Soccer Defending Drills

Soccer Defending Drills will assure your team understands the tactic and technique of playing defense during a soccer match. Defending is the ability to prevent the opponent from getting chances and moving the ball forward. Although defense in soccer is not seen as a sexy part of the game, the truth is playing defense is a significant component of the game of soccer, as roughly half of your time is playing defense.

Pressure, cover, and balance are the three ingredients to coaching defense.

Pressure, cover, and balance are the three ingredients to coaching defense and is the key to good defensive shape. The idea is to put immediate pressure on the ball in attempt to dispossess your opponent as quickly as possible.

Pressure will teach the closest player to the ball to put pressure on the attacking player in hopes to dispossess the attacker or make them make a mistake.

Cover is a defensive positioning that gives immediate support to the pressuring players by positioning themselves near the pressure.

Balance refers to the ability of the team to position themselves in an excellent defensive posture that does not allow the switching of the ball to off-balance the defense.

Browse the Latest Soccer Defending Drills

6 vs 4 Team Training Numbers

This 6 vs 4 team training drill focuses on team movement, communication, and passing. This is a great session to end on after an intense passing practice.

3.47 (19) 100,535 Views

7v7 Scrimmage

A 7v7 scrimmage is a great way to end most of your training sessions. The 7 vs 7 allows players to focus on team tactics in realistic training situations and respond to problems presented in the full-sided game.

4.4 (5) 94,045 Views

1v1 Diamond Shooting Drill

This 1v1 drill focuses on a passing combination with movement off the ball and finishes with a one vs. one to goal. If players miss they become the keeper and the game continues. Players love the fun, competitive twist of being able to make a player become a goalkeeper.

4.3 (10) 330,569 Views

Clean Your Room

This soccer game is a great drill for U5 through U8 players. The clean your room soccer drill will focus on dribbling under pressure while also working on defensive pressure as an individual or a small group.

3.88 (121) 320,732 Views

3v1 Rotating Defenders

This 3v1 game will focus on keeping possession in a tight space. Work on passing, decision making, movement on and off the ball as well as improve communication.

3.76 (205) 374,124 Views

2v2 Quick Attacking Soccer Drill

This 2v2 soccer drill is a great game to work on quick attacking and defending skills. It is a very fast paced and dynamic soccer game that the kids will love.

3.73 (160) 355,708 Views

Triangle Goal Game

The Triangle Goal Soccer Game will focus on all aspects of the game such as passing, moving, and finishing. The players will have to work together as a team to quickly off-balance the defender and catch the goalkeeper off guard.

3.98 (182) 357,053 Views

1v1 Defending the Dribble with Teammate

The purpose of this drill is to isolate the defender to focus on the first defender and defending the dribble while working with a teammate. This teaches young soccer players to work together with your teammate to shut down the attacker.

3.8 (120) 206,950 Views

1v1 Dribble Attack with Shot

The purpose of this 1v1 drill is to focus on dribbling to beat a defender and finishing with a shot. This drill can also be used to focus on defensive players defending the dribble.

3.92 (130) 197,032 Views

1v1 Defending the Dribble

The purpose of this drill is to isolate the defender to focus on the first defender and defending the dribble. This drills focus can be modified to focus on the first attacker taking on the defender.

3.81 (108) 228,443 Views