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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First pressing on a trigger
11 players · Half pitch · 18 min · high intensity
Five plus a goalkeeper build towards mini-goals on half a 9v9 pitch while five defenders press together when the ball goes wide.
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9v9 with conditions
16–18 players · 46×73 m · 27 min · high intensity
Full 9v9 match in two halves where receiving between the lines and pressing regains in the opponent's half earn bonuses.
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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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4v4 plus 3 possession
11 players · 26×30 m · 18 min · high intensity
Two teams of four keep the ball with three neutrals (one inside, two on the end lines) in a 30×26 m area at high intensity.
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Back six against six
13–18 players · Half pitch · 23 min · high intensity
Goalkeeper, back four and two midfielders defend against six attackers from 40 m, then counter into two mini-goals after a regain.
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9v9 on two-thirds of the pitch
16–20 players · Full pitch · 18 min · high intensity
9v9 plus goalkeepers on two-thirds of the pitch at full width, with a goal scored soon after a regain counting double.
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Coordinated high press
16–18 players · Full pitch · 23 min · high intensity
A team in a 4-4-2 presses a seven-player build-up on two-thirds of the pitch, jumping together when the ball reaches the full-back.
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Positional rondo 3v3+3
9–18 players · groups of 9 · 25×30 m · 18 min · medium intensity
Two teams of three plus three neutrals (one at each end, one central) in 30×25 m; losing the ball triggers a 5-second counter-press.
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3v2 transition waves
7–20 players · Half pitch · 14 min · high intensity
Three attackers face two defenders on half a pitch; the defenders then counter against a new single defender towards a mini-goal at halfway.
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9v9 on 70×50 m
18–20 players · 50×70 m · 16 min · medium intensity
A 9v9 on 70×50 m (3-2-3 v 3-3-2) where a goal within 8 seconds of winning the ball counts double.
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2v2 pressure and cover
4–16 players · groups of 4 · 20×25 m · 12 min · medium intensity
Two defenders serve to two attackers in 20×25 m and protect two gates, with the nearest pressing and the partner covering behind.
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2v2 finishing between two goals
6–16 players · 20×25 m · 18 min · high intensity
Pairs play 2v2 for up to 45 seconds between two goals with goalkeepers in 25×20 m, then the next pairs come on.
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Transition rondo
6–18 players · groups of 6 · 12×12 m · 8 min · medium intensity
Four keep the ball against two in a 12×12 m box; on a regain the two try to escape through a gate while the losers counter-press.
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5v5 plus 2 with a counter-press bonus
12 players · 35×36 m · 18 min · high intensity
Two teams of five plus two side neutrals in 35×36 m score by dribbling over the end line or 10 passes, with a bonus for 5-second regains.
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Partial 11v11: attack, lose, counter-press
15–18 players · Full pitch · 23 min · high intensity
Eight players, two of them centre-backs as rest defence, attack a back four, two midfielders and a goalkeeper, who counter through gates at halfway.
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8v8 transition game
18 players · Full pitch · 22 min · high intensity
An 8v8 plus goalkeepers between the penalty boxes at full width, rewarding fast goals after regains and 5-second counter-press wins.
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Phase of play: overload to isolate
19 players · Half pitch · 28 min · high intensity
Ten attackers progress from halfway against a mid-block of eight and a goalkeeper, overloading one side then switching to isolate the far winger.
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.