12 Basic Soccer Drills For Beginners

In this post we want to show you 12 of the best soccer drills for beginners who want to up their game.

Soccer drills work on basic skills like passing and ball control. They enable players to get the basics and, through repetition, movements become second nature. There are drills to cover every aspect of the game, but before players move on to more advanced skills, they need to get a good handle on the fundamentals.

These 12 basic soccer drills are great for beginners, although many are still used with more advanced groups, and they can be useful for players of all ages.

12 Best Soccer Drills for Beginners

1. Volcano

Throw some cones in random spots on the floor and dribble through the cones changing direction and avoiding the cones. Set a penalty, like doing some push-ups, each time a cone is hit, and just keep dribbling. Change the cone layout occasionally and try to make sure you’re using both the inside and outside of your soccer cleats during the drill.

2. Receiving and Turning

Receiving the ball and turning is a great way to start any run. A good turn can eliminate a defender and create space for a run. In this drill, the player learns to receive the ball, dribble, and then turn. It teaches the footwork behind an effective turn. You can make the drill more advanced by speeding up, or by adding some cones in.

3. Obstacle Course

Good dribbling requires close ball control, but it also needs tight footwork and athleticism to be most effective. The obstacle course drill has players first run a course without the ball and then run a different course with the ball. Obstacles include cones, slalom poles, and hoops, and most of the obstacles can be fashioned out of other items if you don’t have them.

4. Side to Side Taps

Side to side taps are an effective way to keep the ball and to probe for an opening in the defense. They enable the player to move sideways with the ball, but it can be difficult to keep the ball at feet. The side to side taps drill doesn’t need any equipment other than a ball and the player is encouraged to tap the ball from one foot to the other while moving left and then right.

5. Cone Weaves

Whether you’re practicing ball skills yourself or have a group of beginners that you’re training, cones are heavily utilized in a lot of soccer drills for beginners. Cone weaves will become a part of daily practice because they’re good for warming up and they teach close ball control. Have the cones far apart for beginners and bring them in closer and closer as the players develop. You can also have the cones set at different distances, and even put some off to the side.

6. Touch and Trap

Receiving the ball and bringing it under control straight away is the key to starting a good run. The touch and trap drill is a simple, basic drill, where the player receives the ball from another player and uses the inside of their foot to control it and then the underneath of the foot. Two players can pass it back and forth so they both get practice, and as they advance, the ball should be passed harder and faster.

7. Piggies In The Middle

Most of us played piggy in the middle, or pickle in the middle, as kids and this soccer drill is essentially the same thing but with several piggies in the middle. A course of cones is set out and players surround the course with two players in the middle. The outside ring of players have to pass the ball around while the piggies attempt to intercept and get the ball. As the piggies get closer to getting the ball, passes will become more errant and fired off more quickly, so control becomes more important.

8. Rondo

A rondo is similar to piggy in the middle except it involves more natural player positioning. In piggy in the middle the controlling players are stood in a circle. In this drill, which is a 4 v 2 rondo, there are two triangles of players. Passing needs to be crisp and control time kept to a minimum. Increase the intensity of passing to make the drill more advanced

9. Wall Passes

The wall pass soccer drill is great if you’re the last player left at training. You only need one player, a ball, and a wall. Stand a few feet from the wall and kick the ball against the wall with alternating feet, so right foot first and then left foot. Initially, you can allow yourself one touch to control the ball before passing it, before moving on to one touch passing. Speed up the passing as you progress.

10. Triangle Passing Drill

The triangle soccer drill is another drill that teaches both passing and controlling of the ball. Three flags or poles are set up with lines of players behind each. The first player passes the ball to the flag on their right where the player receives and controls it with one touch before passing it to the next flag. Change direction to train both feet and you can even introduce one-two passes.

11. Receive And Shoot Drill

Shooting practice starts with learning how to get placement and then power in shots, but rarely will the ball be stationery during a game, which means that soccer shooting drills tend to concentrate on the different plays that lead to attempts on goal. This drill teaches players to receive the ball and then turn that into a shooting opportunity.

12. Dribble And Shoot Drill

Strikers and wingers will often find themselves with the opportunity to dribble past defenders or into open space before shooting. This drill has players running around a simple cone course before shooting.

Soccer Drills For Beginners – Final Thought

With these soccer drills beginners can master the basics of football including ball control, passing, and shooting. Keep repeating the drills and as you master them, increase the intensity or difficulty of the drills, before taking them on the pitch and using them in game.