Stop Running Laps: 4 Soccer Endurance Drills with the Ball

If you want your players to play at a high intensity for 90 minutes, you might think you need to send them on a 5-mile run.

You are wrong.

Running laps makes players good at one thing: running laps. It does not teach them how to press, how to recover after a tackle, or how to make a decision when their heart rate is at 180bpm.

As a UEFA Fitness methodology, the most specific way to build match endurance is to play football. These 4 drills are designed to replicate the “Work:Rest” ratios of a real game, keeping the intensity high and the ball at their feet.

1. The “Eurofit” 4v4 Small Sided Game

This is the gold standard for aerobic power. It is used by top academies across Europe to replace long-distance running.

📋 Drill Profile

• Format: 4v4 (plus GKs if available)
• Grid Size: 30m x 20m (Small space = more braking/accelerating)
• Work/Rest: 4 Minutes Work / 2 Minutes Rest
• Sets: 4 Sets
• Focus: Aerobic Power & Agility.

How to Run It: Play a normal game of 4v4, but with one rule: The ball never leaves the pitch. The coach stands on the sideline with a pile of balls. The second a ball goes out, the coach throws a new one in immediately. This prevents players from resting while fetching the ball. It is 4 minutes of pure chaos.

2. The “Endless” Counter-Attack (Transition Fitness)

Soccer is a game of transitions. This drill forces players to sprint repeatedly over longer distances (40-60m) while attacking and defending.

📋 Drill Profile

• Format: 3v2 Continuous Wave
• Grid Size: Full Pitch (or 60m length)
• Work/Rest: Continuous for 6 minutes
• Focus: Anaerobic Speed & Recovery Runs.

How to Run It:

1. Team A (3 players) attacks Team B (2 Defenders and a GK).
2. Immediately after the shot is taken (or ball lost), Team A leaves the pitch.
3. Two new players from Team B sprint onto the field with a ball to attack the other end 2v1 against a waiting defender.
4. The game flows end-to-end like basketball. It involves high-speed sprinting with the ball.

3. High-Pressing Rondo Hunt

This is not a lazy warm-up Rondo. This is a “pressing trap” drill designed to exhaust the defenders and force quick passing from the attackers.

📋 Drill Profile

• Format: 6v2 or 5v2
• Grid Size: 10m x 10m (Tight)
• Work/Rest: Defenders work for 60 seconds MAX.
• Focus: Defensive pressing intensity & reaction speed.

How to Run It: The 2 defenders in the middle must hold a bib in their hands. They must work together to win the ball.

• The Rule: The defenders stay in for 60 seconds regardless of winning the ball. If they win it, the coach plays a new one in.
• The Intensity: Count how many interceptions they make in 1 minute. Make it a competition.

4. The “Box-to-Box” Dribble Shuttle

This combines technical dribbling with interval running. Great for the end of a session.

📋 Drill Profile

• Format: Individual Relay
• Grid Size: 20m distance
• Work/Rest: 1 min ON / 1 min OFF
• Focus: Dribbling while fatigued.

How to Run It: Set up a slalom course of 5 cones.

1. Player sprints with the ball through the slalom.
2. At the end, they perform a sharp turn (Cruyff/Hook).
3. They sprint back with the ball in a straight line.
4. Pass to the next partner.

Why “With the Ball” is Better (Scientific Note)

When you run without the ball, your brain switches off. When you run with the ball (dribbling, passing, reacting), your cognitive load increases. This means you are training your brain to make decisions even when your lungs are burning—this is exactly what happens in the 85th minute of a match.

Frequently Asked Questions About Football Fitness

Read Also: The Science of Small Sided Games: A UEFA Pro Guide to Periodization & Pitch Sizes