one round ahead. 
  • All players jog in over the field (square)
  • Half the number of players has a ball
  • players with ball pass the ball to a player without ball (eye contact).
  • The players are not allowed to keep the ball with them for longer than 5 sec.


  • At the moment the trainer whistles (signal), all players without a ball sprint as fast as possible to the closest player who has a ball and try to take it away.
  • The player who has the ball should try to fence it off. (1:1 duel)
  • When the trainer blows the whistle again we switch back to jogging and passing!


Nice variant is when you have an odd number of players, the player who can't find a direct opponent gets a command (for example sprint over the width of the field).

  • Players face each other briefly in pairs.
  • On the ground between the two players lies a ball.
  • Trainer gives the commands: 
    • Head, 
    • chin, 
    • knees, 
    • feet, 
    • ears, 
    • BALL!
  • On the command BALL! the players must try to get the ball as fast as possible.
  • On the other commands they tap the corresponding body part


  • You can use this exercise if you want to work in positions with a defensive triangle.
  • You can apply variations where necessary and also change the distances.
  • This exercise has been given several times with youth teams as well as with the first teams.
  • As you can see in the picture we work on 2 sides.
  • Approximately the space from the 16m to the center line.
  • First player plays the ball diagonally, player B turns with the ball and plays it to C who performs a 1/2 with B. C plays the ball deep on D. It connects to the other group.
  • When A is past the zone the other group leaves.
  • Passing on A-B-C-D.
  • You can also replace player D by a goalkeeper.
  • You can do enough variations in this warm-up exercise. An extra 1/2 for player D. Or player B who moves on the pass of C and responds to D. And so on.
  • Let the exercise run for about 4 minutes before inserting a variation.
  • Always emphasize the forward rotation of B.
  • Take care of a short passing and a short acceleration after the pass at the end of the warming up.


warming-up-exercises


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

EXECUTION:

  • A player plays the ball to another player, chasing the ball towards the player he is playing. 
  • The second player receives the ball and plays it back to another player in the circle, 
  • He, too, will chase the ball towards the player he has 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)
  • Players call the name of the player they want to play in
  • All players constantly stand on their toes, not on flat feet, to improve the speed of action.

PROGRESS:

  • You can make the game more difficult by hitting once.
  • You can play with two balls
  • Player 1, who has given the pass, should try to tap the player who has played the pass (player 2) before playing the ball to player 3, etc.
  • 3 lines a few meters apart. 
  • Each line has a name (apple pear or banana). 
  • The children start on a line. 
  • Trainer calls a fruit and the children must run to that line as fast as possible.

Exercise1 RUN STRAIGHT FORWARD

  • Jog to the last pylon. 
  • Make sure your upper body is upright. 
  • Your hips, knees and feet should form a line.
  • Don't let your knees buckle inwards. 
  • On the way back, run a little faster. 
  • Do the exercise twice.


Exercise 2 RAISE KNEE AND TURN UPPER LEG OUTWARDS WHILE RUNNING

  • Jog to the first pylon. 
  • Stop and raise your knee forward. 
  • Turn your knee out and put your foot down. 
  • Keep your pelvis horizontal and your upper body still. 
  • The hip, knee and foot of the supporting leg together form a straight line. 
  • Do not let the knee of the supporting leg bend inwards. 
  • Jog to the next pylon and repeat the exercise with the other leg. 
  • When you have finished the course, jog back. Do the exercise twice.


Exercise 3 RAISE KNEE AND TURN UPPER LEG INWARDS WHILE RUNNING

  • Jog to the first pylon. 
  • Stop and raise your knee sideways. 
  • Turn your knee inwards and put your foot down. 
  • Keep your pelvis horizontal and your upper body still. 
  • The hip, knee and foot of the supporting leg together form a straight line. 
  • Do not let the knee of the supporting leg bend inwards. 
  • Jog to the next pylon and repeat the exercise with the other leg. 
  • When you have finished the course, jog back. 
  • Do the exercise twice.


Exercise 4 RUNNING AROUND A PARTNER 

  • Jog to the first pylon. 
  • Shuffle sideways, at an angle of 90 degrees to your partner, shuffle a whole circle around each other (without changing your direction of view). 
  • and back to the first pylon. 
  • Bend your hips and knees slightly and move your body weight to the ball of your feet. 
  • Do not let your knees bend inwards. 
  • Jog to the next pylon and repeat the exercise. 
  • When you have finished the course, jog back. 
  • Do the exercise twice.


