Soccer Cutback Drills: 6 Games to Finish the Low Pull-Back

Quick answer: A cutback is a low pass played backwards from the byline to a runner arriving at the penalty spot. Drive wide at speed, hold the runners until the server’s head goes down, then cut the ball back low and finish first time with the inside of the foot.

Suitable for: U11–U18

Most crosses never reach a striker. Defenders sprint back to their own goal line, the goalkeeper sets on the near post, and the cross is headed away or smothered.

The cutback uses that recovery run against the defence. When every defender runs towards the goal line, the space behind them opens up at the penalty spot. The same finish works in football anywhere, because the recovery run, the goalkeeper’s set position and the penalty-spot space do not change.

These six soccer cutback drills teach the full sequence: the wide drive, the delayed run, the decision against a defender, and the finish under pressure. Each drill ends with a shot, and each one can be run from the diagram and steps alone.

Session snapshot

• Players: 12–18 (pairs for Drill 1, groups of 6–8 for Drills 2–5, two teams for Drill 6)
• Area: One half pitch; finishing drills use the penalty area plus 15 yards beyond it; game 40 x 30 yards
• Duration: 60 minutes (45-minute version: Drills 1, 2 and 6 only)
• Focus: Low pull-back, delayed runs, first-time finishing, reading the defender
• Equipment: 10–12 balls, 14 cones, bibs, 1 full-size or age-appropriate goal, 2 mini-goals for Drill 6
• Age: U11–U18 (see age adaptations)

The one rule: arrive late, finish first time

A cutback only works if three things happen in order. The wide player must drive to the byline, the runners must hold their runs, and the finish must be first time.

• Drive to the byline. A cutback from 25 yards out is a square pass, not a cutback. The server must reach the last 6 yards before playing it back.
• Hold, then arrive. Runners who start early stand still in the box and get marked. Runners who hold on the edge arrive as the ball arrives.
• Finish first time, low, across the goalkeeper. A second touch lets a recovering defender block. Side-foot placement beats power from the penalty spot.

Start with this crossing and finishing game if your wide delivery is not yet reliable; the cutback below needs the same wide drive, and it adds the delayed run and the low pull-back that turn a cross into a first-time finish.

Drill 1 — Penalty-Spot Pairs

The blocked-practice start: one server, one finisher, and the same low pull-back 10 times from each side.

Setup:

• One goal, with a goalkeeper, and a server wide on the right, 25 yards from goal.
• Finisher starts on the penalty spot, 12 yards from goal, facing the server.
• Balls with the server, and a cone 6 yards from the byline marking the cutback line.

How to Play:

1. The server dribbles at speed to the cutback line, on the byline.
2. The finisher holds on the penalty spot and does not move early.
3. The server plays a low cutback to the penalty spot with the inside of the foot.
4. The finisher arrives as the ball arrives and finishes first time, side-foot, far corner.
5. The pair swaps roles after 6 reps, then repeats from the left side.

Coach’s note: The cue is “Arrive, don’t wait!” If the finisher stands on the spot early, the goalkeeper sets and the angle closes.

Progressions: Finisher must finish with the weaker foot, then the server must cut back first time with no extra touch.

Drill 2 — Byline Drive and Delayed Run

The timing drill. Two runners learn to stagger their arrivals, so one attacks the near post and one arrives late at the penalty spot.

Setup:

• One goal, with a goalkeeper, a winger wide on the right, and two runners on the edge of the box.
• Near-post runner starts 18 yards from goal, delayed runner starts 22 yards from goal.
• Balls with a feeder 30 yards from goal, on the right touchline.

How to Play:

1. The feeder plays the winger into space down the right touchline.
2. The winger drives at speed to the byline, with the ball on the outside foot.
3. Both runners hold their positions until the winger’s head goes down to play the ball.
4. The near-post runner sprints to the front post, and the delayed runner sprints to the penalty spot.
5. The winger cuts the ball back low, and the delayed runner finishes first time.

Coach’s note: The cue is “Head down, go!” The runners move on the server’s head, not on the pass. A runner who moves on the pass arrives late.

Progressions: The winger must choose near post or penalty spot from the runners’ movement, then add a recovering defender who starts 5 yards behind the near-post runner.

Drill 3 — Cutback or Cross? Read the Defender

The decision drill. The winger reads one defender in the channel and chooses the delivery that the defender gives away.

Setup:

• One goal, with a goalkeeper, a winger wide on the right, and one defender in the channel.
• Two runners in the box: one at the near post, one on the penalty spot.
• Balls with a feeder 30 yards from goal, and a cone gate 20 yards from the byline.

How to Play:

1. The feeder plays the winger through the cone gate, 1v1 against the defender.
2. The winger drives at the defender and reads the defender’s body shape.
3. If the defender shows the winger outside, the winger drives to the byline and cuts back low.
4. If the defender drops deep to protect the byline, the winger plays an early low cross to the near post.
5. The runners attack both zones on every rep, so the finish is ready for either delivery.

