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The opposition stands like a wall in front of you with no way of getting through, this call for some drills to break the lines with individual runs.
A good team keeps its shape and is difficult to break down. You can make it easy for them by keeping in position, but you can break their lines with a variation of runs that will surprise your opponents.
Breaking Lines + Diagonal Runs
Zig-Zag Dribbling: Soccer Drill
Drill Outline
- Drill Name: Zig-Zag Dribbling
- Session Length: 5 minutes
- Age Group: all ages
- Number of players: 1 to 18
- Skills learned: Ball control, dribbling, turning, accelerating with the ball.
- Equipment: 1 ball (minimum), 4 cones
Drill Setup
- Set up the drill as shown in the graphic.
- Create a zig-zag grid by placing 4 cones 10 yards apart in a lightning bolt formation.
- All players line up behind P1 at the starting point.
- If there are 6 or more players, consider setting up an identical zig-zag grid, and splitting the team into 2 groups.
Drill Instructions
- P1 starts the drill by dribbling at speed toward the second cone.
- P1 decelerates and rounds the cone as quickly as possible before dribbling to the third cone.
- Again, P1 decelerates and rounds the third cone before dribbling toward then around the final cone.
- P1 repeats the drill from the opposite angle.
- The focus should be on sharp but controlled turns.
- Instruct players to trap the ball as they turn, avoiding it from running away from them.
Drill Variations
- Focus on the right foot dribbling only for a round.
- Focus on left foot dribbling only for a round.
- For advanced dribblers, instruct them to practice chopping the ball with their heel for a round.
- Create a competition between teams or individuals to see who can complete the drill the quickest. Consider introducing time penalties for losing control of the ball.
Sharks and Minnows: Soccer Drill
- Age Range: 4-8
- Length of Session: 10 mins
- Number of Players: 6+
- Skills to Learn: dribbling, keeping head up, ball control
- Equipment: balls for each player, cones, pinnies optional.
Description: Kids try to dribble from one side to the other without getting tagged by the shark. Anyone tagged becomes a shark.
Drill Set-up:
- Create a large rectangle suitable for the number and age of players. For example, 35 meters long by 20 meters wide for 12-15 6-year-olds.
- Give each player a ball and line them up on the starting line.
- Select a “shark” to start.
Drill Instructions
- Line up all of the “minnows” with their balls.
- Choose 1-2 sharks and place them in the middle of the space.
- When you say go, have the minnows try to dribble across the other side without getting tagged by a shark.
- Anyone who is tagged must become a shark for the next round.
- Challenge players to see who can be the last minnow standing.
- Younger kids, 4-6, can focus on just tagging the player. For kids 6-8, change the rules so they must knock the ball away from the minnow to count. For kids 8-10 or with advanced skills, you can require them to take full possession of the ball.
- Another way to make the drill more challenging is to make the space smaller.
- You can also add specific dribbling challenges within the game (weak foot only, must complete 2 moves before crossing, etc.
Split the Defense Finishing: Soccer Drill
Drill Outline
- Drill Name: Split the defense finishing
- Session Length: 5 to 10 minutes
- Age Group: 10+
- Number of players: 3 to 18
- Skills learned: Movement, positioning, first touch, finishing
- Equipment: 1 mannequin (alternatively 1 cone or agility pole), 3 cone, 1 goal, 1 balls (minimum)
Drill Setup
- Use the penalty box for this drill.
- Set up a full-size goal, even if there is no goalkeeper.
- Place a mannequin, cone, or agility pole centrally on the edge of the penalty box.
- Place 1 cone 5 yards outside the penalty box.
- Create a 5-yard passing gate to the right of the mannequin using 2 cones.
- P1 stands next to the mannequin.
- P2 and the rest of the players line up behind the cone outside the box.
- P2 starts with the ball.
Drill Instructions
- P1 starts the drill by moving around the mannequin as if it were a defender.
