If you are an avid soccer follower, some things are quite hard to miss. Anywhere you hear about soccer players like Sergio Ramos, Virgil Van Dijk, and Alessandro Nesta being mentioned, you tend to remember them for their excellent defense work.
As a team, a typical Italian team and Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid have built a name for themselves in keeping things tight at the back.
As important as it is to score goals, it is also crucial for teams and individuals who want to pursue a career as a defender to understand its basic principles.
Looking to be the next Maldini? In the following sections, you will learn eleven of the best and most popular soccer defense drills!
Let’s get to it.
11 Best Soccer Defense Drills
Here are the eleven top soccer defense drills.
Hexagonal Rondo
Although it is one of the soccer possession drills, it can also serve as one of the soccer defense drills. This is a drill that requires players to work together to win possession back, keep it, and ensure the opposition does not get it.
Setup
As the name suggests, you need a marked hexagonal playing pitch. The marking of the pitch can be done with the use of cones to create the hexagonal shape (6 sides).
Each of the sides should be around 5-7 yards long, taking the skill level and number of players into consideration.
How to Play
You will need to divide the available players into two groups of 5 players each. Use a scrimmage vest to differentiate the teams.
You know the hexagon has six sides, right? You will then place three players from each team around the outside of the marked hexagon, alternating colors on each side of the hex.
These players must always remain on the hexagon’s sides, and they do not have the liberty to move around. The remaining two players from each team will remain inside the hexagon.
Unlike the ones outside the playing area, the players inside the hexagon have the freedom to roam as long as they remain within the hexagon.
Takeaway
While the Hexagonal Rondo is a good soccer possession drill, it is also key in defensive organization, awareness, and communication. When with the ball, the aim is to retain it and not lose it to the defending team.
When the roles are reversed, your reaction to winning the ball back immediately and closing the gaps in the defensive shape has to be top-notch.
4-goal game
This is another exciting soccer defense skill you should add to your game. It is a combination of attack and defensive work, just like the hexagonal rondo we discussed above.
Another important thing to note is that this 4-Goal Game drill simulates match conditions. It requires the players to be aware of their surroundings, defensive organization, and teamwork.
Setup
To execute this drill, you need a set of cones and balls as your equipment. With the cones, you will set up a rectangular field with dimensions around 25×35 yards, but adjustments can be based on the number of players and their skill level.
In addition, you will need four goals in total, two for each team – defend or attack.
How to Play
Players can be grouped based on the number of them available at the time of execution. However, for proper control and perfection, a 3v3, 4v4, or 5v5 setup is recommended for this drill.
For the teams, they can score in both goals, while they defend their own goals too. In essence, the game focuses on quick transitions between defending actions and attacking ones.
As a player, you must not be too carried away with the desire to score while neglecting your defensive duties – which is the main reason this drill is seen as one of the soccer defense skills.
Takeaway
Without saying too much, this drill focuses on defenders staying alert even when the rest of the team attacks to score.
This is a drill that will enhance the communication habits of your team, especially the defenders, defensive organization (in and out of possession), and teamwork.
4v4 Scrimmage to Mini-Goals
The 4×4 Scrimmage to mini-goals drill is also one drill that presents players with match situations and tests their abilities to adapt.
Although it is in a controlled environment, the drill is one of the important soccer defense drills that can help you and your team reach another level defensively.
This is a drill that is quite tasking and it requires the players to be on the same page as per defending their goals.
Setup
As usual, you need to mark an area before you carry out this drill. A marked area of about 30×20 yards is okay, depending on the age and skill level of the players.
There must be enough space for the players to move around, and mini-goals are to be placed at each end line of the field. Lastly, you will divide your team into four groups, and they can take turns after each set.
How to Play
This is not that different from the 4-goal game, but this has a lot of space for the players to combine and work together to defend their goal.
Scoring is important, but in a soccer defense drill, the preference will be to see how you can defend when you are without the ball and how they foster unity to achieve a common goal.
Takeaway
This is a common soccer possession drill, but as a defense soccer drill, it will help you and your team understand spatial awareness, defensive organization, decision-making under pressure, and teamwork.
2v2 + 1 to Two Goals
Most of these soccer defense drills are a combination of other aspects of the game. However, the focus of this article is to help your team become better defensively.
Setup
This soccer defense drill is played with two goals. As usual, you need a marked playing area – 25 x 40 yards will do.
Two attackers and two defenders will be preventing the ball from getting to the target player(s) positioned at the back of the goal.
In addition, the target player should be instructed to play one-touch. However, you may allow two touches depending on the skill level of the target player.
How to Play
This is a simple drill to execute, the attackers need to get the ball to the target players first before they can score. With that knowledge, the defending just has to be proactive and close the passing lanes while maintaining their defensive shape.
Takeaway
This drill will teach your defenders proactiveness, spatial awareness, and defensive organization. It is also a simulation of what could happen in games, so your defenders must be active to sniff out danger quickly.
