fun soccer drills to improve skills in the game
Fun soccer drills are important in soccer for players to enjoy the time spent in training.
All work, and no fun, week after week gets repetitive. These soccer practice drills will ensure that players have fun during the training session.
Players should still work hard in training, performing every soccer drill at game like pace.
I always encourage players to work hard in training, so that they develop the habit of working hard in the game.
From my experience as a player, and Coach, players love soccer shooting drills, playing small sided games, and working on soccer attacking drills with defenders involved.
Below you will find several free soccer drills to adapt to your next fun soccer training session.
Fun Soccer Drills
4 Attackers vs 3 Defenders
FUN SOCCER DRILLS SET UP
- Create a grid 30 m/yd x 30 m/yd, with a soccer goal, or cones used to make the goal.
- Split players into 4 attackers, 3 defenders, and a goalkeeper in goal.
FUN SOCCER DRILLS INSTRUCTIONS
- Attackers will use this soccer drill to learn how to exploit the defense when the defenders are in numerical disadvantage.
- Defending players will use this free soccer drill to learn how to communicate, and work with each other to close down space on the field.
- Attackers will start this soccer drill with bringing the ball inside the box from the opposite side.
- Attackers will pass the ball around, attempting to find empty space to exploit, and score a goal.
- Attacking players will have one extra player, so the best way for them to break down the opponent is by passing the ball, and moving around the field.
- Defenders will try to close down space on the field by working together in covering angles, and more importantly not allowing any passes to split the defense.
- Scoring chances not as frequent, simply add another attacker, or take out another defender to allow more attacking fun soccer drill.
VARIATIONS
- Limit touches for attackers to 1 - 5 touches.
- Require 5 - 10 passes, before shooting on goal.
- Add 2 small goals on the opposite side. Allow defenders to attack these goals if they win possession.
- Make field bigger, or smaller, depending on age and skill level.
SOCCER COACHING TIPS
- Switch the point of attack, and play quickly by moving the ball with 1 or 2 touches.
- Any opening for a shot should be taken.
- Defensive line will try to contain the play, and keep the ball in front of them, while applying early pressure on the attackers, not allowing time to think, or find empty space.
- WORK HARD, PLAY BETTER...
Fun Soccer Drills
4 vs 4 with Multiple Goals
FUN SOCCER DRILLS SET UP
- This soccer drills should be played inside the penalty box.
- Soccer field not available, simply create an area about the size of the penalty box, and set up a goal at the bottom center of the grid.
- Place cones to make small 1 m/yd goals on each corner of the penalty box.
- Split up players into teams of 4, and place a goalkeeper in goal.
- Each team will attack the big goal with the goalie, and each team will attack and defend two small goals in the corners of the grid.
FUN SOCCER DRILLS INSTRUCTIONS
- Players will start with playing an open game.
- Both teams will attempt to score on the big goal, but the only way to score on the big goal is from a cross.
- Whenever the goalkeeper makes a save, or the ball goes out of bounds, he/she will kick the ball to the opposite team.
VARIATIONS
- Limit touches on the soccer ball.
- Set a number of passes to complete (3 - 10), before taking a shot on any of the goals.
- Add a neutral player who will always play with the team in possession of the ball.
Free Soccer Drills
Fullback Attack
FREE SOCCER DRILLS INSTRUCTIONS
The objective of this soccer drill is to teach fullbacks how to play attacking role on the field.
This drill will improve the defensive players attacking tendencies through passing, overlapping and than finishing the run off with a cross.
This soccer drill can be done from either side, and with 2, 3, 4, or 5 players + Goalkeeper.
- Start this drill half way up the field, or 40 m/yd from the goal. Adjust distance per player age, and skill level.
- Full back will start with the ball, controlling it with slower touches, as other players rush forward to get into a position.
- One of the players will get ahead on the wing, while other players try to position themselves close to the penalty box.
- Full back will play the pass to the winger, and run behind the wingers back (overlap run), to receive the pass back and cross the ball in the box.
- The winger can simply take a touch inside to create space, and pass the ball towards the corner flag for full back to attack.
- With more players there can be more passes, bringing the soccer ball inside the field, than switching the point of attack with a pass towards the corner flag for full back to attack and cross.
VARIATIONS
- Adding 1 or 2 defenders inside the penalty box to defend crosses.
- Add rule for the full back having to cross the soccer ball on first, or second touch.
- Make passes first touch.
- Have fun and improvise. Focus on players quickly getting into the penalty box for crosses, timing their runs to avoid offside and precise one or two touch passing.
Fun Soccer Drills
Attacking Wide Channels
FUN SOCCER DRILLS INSTRUCTIONS
Objective of this soccer practice drill is to teach players about advantages of attacking wide using crosses, and the players attacking the ball instead of waiting for it.
This drill is great for the outside players because they are the only ones who can create scoring opportunities in this drill.
FUN SOCCER DRILLS SET UP
- Use half the field by bringing one goal to the half way line.
- Place several cones 10 - 15 m/yd away from the sideline, on both sides of the field, to create crossing channels for players.
- Divide players into groups of 6 players + goalie.
- Place 2 players from each group in the left and right channel.
- Goals can only be scored from crosses coming from the player inside the wide channel.
- Once the ball is passed wide, to the player inside the channel, this player will have to attack and dribble the defender inside the same channel, to cross the ball.
- Wide players will change from attacking to defending roles with every possession.
- When the ball is crossed, inside players will want to attack the cross from 3 important directions... near post, far post, penalty spot and one player trailing for any loose balls.
VARIATIONS
- Free game where the players are playing the game where the goals can come only from crosses. But instead of limiting this position to 4 players at a time, allow any player to move inside the channel and cross the ball.
- Add / Remove players on the inside.
- Add a neutral player who plays for the team in possession of the ball.
- Rotate wide channel players.
Soccer Conditioning Drills
2 Soccer Agility Ladder Drills to improve players' coordination, agility, speed, and body form technique through repeated exercises using the speed ladder.
Soccer Conditioning Drills with Strength Training and Touches on the Soccer Ball to improve fitness, strength, and touches with the ball.
3 Soccer Agility Drills set up for training agility, speed, fitness, coordination, and adding the soccer ball to include more touches in training.
Agility Drills for Soccer with Cones are done in 2 - 3 reps for each footwork drill through the speed ladder. Focus on technique and footwork instead of speed.
8 Agility Ladder Drills, also called speed ladder drills, are an essential part of soccer training to help develop and improve the player's agility, speed, coordination, and footwork.
Speed Training for Soccer is tough, and some players don't see the benefit of doing all the running in practice.
