Soccer Hold Up Play Drills: 6 Games to Receive Back to Goal, Shield and Bring Team-Mates In
Quick answer: Hold-up play is receiving with your back to goal, shielding the ball from the defender behind you, and laying it off or…
Welcome to the ultimate Soccer Drills Database. Whether you are coaching U7 grassroots or a senior semi-pro team, having a fresh library of effective exercises is essential to keep training engaging and challenging.
We have organized our drills by Phase of Play and Technical Objective. Browse our collection to find exercises that solve specific match problems—from fixing a leaky defense to unlocking a low block. All drills include detailed diagrams, coaching points, and progressions to adapt the difficulty for your players’ level.
Start with your “Session Objective.” If your goal is to improve switching play, choose a drill that rewards wide passes. Don’t just pick a drill because it looks fun; pick one that specifically solves the problem your team faced in the last match.
Generally, a single drill should last 15-20 minutes. If it’s too short, players don’t have time to learn the concept. If it’s too long, intensity drops. Always stop the drill while the energy is still high, not when players are bored.

Quick answer: Hold-up play is receiving with your back to goal, shielding the ball from the defender behind you, and laying it off or…

Quick answer: The second ball is the loose ball that drops after a long ball, clearance or goal kick is contested in the air….

Quick answer: A counter attack is the 10 seconds after your team wins the ball. Play the first pass forward, sprint past the ball,…

Quick answer: A third man run is the run nobody is marking. One player passes up to a teammate, that teammate lays the ball…

Quick answer: Receiving on the half-turn means standing side-on before the ball arrives, so you can see the passer and the space ahead at…

Quick answer: An overlap is a run around the outside of the ball carrier. An underlap is a run inside the ball carrier, into…

Quick answer: A cutback is a low pass played backwards from the byline to a runner arriving at the penalty spot. Drive wide at…

Quick answer: A 10v9 works when the ten attackers play through the thirds in order — build from the goalkeeper, break the first pressing…

Quick answer: A 9v8 works when the nine attackers play through the thirds in order — build from the goalkeeper, break the first pressing…

Quick answer: An 8v7 works when the eight attackers build from the goalkeeper, carry the ball through a free zone into the final third,…

Quick answer: A 7v6 works when the seven attackers build with width, find the free player between the lines, and turn the spare player…

Quick answer: A 6v5 breaks a low block when the six attackers stay wide, move the ball in two touches, and turn the spare…
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