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Soccer Defending Drills

SOCCER DEFENDING DRILLS, SOCCER DEFENSIVE PRACTICES, SOCCER DEFENSE SKILLS, DEFENSIVE TRAINING SESSIONS

Soccer defending drills to teach proper defensive skills and team strategies.

Soccer Defending Drills

Defending is a vital part of soccer that requires discipline, positioning, and teamwork to stop the opposition. This page provides drills to help players develop defensive skills such as tackling, marking, and intercepting to protect their goal effectively.

3v3 Plus 3

3v3 Plus 3

This drill focuses on keeping possession. Passing, receiving, movement, and angle of support can be singled out. Causes players to look up and be aware of the surrounding players.


Age: 9+ Field: 20X20
Players: 9 Focus: POSSESSION
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 15 mins.
Goalkeeper: NO Team
Rating: 4.17 / 5 Views: 330,024
Published: 10/20/2005 Author: Chris Johnson
1v1 Transition Game

1v1 Transition Game

That is a fast paced 1v1 transition game mean to focus on beating the defender and getting it into your teammate, or quickly transition to defense if the ball is lost.


Age: 7+ Field: 15X15
Players: 6+ Focus: 1v1
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 15 MINS.
Goalkeeper: NO Team
Rating: 4.17 / 5 Views: 31,859
Published: 1/9/2023 Author: Chris Johnson
Split the Defenders Passing Game

Split the Defenders Passing Game

The split the defenders passing game, soccer passing drill is excellent for a little more advanced player from 10 years old to 14 years and focuses on passing to split two defenders.


Age: 9+ Field: 18x18
Players: 6+ Focus: POSSESSION
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 15 mins.
Goalkeeper: NO Team
Rating: 4.16 / 5 Views: 364,141
Published: 6/18/2007 Author: Chris Johnson
Finding the Target Player

Finding the Target Player

The Finding the Target Player possession passing drill is designed to encourage midfield and defensive players to look up the field to find the "Target Player" and play into that Target player.


Age: 12+ Field: 40X40
Players: 8+ Focus: ATTACKING
Difficulty: Hard Time: 20 MINS.
Goalkeeper: NO Team
Rating: 4.16 / 5 Views: 211,101
Published: 8/8/2007 Author: Chris Johnson
1v1 to Goal

1v1 to Goal

The 1v1 Soccer Drill to Goal is a great soccer drill to improve goal scoring opportunities. This drill focuses on beating the last defender, staying in control of the ball and finishing with a good shot on goal.


Age: 9+ Field: 25X30
Players: 4+ Focus: 1v1
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 20 MINS.
Goalkeeper: YES INDIVIDUAL
Rating: 4.16 / 5 Views: 172,751
Published: 7/13/2008 Author: Chris Johnson
Attacking from the Midfield

Attacking from the Midfield

This attacking soccer drill focuses on building an attack from the midfield and focuses on the midfield players getting forward into the attacking third.


Age: 9+ Field: HALF FIELD
Players: 12+ Focus: ATTACKING
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 20 MINS.
Goalkeeper: YES Team
Rating: 4.15 / 5 Views: 362,065
Published: 12/9/2005 Author: Chris Johnson
Attack vs. Defence Shooting and Defending Drill

Attack vs. Defence Shooting and Defending Drill

The Attack vs. Defence Shooting and Defending drill is one that the kids love. The players will get to work on both attacking (shooting) and defending skills and if ran correctly, very fast paced.


Age: 9+ Field: 30X40
Players: 5+ Focus: 1V1
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 15 mins.
Goalkeeper: YES Team
Rating: 4.14 / 5 Views: 397,308
Published: 6/4/2008 Author: Chris Johnson
5v2 Rotating Defenders

5v2 Rotating Defenders

This 5v2 drill will focus on keeping possession by making good passes as well as good passing decisions, moving to open space, and good communication.


Age: 8+ Field: 15X15
Players: 9+ Focus: POSSESSION
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 15 mins.
Goalkeeper: NO Team
Rating: 4.12 / 5 Views: 230,749
Published: 10/20/2005 Author: Chris Johnson
Improving Speed of Play - Passing Drill

Improving Speed of Play - Passing Drill

This soccer drill is designed to improve the speed of play, decision making, and passing accuracy under pressure.


Age: 9+ Field: 15X15
Players: 4+ Focus: PASSING
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 15 mins.
Goalkeeper: NO Team
Rating: 4.12 / 5 Views: 156,977
Published: 6/4/2008 Author: Chris Johnson
World Cup Soccer Drill

World Cup Soccer Drill

The World Cup Soccer Drill is a great shooting game for kids of all ages. The World Cup Soccer game is a great drill to work on game-like situations while numbers down.


Age: 6+ Field: PENALTY AREA
Players: 10+ Focus: ATTACKING
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 20 MINS.
Goalkeeper: YES Team
Rating: 4.11 / 5 Views: 440,228
Published: 6/16/2010 Author: Chris Johnson
The Numbers Game

The Numbers Game

The Numbers Game soccer drill focuses on the 1v1 situational play for younger players. This  1v1 drill works on all dynamics of this game such as dribbling, shooting, shielding, turning and beating an opponent.


Age: 4-14 Field: 15X20
Players: 8+ Focus: Game-like
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 20 mins.
Goalkeeper: NO Team
Rating: 4.1 / 5 Views: 626,311
Published: 1/10/2006 Author: Chris Johnson
Circle Keep-Away Passing Game

Circle Keep-Away Passing Game

This keep-away game is a fun passing exercise for younger players that focuses on the passing game while playing keep away.


Age: 6-14 Field: 10X10
Players: 6+ Focus: POSSESSION
Difficulty: MEDIUM Time: 10 mins.
Goalkeeper: NO Team
Rating: 4.08 / 5 Views: 281,782
Published: 1/24/2011 Author: Chris Johnson

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