4v4 Soccer Drills & Games: Boost Player Skills With These Simple Drills

4v4 + Keeper to Full-Size Goals

This drill simulates real match conditions by developing players' ability to attack, defend, and transition in small-sided play. It encourages quick decision-making, team communication, and finishing with the added challenge of goalkeepers.

4v4+1 Corner Support Rondo

This drill improves quick passing, spatial awareness, and teamwork by encouraging players to use both central and corner support players to maintain possession. Players develop composure under pressure and transition awareness.

4v4+4 Corner Rondo

This drill enhances passing accuracy, spatial awareness, and teamwork by encouraging players to use the four corner players as outlets to maintain possession. It also develops defensive pressure and quick transitions.

4v4+4 Continuous Transition Rondo

This drill enhances quick decision-making, possession retention, and defensive pressing. Players develop composure under pressure, transition speed, and teamwork through a continuous cycle of possession and defending.

4v4+3 Continuous Transition Rondo

This drill develops quick decision-making, first-touch passing, defensive pressing, and transition play. Players learn to maintain possession under pressure while reacting instantly to role changes when possession shifts.

4v4 Scrimmage to Mini-Goals

The objective of a 4v4 soccer scrimmage to mini-goals is to replicate the dynamics of a full-sided game in a smaller, more controlled environment. This format encourages players to focus on quick decision-making, positioning, and maintaining possession under pressure, as well as improving their ability to transition between attacking and defending. The mini-goals emphasize accuracy and composure in front of the goal, helping players develop finishing skills without the presence of a goalkeeper.

4v4, Thirds of the Field, Shape and Positioning

This 4v4 drill is great for improving shape and positioning. Each player has their own responsibility: 1) attacker/target player stretches the field closer to the goal they are attacking. 2) winger players stretch the width of the field. 3) defensive player gives support to wingers and target player while staying the last man.

4v4 + Target Players with 2 Goals

The 4v4 + Target Players to 2 Goals is a great 4v4 soccer game that teaches players to play into their target player. This game adds a more realistic twist to the typical 4-on-4 soccer game.

4v4 Playing Wide Out of the Back

This drill is designed to get players to play balls wide when playing from the back, the defensive third of the field. Players recognize that they find more time and space on the outsides of the field and they are relieving the center of the pitch from dangerous play.

4V4 With 5 Goals Inside The 18

This 4v4 finishing drill is one of my favorite soccer finishing drills as it works on every aspect of finishing inside the 18-yard box. This drill focuses on soccer finishing skills such as chipping, crossing, heading, finishing and composure in the 18.

4v4 Zone Game

This 4v4 possession soccer drill helps players keep possession for a purpose with short and long passing combinations. This drill also allows one to focus on defensive transition by quickly close down space and eliminate passing lanes.

4v4 Soccer to a Small Gate

In Soccer, 4v4 is the smallest version of a full-sided game. While on the attack, to be successful in a four vs. four soccer match, players must penetrate via the pass, dribble, or shot; players must provide support to the player with the ball, and players need to create width to the field. On the defensive side, a player must pressure the ball to delay the attack, another player should cover for the player pressuring the ball, and the remaining two players balance the field of play. This 4v4 practice focuses on all aspects of the match, including attacking, defending, passing, receiving, supporting, penetrating, and spreading the field.