Football Drills & Trainingby Play 2 Earn Sports

Football possession drills:196 you can watch in 3D

Keeping the ball comes down to where players stand when they do not have it. That is easier to show than to say.

Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

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See all 196 possession 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.

Possession drills teach players to keep the ball under pressure: finding space, offering a pass and moving it on. These run from U6 to adult teams, and most are for U12 to U16. Here are a few to look at, and the app has all 196, each one playing in 3D.

8 of 196

Rondo 4v1 Touch Warm-Up: 9 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U10

Rondo 4v1 Touch Warm-Up

12 min · 9 players

Move the ball quickly around one defender to build early touches and awareness.

  • Take your first touch away from the defender
  • Pass with the inside of your foot
Split the Defenders and Set Back: 7 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U12

Split the Defenders and Set Back

10 min · 7 players

Play a pass between two defenders to a middle player who sets it back.

  • Pass through the gap between the defenders
  • The middle player sets back with one touch
4v4 with a Floater: 11 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U10

4v4 with a Floater

8 min · 11 players

Use the neutral floater to keep possession in a 4v4.

  • Find the floater
  • Keep the ball moving
4v4 with Touchline Support: 12 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U12

4v4 with Touchline Support

8 min · 12 players

Keep possession and use support players on the touchlines.

  • Use the support players
  • Keep the ball moving
Two-Box Possession: 11 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U14

Two-Box Possession

10 min · 11 players

Keep the ball in one box, then play into the second box.

  • Keep the ball in the first box
  • Play forward at the right time
Rondo 3v1 in 10x10: 4 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U8

Rondo 3v1 in 10x10

8 min · 4 players

Keep possession in a small 3v1 rondo.

  • Two touches maximum
  • Move after you pass
Transition Rondo: Winners Keep the Ball: 12 players at the start of the drill, in 3D on a green pitch. U12

Transition Rondo: Winners Keep the Ball

16 min · 12 players

Keep the ball under pressure with quick passes and win it back fast when it is lost.

  • Pass before the presser arrives
  • The moment you lose it, the nearest player presses
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

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

See all 196 possession drills in the app

What to coach

Angles of support

Give the player on the ball two easy options, not one player standing behind a defender.

Scan first

A look over the shoulder before the ball arrives tells a player where the next pass goes.

Move after passing

A pass and a stand-still makes life easy for the defender. Pass, then find a new space.

Changing the difficulty

Size of the area

A smaller area means less time. Start bigger and shrink it as the group improves.

Number of players

A numbers advantage, such as 4v2, helps the ball keep moving while the idea sinks in.

A reason to keep it

Give a point for a set number of passes, or for a pass through the defenders.

Questions

What is the difference between a rondo and a possession drill?

A rondo is one type, with players around the outside. Other possession drills let everyone move freely, often with teams and a target.

How many players do I need?

Most need 5 to 12 players.

How long should a possession drill run?

Most in the app run for 8 to 18 minutes. Short rounds with a rest keep the quality up.

See all 196 possession drills in the app

Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Get early access
About the football drills app