Football (soccer) drill library: Shooting

Shot After Catch Zone

Attackers start from the edges of the area near the cones and try to advance to the balls without getting caught. If an attacker reaches a ball, they take a shot at the goal and then attempt to pass through the area to the other side for another shot. Catchers are not allowed to move outside the designated area. The coach and/or support staff return the balls to the shooting area. If caught: Return to the starting cone and start again. Competitions: Individual competition: Which attacker scores the most goals (e.g., 2 minutes, 1 point per goal). Team competition: Which team scores the most goals.

Shooting drill with opposite movements

Shooting drill with opposite movements. The drill begins when player 1 moves from the middle between the cones to either the left or right cone. The pass comes from the queue to the player who has moved to the opposite cone (e.g., player 1 moves to the right --> player 2 moves to the left cone). Player 2 gives a wall pass to player 1, who finishes with one touch. Player 2, who gave the wall pass, retrieves the ball and moves to the queue, player 1 who shot moves to the passing position, and the player from the queue who passed the ball moves to the shooting position.

Shooting Rally

A simple shooting drill where players move around the field. Players start from two lines, dribbling at high speed and shooting at the latest between the cones. The next player starts from the line when the previous player has shot. After shooting, the player retrieves the ball and continues the circuit from the other side. Compete for example to see who scores five goals first. The drill is easy to vary by creating, for example, a slalom course with cones or by requiring different feints before shooting (step-over, body feint...)

Turn and Finish

A shooting drill that starts from the end line. The player starts by running with the ball and plays a pass to the middle. The player continues running around the cone, turning towards the ball and the goal. After this, the player places the ball into the goal. The passing spot can also be marked with a cone, and by making this into a goal-scoring competition, more speed can be added.

Shooting Mill

A shooting drill where players shoot at a counterball. First, the player weaves through running sticks (/agility ladder), after which a pass comes from the opposite line, which is shot with the first touch. After this, the player moves with the ball to the other line.

Finishing from a wall pass

In this drill, players finish with one touch after a wall pass. Players are in two lines, and at the beginning, it can be agreed whether the performances happen simultaneously with continuous passing or taking turns one at a time. The first player in the line takes a short dribble (you can also add a short slalom course here), followed by a pass to the middle player, who provides a wall pass. Finishing with the first touch after the wall pass. You can create a good competition when one line is always one team and players can perform with continuous passing. When a goal is scored, they shout which goal it was for their team. After the competition, change lines. Remember to rotate the wall pass player.

Shooting Competition

Three pairs, all starting at the same time with a wall pass to their own partner and shooting with the first touch. After shooting, players continue their movement toward the goal, where a cross comes from the flank.

Shooting competition to three goals

Three goals, each with a goalkeeper, are placed in the area. Additionally, dribbling courses with cones are set up on the field. Players start from the center at the starting cone and begin dribbling through the cones. After completing the dribbling course, they shoot towards the goal. If a player scores, they may return to the starting cone and continue with a new attempt. It doesn't matter which course they choose. If the goalkeeper saves the shot or the shot goes wide, the player who took the shot becomes the goalkeeper for the next round. The player who scores the most goals when the time (1-3 min) expires wins.

Finishing Exercise

1. Start: The end player passes to the player positioned in the center. 2. Wall Pass: The center player returns the ball to the end player with a wall pass. 3. Switching play to the wide player: The end player passes to the player positioned higher up on the flank. 4. Pass to the scoring zone: The wide player passes to the center player, who has moved up into a shooting position. 5. Finishing: The center player finishes with a shot on goal. On the other side, the exercise is mirrored. The exercise can be modified by creating predetermined gates through which the passes must go to reach desired areas.

Faster Wins

In this drill, the faster goal scorer wins. The drill starts with agility ladders, where a specific stepping pattern is agreed upon. After the agility ladders, players take a ball and dribble through a slalom course. After the slalom course, there's a quick finish into the goal.

Feint and Shoot

A two-player drill where one player tries to block shots. The attacker's task is to feint with their body to deceive the defending player in order to create space for a shot on goal.

Shooting from volley/half-volley

The player on the flank throws the ball to the player who has rounded the cone, who shoots with the first touch.

Shooting from volley/half-volley 2

The player's starting position is at the cone, facing the goal. The coach throws the ball in the air in front of the player, and the player shoots with the first touch. After the shot, the player touches the cone behind (yellow in the picture) and the coach puts in a new ball.

Shooting drill with dribbling

The drill starts simultaneously in both lines. Players dribble through the slalom course and run diagonally from the middle without colliding with each other and shoot at the goal from behind the cone. After shooting, retrieve the ball and go to the other line. The next player in line starts when the previous player reaches the end of the slalom course. Can be held as an individual or team competition based on the number of goals scored.

Shooting drill with first touches

Pass-shot drill

An area is marked at the edge of the penalty area, where there are two attacking players. Passes come to this area from three queues, one ball at a time. When the pass comes, one of the players in the area gives a first-touch pass to the other player, who also shoots with the first touch. After this, a new pass comes from the next cone. For example, we do two rounds so that two passes come from each cone, allowing both players in the area to get the same number of repetitions. After this, new shooters are rotated into the area.

Shooting drill with feint/turn

In this drill, players start from a queue (yellow cone) and dribble towards the opponent (orange cones). Before the cones, the player performs a pre-agreed feint or turn, such as step-over, body feint, scissors feint, sole turn, Cruyff turn, Zidane spin.. After the feint, the player takes a shot.

Shooting Drill

Shooting practice with dribbling. Create three lines, with the shooter starting from the middle line. The middle line has an agility ladder, after which the player takes quick steps to the shooting position. The outer lines have players with balls. Players move from the side lines to the middle line. Different mandatory styles can be created for the dribbling courses, such as mandatory two touches with the inside of the foot on both sides or dribbling by rolling with the sole of the foot.

Passing drill with finishing

Set up two lanes on both sides of the field. Always change positions after each repetition. 1. Pass to the player in front and move slightly to the side. 2. The pass is returned. 3. Longer pass to the striker. 4. The striker plays a wall pass to the wide player. 5. Finishing.

Finishing with back to goal

Create a "defender" from cones (orange ones) and the attacker positions in front of them. A pass comes from the queue to the attacker, who takes the first touch past the cones to the side and shoots. As a variation, when the pass is made, the coach can shout the direction in which the attacker must turn.

Finishing from a wall pass

Goals at the ends of the area. Queues on the right or left side of the goals. 1. The pass starts diagonally from the red player to the black player. 2. The black player makes a wall pass to the red player waiting at the opposite cone. 3. The red player finishes, retrieves the ball and moves to the end queue. 4. The player who passed from the end moves to the cone in the middle of the area.

Goal Scoring Competition

Divide players into two teams. Goalkeepers in goals and place many balls in the central area. The competition ends when all balls in the middle are used. Count the goals scored!