Exercise 5 JUMP AND TOUCH SHOULDERS WHEN RUNNING

  • Jog to the first pylon. 
  • Shuffle sideways, at an angle of 90 degrees to your partner. 
  • Jump in the middle towards each other to make shoulder to shoulder contact. 
  • Land on both feet with your hips and knees bent. 
  • Do not let your knees bend inwards. 
  • Shuffle back to the first pylon. 
  • Jog to the next cap and repeat the exercise. 
  • When you are ready with the course, jog back. 
  • Do the exercise twice.


Exercise 6 RUN ACCELERATING AND SLOWING DOWN

  • Run quickly to the second pylon 
  • and then run backwards to the first pylon; 
  • keep your hips and knees slightly bent. 
  • Always run two pylons forward and one back. 
  • When you're done with the course, jog back. 
  • Do the exercise twice.

Set up your team in 2 lines (4-5 per line max) - only 1 ball needed.

IMPLEMENTATION:

  • Players take the ball and then play it to the first person in the line opposite to them. Immediately after the pass they draw a sprint and close the back of the line they just played in. This is repeated over and over again.

QUALITY:

  • Players are all on their toes ready for the pass.
  • Passes are clear and accurate.
  • Players must shout if they want the ball to play, and also shout the name to whom they are passing again.
  • With the first ball contact they bring the ball under control, the second ball contact is the pass to the other player.

PROGRESS:

  • Apply only one pass.
  • Let one line pick up the ball and throw it back to the other line. They will then play the ball back with a volleypass and then simply join the other line.
  • Let players take the ball with their thigh and bring it under control after which they pass the ball back over the ground.
  • Place a pawn 5 meters on either side of the central point between the 2 lines. After the pass, the players have to walk around the pawn after which they connect in the row.
  • Split your team into four teams of four
  • 1 ball per team

IMPLEMENTATION:

  • Players play the ball around within their team of four in the area that was put out

QUALITY:

  • Players are constantly moving, with many tempo changes to find space.
  • Each team must try to maintain a diamond shape
  • Players must all communicate with teammates, the ball must be asked for and the player's name must be called by the person who is playing the ball.
  • Passes should arrive well, in space or in the feet.
  • Players should not touch each other, nor should the balls touch each other.
  • This exercise requires great vigilance on the part of the players.

PROGRESS:

  • Add a passive defender who can defend any ball.
  • Add a defender who can conquer the ball.

For this fun and interactive soccer warm up you let the players make a circle around you, about 15 meters away from you. So you are standing in the middle of the circle.

IMPLEMENTATION:

  • The starting point of the players is their place in the circle, they stay "jogging" in place.
  • Call: "Inside" and all players sprint towards you up to a meter or two away. Then they turn around and quickly sprint back to their spot where they keep moving.
  • Call: "Outside" and all players sprint away from you until you call "Back", then everyone returns to the starting position in the circle.

QUALITY:

  • Make sure players do not stand on their flat feet, but always on their toes.
  • Players should sweat heavily after this exercise.

PREVENTION:

  • You can apply different variations: sit-ups, push-ups, jump up, knees up by base position, sprint to the right or left while maintaining the circle shape.

trying-to-win-the-ball-back-as-fast-as-possible

Organization:

There will be 6 against 5 + goalkeeper.

If the party that has to score on the big goal has lost the ball, they have to defend 5 goals.

After 15 minutes of changing halves.

Remarks:

If the attackers of the triangle game lose the ball, it can very quickly result in a counter-goal.

Especially the players who don't play in the league games can't like this kind of game.

Points of attention:

Cover the man in time.

Do not go in recklessly.

Cover on the good side.

Posture during the duels, through the knees.

losing-ball-possession-and-taking-in-the-right-positioning

Organization:

There is 3:3 played. Without goalkeepers.

On the goal of 7 meters may only be scored from the 16 meters area.

The other party can score on the 2 goals, from any position.

If the ball goes out at the sides, it is restarted with a kick.

After a goal or if the ball passes the backline, the game is restarted on the back line of the offensive team (triangles).

There will also be 2 new defenders and 3 new attackers in the field.

Points of attention:

Fierce defending before they are in the 16 meter area.

Make the field small when defending.