Football Drills & Trainingby Play 2 Earn Sports

Football fitness drills:155 you can watch in 3D

Players work harder when there is a ball and a game in it. These build fitness with a reason to run.

Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Get early access
See all 155 fitness drills in the app
The sample drill Slow Pass Means Go: six players on a green pitch.
Try itSlow Pass Means Go

Drag a player, then press play. These are sample names: sign in and your real roster imports automatically. Try your own names, numbers and kit.

These drills build speed, footwork and the ability to repeat hard runs, often with a ball. They run from U6 to adult teams. Younger groups get races and relays, and older groups get harder work and shorter rests. Here are a few to look at, and the app has all 155, each one playing in 3D.

8 of 155

Cone Turn Dash: 11 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U8

Cone Turn Dash

8 min · 11 players

Sprint down your lane with the ball, whip around the far cone and send it back to the next racer in your line.

  • Sprint with the ball, pushing it ahead in a straight lane
  • Hook the ball round the far cone with the inside of your foot, staying close enough to touch it
King of the Court 2v2: 6 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U8

King of the Court 2v2

8 min · 6 players

Win the 2v2 and rotate quickly to the next court.

  • Pass and move
  • Attack the space
Interval Rondo: 45 Seconds On, Then Rest: 10 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U14

Interval Rondo: 45 Seconds On, Then Rest

15 min · 10 players

Keep the ball for 45 seconds of hard work, then rest while the next group goes.

  • Work at full tempo for the whole 45 seconds
  • Two touches maximum, keep the ball moving
Interval Possession: 12 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U16

Interval Possession

10 min · 12 players

Possess the ball for 45 seconds, then rest, with a two-touch limit.

  • Keep possession for 45 seconds
  • Two touches maximum
Interval Possession: 45 Seconds On: 14 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U18

Interval Possession: 45 Seconds On

20 min · 14 players

Keep possession at high tempo through each 45-second set, scoring points for passes completed and losing points for every ball given away.

  • 45 seconds on, then full rest: the last ten seconds of each set are the ones that decide the score
  • One point per completed pass, minus one for every ball lost, so safe choices beat ambitious ones
Quick Feet, Quick Release: 11 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. Adult

Quick Feet, Quick Release

10 min · 11 players

Run two ladders side by side in a tight space and move the ball on first time as you step out, with partners ready and no waiting in line.

  • Keep your chest over your knees in the ladder, then lift your eyes to the feeder on the last two squares
  • Step out and release with your first touch, playing the ball across your body to the middle partner
Red Castle, Blue Castle: 15 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U6

Red Castle, Blue Castle

10 min · 15 players

Two castles race to dribble out to the middle, grab a treasure cone and bring it home, with one point for every cone in the castle.

  • Tiny taps with the toes on the way out, so the ball stays close enough to touch
  • Put your foot on top of the ball before you bend down for the treasure cone
Keeper Footwork Through Poles Then a Save: 4 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U10

Keeper Footwork Through Poles Then a Save

12 min · 4 players

Move your feet quickly through the poles and still be set for the shot.

  • Short, quick steps through the poles
  • Do not cross your feet

147 more fitness drills are in the app, each playing in 3D with the full set-up and steps.

See all 155 fitness drills in the app

Building fitness safely

Warm up first

Start every session with gentle movement before any sprinting.

Work, then rest

Short hard efforts with proper rest build the kind of speed used in a game.

Fit the age

Young players need games and variety. Save harder running for older teams.

Keeping it useful

Use the ball

A relay or race with a ball trains control while the legs are tired.

Add a reason

A race to win a loose ball feels very different from a plain sprint.

Short sessions

Slot a few minutes into training, so skill work stays fresh.

Questions

Do kids need fitness drills?

Young players mostly need to play. The U6 to U10 drills here are races and games, not hard running.

How long does a fitness drill run?

Most run for 8 to 16 minutes.

How many players do I need?

Most need 3 to 12 players.

See all 155 fitness drills in the app

Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Get early access
About the football drills app