Soccer defending drills to teach proper defensive skills and team strategies.
Defending is a vital part of soccer that requires discipline, positioning, and teamwork to stop the opposition. This page provides drills to help players develop defensive skills such as tackling, marking, and intercepting to protect their goal effectively.
EASY
This 1v1 drill focuses on a passing combination with movement off the ball and finishes with a one vs. one to goal. If players miss they become the keeper and the game continues. Players love the fun, competitive twist of being able to make a player become a goalkeeper.
Easy
In Soccer, 4v4 is the smallest version of a full-sided game. While on the attack, to be successful in a four vs. four soccer match, players must penetrate via the pass, dribble, or shot; players must provide support to the player with the ball, and players need to create width to the field. On the defensive side, a player must pressure the ball to delay the attack, another player should cover for the player pressuring the ball, and the remaining two players balance the field of play. This 4v4 practice focuses on all aspects of the match, including attacking, defending, passing, receiving, supporting, penetrating, and spreading the field.
EASY
This soccer dribbling drill is a great soccer drill using a Pugg Goal that can be tweaked to focus on many aspects of the game. For younger players ages 8-11, the primary focus should be on proper dribbling technique in traffic which requires vision and awareness. The coach can also focus on the transition from offense to defense if the ball is lost, or recovering from a tackle and finding safety. Defensively, this allows defenders to steal the ball from attackers and play to a particular goal or target.
EASY
This drill is great to focus on 1v1 play. It is flexible and can be used to work on the offensive side or the defensive side. On the offensive side you can get attackers to attack the defenders with speed, quick change of pace with an explosive touch to get away, getting behind the defensive players and shooting at half chances. On the defensive side, you can focus on closing down quickly, forcing the attacker to the side and closing down the attack.
Hard
This drill is a very fast paced 1v1 or 2v2 soccer game that focuses on aspects of the small sided game such as dribbling, passing, and scoring.
MEDIUM
The Four Corners Passing Game is a great soccer passing drill to focus on changing the point of the attack, and timing of runs and passes.
MEDIUM
This attacking soccer drill is a great drill to focus on finishing. Since the attackers have the numerical advantage, they should learn how to exploit their advantage and finish with a shot on goal.
MEDIUM
This drill focuses on keeping possession. Passing, receiving, movement, and angle of support can be singled out. Causes players to look up and be aware of the surrounding players.
MEDIUM
That is a fast paced 1v1 transition game mean to focus on beating the defender and getting it into your teammate, or quickly transition to defense if the ball is lost.
MEDIUM
The split the defenders passing game, soccer passing drill is excellent for a little more advanced player from 10 years old to 14 years and focuses on passing to split two defenders.
Hard
The Finding the Target Player possession passing drill is designed to encourage midfield and defensive players to look up the field to find the "Target Player" and play into that Target player.
MEDIUM
The 1v1 Soccer Drill to Goal is a great soccer drill to improve goal scoring opportunities. This drill focuses on beating the last defender, staying in control of the ball and finishing with a good shot on goal.
Premium