- P1 then sprints in front of the mannequin to receive a pass.
- P2 plays a quick one-two return pass to P1.
- After playing the return pass, P1 backs away toward the 2 cone grid while still facing P2.
- This movement simulates splitting 2 defenders in the back line.
- P2 plays a pass to P1’s feet.
- P1 takes a touch into the penalty box for a 1 v 1 with the goalkeeper.
- P1 joins the end of the passing line.
- P2 takes P1’s position.
- Repeat the drill.
Drill Variations
- Switch the drill to the opposite side to practice different shooting angles.
- Create a competition where each attacker has 2 lives. All players can miss 2 shots. On the third miss, they are eliminated. The last player remaining is the winner.
Multiphase Attacking Possession: Soccer Drill
Drill Outline
- Drill Name: Multiphase Attacking Possession
- Session Length: 5 to 10 minutes
- Age Group: 10+
- Number of players: 8 (minimum)
- Skills learned: Passing, movement, positioning, dribbling, finishing
- Equipment: 4 cones, 1 ball, 1 goal
Drill Setup
- Use the penalty box and surrounding area for this drill.
- If you have a goalkeeper, set up a full-size goal. If not, create a small goal using cones.
- Divide the team into groups of 4.
- 4 attackers and 4 defenders participate at a time.
- The attackers form a circle outside the penalty box with the ball.
- 2 defenders stand inside the circle of attackers.
- 2 defenders wait inside the penalty box.
Drill Instructions
- The drill starts as a passing rondo. The attackers try to complete 5 consecutive passes.
- If the defenders win possession, they switch roles with the attackers.
- Once a team completes 5 consecutive passes, the rondo defenders must stop trying to win the ball.
- The attackers then take on the defenders inside the penalty box and try to score. They can pass, dribble, or shoot from wherever they like.
- Encourage the attackers to be smart regarding their positional play, using their numerical mismatch to make space and create a high percentage of goal-scoring chances.
- After each round, the attackers and defenders switch roles.
- If there are more groups, rotate them after each round.
Drill Variations
- Limit the number of touches for attacking players.
- Add extra defenders to increase the difficulty for attackers.
- Create a competition to see which team can score the most goals.
- Scale this drill up or down depending on the number of available players.
Overload & Switch Play: Soccer Drill
Drill Outline
- Drill Name: Overload & Switch Play
- Session Length: 10 minutes
- Age Group: 12+
- Number of players: 10
- Skills learned: Long passing, heading, crossing, finishing, & tactics
- Equipment: Full Field, 1 ball, 1 goal
Drill Setup
- Line up 10 outfield players in a 4-4-2 formation.
- Instruct the center backs (D2 & D3) to occupy a high line, halfway between the center circle and the edge of the penalty box.
- Instruct the left back (D1) to push higher up the field, close to the halfway line.
- Instruct the right back (D4) to tuck in narrowly, near the center back.
- Instruct the best passing midfielder (M1) to stand just behind the center circle and to be ready to make a long, diagonal pass.
Drill Instructions
- To start, the strikers take tip-off and pass the ball back to M1.
- As soon as the tip is taken, S1 and S2, W1, and D1 sprint down the left wing toward the edge of the penalty box.
- D1, W1, and S1 turn to face the passer. S2 holds their run slightly, anticipating a knockdown. M2 moves into the left channel but keeps distance from the others to create space.
- W3 and D4 run down the right channel, preparing for a back post entry to the penalty box.
- M1 lofts the ball toward the overloaded side.
- D1 and W1 communicate to determine who will head the ball, before cushioning the ball to M2 or S1 and S2.
- The overload should drag the defense over to one side exposing the opposite post.
- The ball is played back to M2, who then crosses the ball to the back post where the right back or right winger scores.
Drill Variations
- Switch this drill to the opposite side of the field.
- Pull back a defender if you want to plan a less aggressive kickoff strategy.
- Push forward another center back for a more aggressive strategy.
