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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Centre-back step-in game
6–9 players · Half pitch · medium intensity
Goalkeeper, two centre-backs and a holding midfielder build out against two forwards on half a 9v9 pitch to reach targets 35 m out.
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Three-zone build-up game
12 players · Half pitch · 20 min · medium intensity
Defenders build against a forward and look for a free midfielder between the lines, aiming to reach a target in the front zone.
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Finishing after a combination
10–14 players · Quarter pitch · 12 min · medium intensity
Two groups combine with a striker at the edge of the final third: pass in, lay-off, through ball and a first-time or one-touch finish.
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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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Pass and follow square
8–12 players · 15×15 m · 5 min · low intensity
Players at the four corners of a 12–15 m square pass to the next cone and follow their pass, keeping the drill flowing.
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Colour gate box
6 players · groups of 6 · 15×15 m · 10 min · medium intensity
Midfielder in a 15×15 m box receives from a server and turns through the colour gate called by the coach in one or two touches.
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Three-zone line-breaking game
8–9 players · 30×45 m · medium intensity
Three players beat a presser to find a midfielder marked in a middle zone, who turns and passes to targets on the end line.
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3v2 from the goalkeeper to an end zone
6 players · Quarter pitch · medium intensity
The goalkeeper and three players build out against two defenders and score by controlling the ball inside an end zone.
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Build-up 7v5 to gates
12 players · Half pitch · 23 min · high intensity
Goalkeeper, back four and two midfielders play out against five pressers and score through one of three gates about 35 m from goal.
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4v4 to four mini-goals
8 players · 25×30 m · high intensity
Two teams of four each attack two mini-goals and defend two on a 30×25 m pitch without goalkeepers, encouraging switches of play.
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3v3 end-zone game
6 players · 20×30 m · high intensity
A 3v3 on 30×20 m with 5 m end zones, where a team scores by receiving a pass in the zone after a timed run.
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3v1 rondos in four grids
4–16 players · groups of 4 · 8×8 m · 15 min · medium intensity
Groups of four play 3v1 rondos in 8×8 m grids, progressing from free touches to two-touch and a competitive round.
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3v3+2 possession box
8–16 players · groups of 8 · 15×20 m · 18 min · medium intensity
A 3v3 inside a 20×15 m box with two end neutrals; teams score by moving the ball from one neutral to the other.
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7v7 with goalkeepers on 50×34 m
14–16 players · 34×50 m · 20 min · medium intensity
A 7v7 with goalkeepers along the 50 m length of a quarter pitch, with a double goal after a forward pass from the middle third.
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Hold-up and lay-off
6–10 players · 20×20 m · 10 min · medium intensity
A striker with a defender behind holds up a pass from a server and lays it off for arriving midfielders to shoot in a 20×20 m area.
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Passing through gates
6–14 players · groups of 2 · 25×25 m · 10 min · medium intensity
Pairs with one ball pass through 2 m gates scattered in a 25×25 m area, taking the first touch away towards the next gate.
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Receiving diamond
5–6 players · groups of 6 · 15×15 m · 12 min · low intensity
An unopposed passing pattern round a 15 m diamond where each receiver opens up and receives across the body before passing on.
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3v1 support rondo
4–12 players · groups of 4 · 10×10 m · 14 min · medium intensity
Three attackers keep the ball from one defender in a 10×10 m box, always supporting on the sides next to the ball carrier.
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4v4+2 to end zones
10 players · 30×36 m · 15 min · medium intensity
Two teams of four plus two neutrals on 30×36 m score by passing to a team-mate who runs into a 5 m end zone.
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7v7 with scoring rules
14 players · 37×55 m · 20 min · medium intensity
A 7v7 on a 55×37 m pitch where a goal counts double after a one-two or a switch of play.
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The pattern of the day
7–21 players · groups of 7 · Half pitch · low intensity
Unopposed rehearsal on half a pitch of a build-up pattern: centre-back, full-back, 8 in the half-space, 6, then the far winger.
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Passing diamond with movement
4–20 players · groups of 5 · 20×20 m · 12 min · medium intensity
Groups of four or five pass round a 20×20 m diamond and follow the ball, progressing to wall passes and a third-man pattern.
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.