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Football (soccer) drill library: Game exercises and small-sided games
Game exercises help players understand the basics of the game and develop their playing skills.
Drills: Game
© CoachTruly.comGame with Three Groups
Game played with three groups, one group at a time on the sideline. Can be played as 3v3v3 or 2v2v2. Keep the game tempo fast, the coach puts a new ball in play when the previous one goes out of...
Gamescalable
© CoachTruly.comMini tournament
Players' favorite Progressive Field Games! The number of fields can be scaled according to the number of players. Can also be played on six fields with small goals, for example. Games can be anything...
GamescalableMini-tournament
© CoachTruly.comGame: Ball Quickly into Play
The coach places balls along the sidelines. The idea of the game's speed is that when the ball goes over the sideline, the team continuing play can take the nearest ball from any edge and continue the...
GameEnd game
© CoachTruly.comColor Signal Game
Two goals at both ends of the field (e.g., a mini goal and a gate goal, or two gate goals marked with different colors). The coach indicates the current target goal using a color signal (e.g., by...
GameEnd gameObservation
© CoachTruly.comFour-zone 5v5
5v5 small-sided game with goals. Before scoring, the ball must visit all four zones (the field is divided into four parts). When the defending team wins possession, they have five seconds to score. If...
Game
© CoachTruly.com3v3 to different colored goals
3v3 game with four goals. There are goals of two different colors on the field, and the coach either raises a colored cone or shouts a color that determines which goals the teams can attack. If the...
Game
© CoachTruly.comReaction Game: Attack or Defend?
Two teams in the middle area. Everyone dribbles their own ball within the area. When the coach shouts (e.g. non-bibs/bibs) or raises a bib/empty hand, that team starts trying to score. The other...
Game
© CoachTruly.com1v1 --> 3v3+goalkeepers
The games start from a 1v1+goalkeepers situation and the aim is to score a goal. If a player (for example blue) scores a goal, they must touch the post of their own goal. The team that conceded a goal...
Game
© CoachTruly.comFinal game with forbidden area
A final game with a forbidden area in the middle. Players are not allowed to step into the area, but they can pass the ball through it. The purpose of the exercise is to eliminate "swarm play", where...
Game
© CoachTruly.comEnd Zone Game with Jokers
Create two teams and assign jokers to the two zones at the ends of the area. The jokers are always on the side of the team in possession. Before starting, agree on the initial attacking direction for...
Game
© CoachTruly.comEnd Zone Game
Create goal areas at both ends of the field. The aim is to play the ball into the end zone with a pass, but the receiving player cannot be waiting in the area ready for the pass. After a goal is...
Game
© CoachTruly.comEnd game with mandatory progression over the halfway line.
End game where a goal is only valid if all outfield players have advanced beyond the halfway line. The aim is to activate defenders to also move up with the play, rather than staying deep in their own...
Game
© CoachTruly.com2v2 tournament
Play short 2-minute 2v2 matches on numbered fields. The winner always moves up in numbers and the loser moves down. Collect the balls between the fields, from where the quickest player can grab the...
Game
© CoachTruly.comAdvancing by passing
The drill is played with two teams whose goal is to get past the center line only by passing. Dribbling over the center line is prohibited. Teams should focus on quick and accurate passes as well as...
Game
© CoachTruly.comProgressing to the End Lines
Game is played with two teams, where the attacking team (red) has four players and the defending team (black) has three. The objective is to progress over the end line either by passing or dribbling....
Game
© CoachTruly.comFinal game with widening and narrowing
Can be played with 5v5 and 8v8 formats. Two teams play a final game where the team in possession must have one player on each wing channel. The defending team must have all players concentrated in the...
Game
© CoachTruly.comFinal game with forbidden areas 2
A final game where the corners are forbidden areas. The aim is to straighten the play towards the opponent's goal and at the same time learn to compact when defending. Corner kicks can be taken...
Game
© CoachTruly.comHeading Game
In this drill, players progress by heading the ball. The ball is thrown to oneself and headed to a teammate or into the goal. When the ball is on the ground, the quickest player can pick it up with...
Game
© CoachTruly.comFootball Tennis
Football tennis, where cones are used as a "net". Particularly suitable for playing in school halls, for example. The size of the field and number of players can vary. The game starts with a serve...
Game
© CoachTruly.com3v3 + attacking wide players on both sides
3v3 + attacking wide players on both sides with four goals. Support players are not allowed to score, but they provide crosses and passing options from wide areas in the opponent's defensive zone....
Game
© CoachTruly.comSmall-sided game in the penalty area
Small-sided game in the penalty area. The attacking team scores a goal if they complete six consecutive passes. The defending team can score by making a clearance into either of the two small goals...
Game
© CoachTruly.com3v3 with four goals
3v3 game, where the aim is to spread the play. One team resting on the side. When the ball goes out of bounds or into a goal, the coach puts a contested ball into play. Play 2min matches and rotate...
Game
© CoachTruly.com5v3 build-up play
The drill starts from the yellow team's goalkeeper, who plays the ball to a defender. In the defensive area, there is a 3v1 situation where one player from the opposing team (black) presses the yellow...