- Use opposition defenders or mannequins to simulate defenders’ positions.
2 v 2 Counterattacks: Soccer Drill
Drill Outline
- Drill Name: 2 v 2 Counterattacks
- Session Length: 10 minutes
- Age Group: 7+
- Number of players: 4 (minimum)
- Skills learned: Passing, dribbling, finishing, defensive positioning, tackling
- Equipment: 4 cones, 1 ball, 2 mini goals, 1 regular goal
Drill Setup
- Create a 15 to 20-yard square playing grid using 4 cones.
- Set up a regular size goal at one end of the grid.
- Set up 2 small goals next to either corner on the opposite end.
- Divide the team into pairs (2 v 2) and elect half as defenders and half as attackers.
- Defenders (D1 + D2) line up at the end with 2 goals.
- Attackers (P1 + P2) begin at the other end.
- The defenders start with the ball.
Drill Instructions
- On the coach’s signal, D1 plays a 15 to 20-yard pass (depending on the size of your grid) to P1 or P2.
- P1 and P2 now take on D1 and D2 in a 2 v 2 situation.
- P1 and P2 try to score in either goal on the opposite end. D1 and D2 attempt to stop them.
- If D1 and D2 win possession, they can counterattack quickly and attempt to score.
- P1 and P2 must try to stop them.
- Each team has a maximum of one attack per round.
- The round is over if either team scores, the ball goes out of play, or a counterattack is unsuccessful.
- After 5 rounds, the players switch roles, then play another 5 rounds.
- The team with the most goals wins.
- If you have multiple pairs, set up identical grids or rotate pairs frequently.
Drill Variations
- Switch the attacking and defending sides, giving players a chance to score dual and single goals.
- If you have a goalkeeper, consider using them for this drill.
- Set a scoring time limit.
- Play 2-touch or 3-touch rounds to work on quick passing and movement.
- Mark a small area next to each goal. Players can only score from inside this zone. This encourages players to focus on build-up play and chance creation, eliminating long-distance pot shots.
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.
Overload & Switch Play: Soccer Drill
Drill Outline
- Drill Name: Overload & Switch Play
- Session Length: 10 minutes
- Age Group: 12+
- Number of players: 10
- Skills learned: Long passing, heading, crossing, finishing, & tactics
- Equipment: Full Field, 1 ball, 1 goal
Drill Setup
- Line up 10 outfield players in a 4-4-2 formation.
- Instruct the center backs (D2 & D3) to occupy a high line, halfway between the center circle and the edge of the penalty box.
- Instruct the left back (D1) to push higher up the field, close to the halfway line.
- Instruct the right back (D4) to tuck in narrowly, near the center back.
- Instruct the best passing midfielder (M1) to stand just behind the center circle and to be ready to make a long, diagonal pass.
Drill Instructions
- To start, the strikers take tip-off and pass the ball back to M1.
- As soon as the tip is taken, S1 and S2, W1, and D1 sprint down the left wing toward the edge of the penalty box.
- D1, W1, and S1 turn to face the passer. S2 holds their run slightly, anticipating a knockdown. M2 moves into the left channel but keeps distance from the others to create space.
- W3 and D4 run down the right channel, preparing for a back post entry to the penalty box.
- M1 lofts the ball toward the overloaded side.
- D1 and W1 communicate to determine who will head the ball, before cushioning the ball to M2 or S1 and S2.
- The overload should drag the defense over to one side exposing the opposite post.
- The ball is played back to M2, who then crosses the ball to the back post where the right back or right winger scores.
Drill Variations
- Switch this drill to the opposite side of the field.
- Pull back a defender if you want to plan a less aggressive kickoff strategy.
- Push forward another center back for a more aggressive strategy.
- Use opposition defenders or mannequins to simulate defenders’ positions.
Share the post "Breaking Lines + Diagonal Run Drills (Beat The Defense)"
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.
