Football drills
Free · No sign-up · With diagrams
The drills from the blog’s training sessions, with diagrams, on one page: filter by age group, objective, the number of players you have and the space, and open each one in the tactics board to adapt it to your session. Every three days, a new drill from the Coaching Notebooks books is added.
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1v1 to 2v2 in a channel
5–10 players · 20×30 m · 12 min · high intensity
Defenders serve to attackers and defend a 20×30 m channel in front of a goal with a goalkeeper, progressing from 1v1 to 2v2.
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Busy bees
8–12 players · 20×20 m · 6 min · medium intensity
Every child dribbles freely with a ball in a 20×20 m box while the coach calls a new challenge every 20–30 seconds.
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Tail tag with a ball
6–14 players · 20×25 m · 8 min · high intensity
Children dribble in a 25×20 m area with bib tails while two dribbling catchers try to pull them; nobody is eliminated.
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Gates game
4–12 players · 25×25 m · 8 min · medium intensity
Children dribble through as many 2 m disc gates as possible in 60 seconds inside a 25×25 m area, later avoiding gate guards.
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2v2 to four mini-goals
4–12 players · groups of 4 · 15×20 m · 12 min · high intensity
Pairs play 2v2 on a 15×20 m pitch, each team attacking two mini-goals and defending two, with no goalkeepers.
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3v3 festival
6–18 players · groups of 6 · 15×20 m · 20 min · high intensity
3v3 games without goalkeepers on 15×20 m pitches, with winners and losers moving pitch after each game so opponents change.
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Copy the leader
4–12 players · groups of 2 · 20×20 m · 10 min · medium intensity
Pairs with a ball each in a 20×20 m box: the leader dribbles and changes direction or speed while the follower copies from behind.
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1v1 channels
6–16 players · groups of 2 · 10×15 m · 15 min · high intensity
Pairs duel in parallel 10×15 m channels: the defender serves and closes down, the attacker scores by stopping the ball on the far line.
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1v1 to goal with finishing
4–7 players · 20×25 m · 16 min · high intensity
An attacker receives from the coach and attacks a goal with a goalkeeper while a chasing defender can counter into two mini-goals.
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5v5 with a dribble bonus
8–12 players · 27×37 m · 22 min · high intensity
5v5 (four outfield plus goalkeeper) on a 37×27 m pitch where goals involving a successful dribble count double.
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Gate dribbling for everyone
8–30 players · 30×30 m · 8 min · medium intensity
Every child dribbles through as many gates as possible in a 30×30 m square with ten cone gates, starting on arrival.
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The station circuit
20–30 players · groups of 6 · Half pitch · 32 min · medium intensity
Groups of six rotate through four stations on half a pitch: 3v3 to mini-goals, 1v1 channels, dribble and shoot with the coach, passing gates.
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1v1 channels
6 players · groups of 2 · 8×15 m · 7 min · high intensity
Self-running station with three 15×8 m channels side by side, one pair per channel, attacker scoring by stopping the ball on the far line.
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Dribble and shoot
4–6 players · Indoor or small area · 7 min · medium intensity
Coach station: players start 20 m out, dribble past a cone with a feint and shoot before a line 10 m from goal.
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Two 6v6 games side by side
20–24 players · groups of 12 · 25×35 m · 14 min · high intensity
Four teams of six play two simultaneous games on 35×25 m pitches, with the coach standing between them on the halfway line.
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1v1 in the wide channel
5–7 players · 15×30 m · high intensity
Full-backs serve to wingers and defend a 15×30 m channel along the touchline, steering them down the line rather than inside.
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2v1 finishing waves
6–18 players · Quarter pitch · 12 min · medium intensity
Two attackers from 30 m take on a defender and a goalkeeper, with 8 seconds to finish before the next wave starts from the other side.
How to use the library
Pick the age group and the objective of the session and enter how many players you have: the list only shows the drills that fit, including those run in parallel groups. Each card shows the space, duration and intensity, and opens the full drill sheet.
From diagram to session
"Open in the tactics board" opens the diagram with the same players, cones, mini goals and zones, named after the drill. Change what you need and send the link to your coaches on WhatsApp, no account needed.
Frequently asked questions
Are the drills free?
Yes. The library, the tactics board and the blog sessions are free and need no sign-up.
Where do the drills come from?
From the training sessions on the DorsalCUP blog. Each drill sheet links to the section of the article where the drill is explained, with the context of the session.
Can I share a search or my favourites?
Yes. The filters are kept in the page address and favourites are shared with a link: whoever opens it sees the same drills, no account needed.