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If you’ve got five players and need some soccer drills, you’re in the right place! Here’s a mix of drills that you can do together. Some example images have a different number of players, but you just use 5.
I’ve added a couple of extra drills at the end of the page where you can select one person to go in goal and then change goalkeeper each round. Have fun!
5 Player Soccer Drills
Musical Balls: Soccer Drill
- Age Range: 4-6
- Length of Session: 10 mins
- Number of Players: any
- Skills to Learn: awareness, speed, coordination
- Equipment: balls and cones
- Description: The number of balls decreases by one each round
Drill Set-up:
- Create a large square based on the number of players you have.
- Give each player a ball.
- Optional: set up a small side activity for kids to do once they are out of musical balls.
Drill Instructions:
- Give each player a ball at first.
- Instruct players to dribble around the area using different techniques.
- When you stop playing music or blow your whistle, each kid must leave their ball and find a new one.
- Take away one ball.
- Repeat the steps, this time one player won’t have a ball in the end.
- The player without a ball must perform a simple action, like 5 jumping jacks, or they are out.
- You can repeat the activity this way or take away one more ball each time the same way you would with musical chairs.
Hungry Hippos: Soccer Drill
- Age Range: 4-6
- Length of Session: 10 mins
- Number of Players: up to 20
- Skills to Learn: dribbling at speed, keeping head up
- Equipment: a lot of soccer balls, pinnies, and small goals are optional
- Description: Two teams compete to see who can bring the most balls back to their area.
Drill Set-up:
- Split the kids into two even teams.
- Give each team pinnies to distinguish.
- Create a large rectangle with a small zone on each end.
- Place all of the balls in the center of the space.
Drill Instructions:
- Place each team at either end of the rectangle.
- Each team can send one player at a time to go retrieve a ball and dribble it back.
- Optional: add a mini goal. The player must shoot the ball into the small goal to earn it for their team.
- If a player goes out of bounds, they must put the ball back in the middle and go back to their team for a new player to go.
- Perform as a race until all the balls are gone.
Dribble Through Gates: Soccer Drill
- Age Range: 4-8
- Length of Session: 10 mins
- Number of Players: 3-10
- Skills to Learn: Ball control, keeping the head up while dribbling
- Equipment: enough balls for each player and cones
Description; Randomly place gates that are approximately 3 meters wide. Kids will aim to dribble through each gate once or as many gates as possible in the set time.
Drill Set-up:
- Set up a large area around 30 meters by 30 meters (use a larger space for more kids)
- Randomly set up 6-10 3m wide gates using cones
- Give each kid a ball.
Drill Instructions:
- Kids 4-6 can have more gates and larger gates to minimize collisions.
- Give kids a set time and goal. For example, you can see who can get through the most gates in 60 seconds, or who can get through every gate first.
- Make the drill more challenging for older players with restrictions, like right or left foot only. You could also require older kids to complete a move before dribbling through the gate.
Freeze Tag: Soccer Drill
- Age Range: 6-10
- Length of Session: 10 mins
- Number of Players: 6+
- Skills to Learn: dribbling, keeping head up, ball control
- Equipment: ball for each player, cones, pinnies
Description: One or two taggers try to tag the players dribbling around with the ball. Once tagged, a player is frozen until another player passes the ball between their legs to unfreeze them.
Drill Set-up:
- Create a large square roughly 30 m X 30 m. Adjust the size based on the number of players.
- Put all players in the square.
- Select 1-3 taggers (depending on the size of the group).
- Give the taggers a pinny to differentiate them.
- Give all non-taggers a ball.
Drill Instructions:
- When you say go, the taggers will run around trying to tag those who are dribbling.
- If a player is tagged, they “freeze.” The frozen player stands with their feet a bit wider than shoulder-width apart. They should raise their ball above their head.
- A teammate can “unfreeze” a player by passing their ball between that player’s legs.
- Once unfrozen, the player puts the ball down and begins dribbling again.
- Play until the taggers freeze everyone, or for up to 2 minutes.
- Switch taggers each round.
- For younger kids, you can start without the ball as a warmup.
- Older, more advanced kids, require the tagger to steal the ball instead of just tag.
Knock Out: Soccer Drill
- Age Range: 7-10
- Length of Session: 10-15 mins
- Number of Players: 10-12
- Skills to Learn: dribbling, keeping head up, defending, decision making
- Equipment: cones and a ball for each player
Description: Players all dribble around the space while trying to knock out the others’ balls. See who the last one standing is.
Drill Set-up:
- Create a large circle with cones.
- Give each player a ball inside the circle.
- Make multiple games if you have a large team.
Drill Instructions:
- Each player needs a ball inside the circle.
- Players must dribble around while trying to kick other players’ balls out of the circle.
- If your ball gets kicked out, you must do some small action to get back in (2 jiggles, 10 toe taps, etc).
- When the knock-out round begins, there’s no re-entry. Players who are knocked out should work on a skill you provide while watching.
- As the number of players decreases, use the players who are out to block areas of the circle to shrink the space.