Game
© CoachTruly.comBuild, Break Through, Finish
Players are divided into two teams. The field is divided into four sections. Both end sections have three defending players. In the two middle sections, there are three players from the same team in...
Game
© CoachTruly.com3v3 with six goals
Play 3v3 with six goals. When the ball goes out of play, the fastest player can fetch a new ball from the sideline.
Game
© CoachTruly.com3v3 + jokers on the wings
Players are divided into two teams and joker players who support the team in possession are positioned on both wings. The game is free play, but you can limit the number of touches for the jokers to...
Game
© CoachTruly.com3v3 + target players at the ends
A 3v3 game is played in the area with both teams having target players at the ends of the area. At the beginning, we determine the initial attack directions, e.g., yellow attacks to the left and red...
Game
© CoachTruly.comInverted Goals
The goals are placed in the middle of the playing area "back-to-back". A normal game is played with two teams.
Game
© CoachTruly.com5v5 in safe zone
"Safe zones" are marked in the playing area, where the opponent is not allowed to enter. Players practice staying calm and controlling the game in their own defensive area, as well as opening the...
Game
© CoachTruly.comProgression play through lines
The area is divided into five different sections. The end zones and middle area are slightly larger. Two defenders per section in the intermediate lanes. The goal is to play the ball to the opposite...
Game
© CoachTruly.com3v3 with goal areas
Played with two teams (there can also be more players). Players aim to score by passing to a teammate in the goal area (areas marked with cones). After a goal is scored, the game continues...
Game
© CoachTruly.comScoring Zone Game
The playing area has five scoring zones at both ends, which are worth different points. For example, the middle one is worth three points, the adjacent ones two points, and the outermost ones one...
Game
© CoachTruly.comPoint Area Game 2
3v3-5v5 game without goalkeepers with small goals. The field is divided into three areas, with the middle area being the largest. A goal scored from the middle area is worth one point, and the smaller...
Game
© CoachTruly.comThree-team game with two balls
Divide players into three teams and place a separate goal for each team on the edges of the area. Two balls are placed in the center of the area. At the coach's signal, one player per team starts...
Game
© CoachTruly.com2v2 with end players
2v2 game to four goals with end players. End players are positioned between the goals at the attacking end. These players don't have to be used for scoring, but they provide one additional passing...
Game
© CoachTruly.com5v2 Possession
In this exercise, four players are positioned outside the area boundaries and three inside the area, with one supporting the team in possession. The objective is to complete six consecutive passes to...
Game
© CoachTruly.com7v3 Keep-Away
6 players (overload team) position themselves outside the playing area. 3 players (underload team) position themselves inside the playing area. One player from the overload team starts in the middle....
Game
© CoachTruly.com3v3+jokers -possession
The area has a three versus three situation. Four jokers are positioned outside the playing area. The team in possession can use the outside jokers to build up play, with the goal of completing six...
Game
© CoachTruly.comBuild-up Play Through Goalkeeper 2
Players are divided into two teams. The field is divided into three sections: in the build-up area there are three yellow players and one pressing attacker, in the middle area there is one yellow...
Game
© CoachTruly.comBuild-up play through goalkeeper 3
Players are divided into two teams. The field is divided into two sections: in the build-up area there is a 4v2 situation and in the attacking area a 2v2 situation. So in the build-up area there is a...
Game
© CoachTruly.comCrossing Play
In this drill, players are divided into two teams. An area is created in each corner of the field from which crosses are delivered. The players' objective is to pass the ball to their team's player in...
Game
© CoachTruly.com2v2 with three teams
Players are divided into three teams of two players each. One team per half of the field and one team at the center line. Goalkeepers are always on the side of their own half's defenders. Play starts...
Game
© CoachTruly.com5v5 finishing game with target player
Players are divided into two teams of five players each. Formation 1-2-1, which is a diamond shape. Each team selects one target player from their group (marked in red in the image) as the striker....
Game
© CoachTruly.comHidden Striker
Players are divided into two teams of five players each. Teams select a "hidden striker" from their group and reveal this only to the coach. The objective is to get this player to score a goal, which...
Game
© CoachTruly.comPoint Game
A finishing game where each player starts with three points. If player x scores a goal, their point total drops to two. The first team to have one player's points drop to zero wins. This drill can be...
Game
© CoachTruly.comFour Goals Game
Players are divided into two teams and goalkeepers. There are four goals on the edges of the area. The teams' objective is to score in every goal to win.
Game
© CoachTruly.comMidfield Conquest
Players are divided into two teams and the field into three areas. The middle area can be larger than the other areas. Play starts in the middle area, where players must complete an agreed number of...
Game
© CoachTruly.com3v3+joker finishing game
3v3 finishing game with one joker. The joker is always on the side of the team in possession.
Game
© CoachTruly.comPassing Sequence Game
Drill progression: Players are divided into two teams. Players receive their own number (e.g., 1–5). The objective is to maintain possession with your team and play passes in sequence : → 1 passes to...
Game
© CoachTruly.comSmall-sided game with man-marking
Small-sided game where each player is assigned an opponent player to mark. If a player's assigned opponent scores a goal, the player who lost their mark has to sit out of the game for one minute. As a...
Game
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