Coach’s note: The cue is “Read the hips!” A defender with open hips gives the byline away. A defender who turns and runs gives the early cross away.

Progressions: The defender starts live and may tackle, then the winger must beat the defender with one move before choosing the delivery.

Drill 4 — 3v2 Cutback Wave

The opposed wave. Three attackers against two defenders and a goalkeeper, with new waves arriving every 20 seconds.

Setup:

• One goal, with a goalkeeper, in a 35 x 25 yard area ending at the penalty area.
• Three attackers start 30 yards from goal, two defenders start on the edge of the box.
• Balls with the coach on the halfway line, and the next wave waiting behind the attackers.

How to Play:

1. The coach plays the ball to the wide attacker, who drives down the right channel.
2. The two central attackers hold on the edge of the box until the wide player reaches the byline.
3. The defenders step out to press the ball, leaving the penalty spot open.
4. The wide player cuts the ball back low to the penalty spot.
5. The delayed central attacker finishes first time, and the other attacker attacks any rebound.

Coach’s note: The cue is “Wave, wave, wave!” The next wave starts as soon as the last shot is taken. Slow waves teach slow arrivals.

Progressions: The defenders may start 5 yards higher, then the attackers must finish within 6 seconds of the coach’s pass.

Drill 5 — Rondo to Cutback

The combination drill, in line with the FIFA Training Centre crossing session: a short rondo, a long pass wide, and a sprint to attack the cutback.

Setup:

• A 12 x 12 yard rondo grid, 30 yards from goal, with 4 attackers and 1 defender inside.
• Two wide players wait on cones on each touchline, level with the penalty area.
• One goal, with a goalkeeper, and balls with the coach beside the rondo grid.

How to Play:

1. The four attackers keep the ball in the rondo and complete 4 passes.
2. The player who receives the fourth pass plays a firm long pass to a wide player.
3. As the long pass travels, the three other attackers sprint towards the penalty area.
4. The wide player takes one touch and drives to the byline.
5. The wide player cuts the ball back low, and the first attacker to arrive finishes first time.

Coach’s note: The cue is “Four passes, then go!” The sprint starts on the long pass, not on the cutback. A late sprint is a marked runner.

Progressions: The rondo defender may win the ball and play it wide themselves, then the wide players must deliver with their weaker foot.

Drill 6 — Cutback-Only Game

The conditioned game. Only goals from a cutback count double, so every attack must find the byline and pull the ball back.

Setup:

• Area 40 x 30 yards, with a goal at each end and a goalkeeper in each goal.
• Two teams of 6, plus 2 neutral wide players, one on each touchline.
• Balls start with the coach on the halfway line, thrown or passed in to restart play.

How to Play:

1. The coach plays the ball in, and teams keep possession with no touch limit.
2. A team may only shoot after the ball has reached a neutral wide player.
3. The neutral wide player drives to the byline and cuts the ball back low.
4. A goal from a cutback scores 2 points, and any other goal scores 1 point.
5. After a goal, the other team restarts, and the neutral players swap sides every 4 minutes.

Coach’s note: The cue is “Byline or nothing!” Freeze any team that shoots without a wide delivery. The game must teach the habit, not just the finish.

Progressions: Cutback goals only count if finished first time, then the neutral players may enter the box after playing the cutback.

Coaching points

• “Arrive, don’t wait!” Runners must time their run to the server’s head going down, not to the pass.
• “Drive to the byline!” A cutback from distance is a square pass. The server must reach the last 6 yards.
• “Read the hips!” The defender’s body shape chooses the delivery in Drill 3. Teach the read, not just the cross.
• “Four passes, then go!” In Drill 5, the sprint to the box starts on the long pass wide, in line with the FIFA Training Centre crossing session.
• “First time, low, far corner!” Finish every cutback first time with the side foot. Train the placement with a 1v1 finishing drill.
• “Byline or nothing!” In Drill 6, no wide delivery means no shot. The constraint builds the habit.

Common mistakes

Age adaptations

60-minute session plan

Run the six games as one session with this 60-minute plan, or take any two games for a 20-minute block.

For the switch that creates the wide 1v1 in Drill 5, use the same attract-and-switch idea as this switching play game, where drawing the defence to one side opens the far-side winger.

Sources

These soccer cutback drills are based on the combination-play and crossing principles in the FIFA Training Centre session on attacking the cross, which stresses well-timed runs, correctly weighted passes, first-time crosses behind the back line, and attackers sprinting into the penalty area as the ball is played wide, and in line with the FIFA Training Centre goalkeeping exercise on defending cut-back crosses, which trains reading whether the ball will arrive across goal, at the near post or as a cut-back and adjusting position to meet it.

FAQ