- To increase difficulty, shrink the size of the circle or add specific dribbling challenges within the game.
4 vs 1 possession circles: Soccer Drill
Drill Outline
- Drill Name: 4 vs 1 possession circles
- Session Length: 5 minutes
- Age Group: All age groups
- Number of players: 5-10 starting outfield players
- Skills learned: first touch, 1-touch passing, movement, interceptions
- Equipment: multiple balls
Drill Setup
- Divide the outfield 10 into 2 even groups.
- Designate 1 player in each group to begin as a defender (D1 & D2).
- The 4 outfield players in each group form separate tight circles around the defenders. Ensure the distance between players is no more than 5 yards at all times.
- Each outfield group begins with 1 ball.
Drill Instructions
- On the coach’s signal, the outfield players attempt to keep possession.
- The defender’s press, tackle and attempt to intercept the ball.
- When an outfield player loses possession, they switch roles with the defender.
- The coach should stand next to both circles with more balls, introducing them if the ball’s active balls stray from a circle. This keeps the intensity high and the games active.
- After 2 minutes, take a short rest.
- Restructure the groups then repeat the drill for another 2 minutes.
- The main focus of this drill is to practice first-time, and sharp passes in tight spaces.
Drill Variations
- Increase or reduce the size of the circle to practice passing within different distances.
- Combine all players and play 8 vs 2 in a larger circle.
2 v 2 Gate Games: Soccer Drill
Drill Outline
- Drill Name: 2 v 2 Gate Games
- Session Length: 10 minutes
- Age Group: 10+
- Number of players: 4 (minimum)
- Skills learned: Passing, dribbling, finishing, tackling, defensive positioning
- Equipment: 8 cones, 1 ball(minimum), 2 mini goal
Drill Setup
- Create a 15-yard square grid.
- Create 2-yard gates using cones in each corner.
- Set up a mini goal between the 2 gates at one end, around 3 yards ahead of the end line.
- Divide the team into pairs. Instruct half the pairs to line up behind one end, and a half to line up behind the other.
- P1 and P2 begin centrally behind the end line with the ball.
- P3 and P4 begin centrally behind the opposite end line.
Drill Instructions
- On the coach’s signal, the game is live.
- P1 dribbles the ball through a gate to enter the field. P2 runs through the other gate.
- P3 and P4 enter the field by running through both their gates.
- P1 and P2 then try to score, while P3 and P4 defend their goal.
- The attackers have a single opportunity to score.
- The round is over when the attackers shoot, the defenders win the ball, or the ball goes out of play.
- Repeat the drill for 5 rounds, then the attackers and defenders switch roles.
- If there are multiple pairs, set up identical grids or rotate the pairs occasionally.
Drill Variations
- Set a scoring time limit.
- Create a minimum passes rule, forcing players to make a certain number of passes before they can shoot.
- Create competition by counting the number of goals each team scores.
1 v 1 Relay: Soccer Drill
Drill Outline
- Drill Name: 1 v 1 Relay
- Session Length: 10 minutes
- Age Group: All age groups
- Number of players: 2+
- Skills learned: Movement, quick feet, dribbling, tackling, blocking, finishing
- Equipment: 6 cones, 1 ball, 1 goal, 8 agility poles
Drill Setup
- Use the penalty box and the surrounding area for this drill.
- Place a cone, 5 to 10 yards from the corner of the penalty box toward the sideline. This indicates the starting position.
- Place 4 agility poles 5 yards from the cone toward the end line in a weave formation.
- Place another cone 5 yards from the end of the weave.
- Position 1 more cone in line with the first cone and the edge of the penalty box.
- Set up an identical drill on the opposite side of the field.
- Place 1 in the center of the edge of the penalty box.
- P1 and P2 stand at the starting cones on either side of the field.
Drill Instructions
- On the coach’s signal, P1 and P2 sprint to, then through the agility pole weave, moving laterally outside each pole.
- After completing the weave, they spring too, then around the cone near the end line before sprinting toward the final cone next to the starting point.
- After rounding the final cone, both players race to win possession of the ball.
- The player who gets the ball first is the attacker, making the other player the defender.
- From here, they compete in a 1 v 1, with the attacker trying to score.
- If you have a goalkeeper, use a full-size goal. If not, set up a small goal or create a shooting gate using cones.
- Players are awarded 2 points for a goal and 1 point for dispossessing or blocking their opponent. A foul results in a 1 point deduction.
- No points are awarded to either player for a miss.
- Repeat the drill until 1 player reaches 5 points.
Drill Variations
- Get creative with the agility course by adding more obstacles or sections.
- If you want to focus on player conditioning, consider increasing the winning points tally to 10.
- To add a fun twist, award point for nutmegs (kicking the ball through the defender’s legs).
- If 1 player consistently passes through the grid faster than the other, consider lengthening their route to create a more even contest.
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Joel is a seasoned soccer journalist and analyst with many years of experience in the field. Joel specializes in game analysis, player profiles, transfer news, and has a keen eye for the tactical nuances of the game. He played at various levels in the game and coached teams - he is happy to share his insight with you.
