Football (soccer) drill library: Defense
Defense is as important a part of football (soccer) as offense. Defensive exercises help players understand the basics of defensive play.
Drills: Defense
1v2
The situation starts with the coach passing to the attackers' queue, from which one attacker emerges, and two defenders come from the blue queue. One defender takes the role of the 1st defender, and the other provides support. The goal is to steal the ball from the attacker and score a goal. If the defender manages to steal the ball, one additional player can come from the attackers' queue to help, resulting in a 2v2 situation to finish the drill.
Goal Zone Game with Jokers
Yellow end zone players act as jokers. 2v2 in the middle. If there's an odd number of players, an additional joker can be in the middle. The joker must take their first touch inside the area and play on the side of the team in possession. When the ball is played to the other end, the joker returns to their own end zone. A team scores a point by playing from one end zone to the other. After a turnover, the ball must always be played back to the end zone joker, after which the team tries to score a point. Variations: Must dribble across the center line vs. Must pass across the center line
Clearance ball to own player
The drill starts with a 2v1 situation in a square, where the task of the single player (black) is to win the ball and play it to the attacker on their own side (between the cones). After winning possession, the player joins the attack. One of the yellow players is allowed to apply counter-pressure to the black attacking player with the ball. The goal is to create a quick counter-attack and score a goal.
1v2 ball shielding
1v2 exercise. The player with the ball aims to shield and keep possession against two opponents. When possession is lost, the player who previously had the ball tries to win it back. If the ball goes out of bounds, the first player who reaches the ball at the boundary takes it under their protection.
1v1 + support player
1v1 drill with a support player. The player in possession aims to keep the ball as long as possible. The player without the ball in the area tries to win the ball and switch roles. Outside the area there is one support player to help the player in possession. The player in possession can pass the ball to the player outside the area to keep it 'safe' momentarily and move to a new position to receive the ball again from the support player. The drill can be played in one-minute intervals as a competition. The player who maintained possession longer wins.
Ball shielding without dribbling
1v1 exercise where the ball is placed on top of a cone. The defending player is not allowed to touch the ball but shields it with their body so that the opponent cannot touch it. The player without the ball tries to get around the defending player and knock the ball off the cone. Then switch roles.
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