Football Drills & Trainingby Play 2 Earn Sports

Football drills for wide play:68 you can watch in 3D

Wide play is about timing. Let players see when to hold the width and when to run before you ask them to do it.

Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Get early access
See all 68 wide play 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 teach teams to use the whole width: switching the ball, overlapping, crossing and cutting back. They start at U10, and most are for U14 and older. Here are a few to look at, and the app has all 68, each one playing in 3D.

8 of 68

Cut-Back from the Byline: 9 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U12

Cut-Back from the Byline

10 min · 9 players

Steal the ball, break down the wing to the end line and pull it back for a late runner in the middle of the box.

  • After the steal, the first ball goes straight to the wide player so the break starts before the defenders can turn
  • Carry it almost to the end line, then roll the pull-back along the grass with the inside of the foot
Hang It, Hit It: 8 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U14

Hang It, Hit It

15 min · 8 players

Time a run onto a ball floated from the flank and strike it out of the air before it drops, with a second forward crashing the far side for rebounds.

  • Server, set the ball out of your feet with one touch, then float it to reach the striker at waist height
  • Turn side-on as the ball drops and point your standing foot at the far post
Decoy Near, Finish Far: 8 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U12

Decoy Near, Finish Far

14 min · 8 players

Pull the defender to the near post with a decoy run so a skidding ball from the wing finds a teammate alone beyond the far post.

  • Decoy striker, sprint hard at the near post early so the defender has to go with you
  • Winger, look up on the last dribble touch and hit the ball along the ground across the six-yard line
Volley The Wide Serve: 4 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U16

Volley The Wide Serve

16 min · 4 players

Meet the serve from the flank with a first-time volley on the weaker foot and put it across the keeper.

  • Get side on early and volley with the inside of the weaker foot, not the laces, so the ball stays down
  • Contact the ball at knee height with the standing foot planted beside it and the knee over the ball
Crossing and Finishing with an Overlapping Full-Back: 10 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U16

Crossing and Finishing with an Overlapping Full-Back

15 min · 10 players

Overlap on the wing, cross low and finish first time with a two-touch limit.

  • Full-back overlaps on the outside, not through the winger
  • Cross low and hard into the space between keeper and centre-back
Hurl and Go: 7 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U18

Hurl and Go

16 min · 7 players

An overarm release to the wing turns a claim into an attack in five touches, beating a first presser and then a second defender who sprints across to help.

  • Keeper releases on the winger's front foot, at chest height, before the presser has left their line
  • Step forward through the throw and follow with the shoulder, so the ball arrives flat and does not hang
Full-Back Overlap to the Near Post: 8 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U14

Full-Back Overlap to the Near Post

12 min · 8 players

A full-back gives the ball to the winger, runs round the outside, takes the return and crosses for a striker attacking the near post.

  • Bend the overlap behind the winger's back and call early, so the winger knows the outside is covered without looking
  • Hold the ball until the defender commits, then slide it ahead of the full-back's stride, not to the feet
Back-Stick Sweep: 10 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U14

Back-Stick Sweep

14 min · 10 players

Stretch a back line with a long carry down the flank so a weak-side runner can ghost behind it and sweep home the delivery.

  • Drive the delivery across the six-yard line at shin height so the keeper cannot claim it
  • Time the run from outside the last defender's eyeline and arrive as the ball rolls past the penalty spot

60 more wide play drills are in the app, each playing in 3D with the full set-up and steps.

See all 68 wide play drills in the app

What to coach

Hold the width

Wide players stay wide until the ball is on its way, which keeps space open inside.

Switch early

Move the ball across before the defence has shifted over, not after.

Time the overlap

Run around the ball carrier as they draw a defender, so the pass arrives into space.

The final ball

Look before crossing

Take one look at the box, so the ball goes to a player and not just an area.

Try the cut-back

From near the goal line, a pass back to the edge of the box is often the open chance.

Fill the box

Agree who goes near post, who goes far post and who waits at the top of the box.

Questions

What age should players start working on wide play?

The app has these from U10, with most from U14 up. Younger players do well just learning to spread out.

How many players do these drills need?

Most need 4 to 12 players.

How long do they run?

Most run for 12 to 18 minutes.

See all 68 wide play drills in the app

Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Get early access
About the football drills app