1v1 Transition Game
As the name suggests, it is a soccer defense drill that pits an attacker against a defender, followed by constant transition until the session ends.
I like this particular drill a lot though. Because of how it is done, you get a lot of help from your teammates, trying to help you win possession by directing your marking strategy.
Being fast-paced, it is always tiring after a few minutes. In addition, it is a fast-paced 1v1 transition game that turns the attacker into a defender when the ball is lost. It is a drill that benefits all outfield players.
Setup
Divide 6 players into two groups with different color jerseys and place them in a square grid of 15X15 yards.
You will also use cones to create a 5-yard window on each of the 4 sides of the grid. The remaining teammates are to position themselves in the window across from their team. In addition, only one player from one of the two teams can start as a defender.
How to Play
With the set-up above, only two players will be at the center of the grid at any given time—one attacker and one defender. The attacker is to beat the defender and get the ball to his teammate at the other window.
If the attacker successfully goes past the defender and passes to their teammate, the new attacker then takes on the same defender and attempts to beat the defender and get the ball to the other side of the grid to the waiting attacker.
However, if the defender wins the ball, they will have to play the ball to either of their teammates along the side.
The attacker who loses the ball automatically becomes the defender. The sequence goes on and on from there.
Takeaway
This is a 3-in-1 drill that focuses on dribbling, attacking, and defending. This is a drill that will help your defenders win duels against their opposition.
Their teammates watching on are to also guide their marking so that they can win possession back.
1v1
Judging by how West Ham United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka plays defensively, I think this should be his favorite soccer defense drill.
This is a drill that will help your players improve their 1v1 defending by getting into a good starting position and dictating the direction of play.
Defenders need to learn how to quickly close down spaces and cut off passing lanes. In situations like this, the tackling ability of the defender can be of great help.
It is a crucial skill, but one that must be executed with precision and timing to avoid fouls, and unnecessary bookings and maintain possession.
West Ham United’s Aaron Wan-Bissaka is a master of this tackling skill alongside Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal.
Let’s take a look at the setup for this particular soccer defense drill.
Setup
This is a simple drill to carry out. You can decide to mark the playing area or decide to use a timer to see who will beat each other with a dribble.
How to Play
The first player takes the position of an attacker and tries to beat the defender. That’s the basic level of the 1v1 drill but can be advanced with the introduction of a goal with a goalkeeper. Beat your defender and get a shot at goal.
Takeaway
1v1 is a strong soccer defense drill that emphasizes the need for defenders to stay alert, read the attacker, and know what to do when it is time to win ball possession back.
It will also enhance the reaction of the players to press the ball and not jump in too early.
4v4, Thirds of the Field, Shape and Positioning
Just the other soccer defense drill, combines other aspects of soccer. The players, especially defenders, will be learning how to defend in a tight position and support their forward players when they have possession.
This particular drill is designed to test the defender’s fitness capacity to help in attack and carry out their defensive responsibilities as well, without fail.
Setup
You will need four players, each of whom will be responsible for what they do during this particular drill. The players will be placed in a marked territory.
How to Play
The attacker must play close to the goal their team is attacking, the wingers are to stretch the width of the field.
The defensive player – which is the focus of this drill – gives support to wingers and target player/players, while being the last man.
Takeaway
This is a strong soccer defense drill that helps to develop strong communication, defensive shape, teamwork, and quick decision-making in tight situations.
As for the defenders, this drill will help them assert control over the attackers they are facing and actions that must be taken in danger.
1v1 Speed and Reaction Game
It is another drill that adds fun to training sessions while players also build their knowledge of the game.
I did not like this particular drill because of my lack of speed, which made me always end up as the defender.
Setup
You will need to create a grid of about 15×25 yards. As usual, the size of the grid should be based on the age, size, and skill set of your team.
Set small goals at the ends of the pitch and divide your team into two, while there are bibs for proper identification.
Lastly, a window should be created for entrance into the playing pitch and this can be done using the cone or flags.
How to Play
This drill begins with the coach commanding them to go ahead. After the command, players will sprint around the color called, then sprint through the window on the opposite side of the field to enter the playing pitch.
The first player to have the ball becomes the attacker, while the other player automatically becomes the defender.
Takeaway
This is a strong soccer defense drill that helps to develop stamina, quick reaction, focus, and awareness. It is a really solid soccer defense drill.
1v1 Attacking to a Full-Size Goal
This is one of the soccer defense drills that focuses on simulating real-life situations. This is a drill that will test defenders against an incoming attacker, what should be done, and how to neutralize such danger quickly.
In this particular drill, defenders will be able to put their physical strength to test to win duels, shielding the ball, and effective tackling.
Setup
From the name, you need two full-size goals with goalkeepers guarding them. Ideally, it is a drill for defenders against attackers.
You have to divide your team based on that. Usually, the defensive players start with the ball. The other team is the attackers.
How to Play
This drill begins with one of the players from the defending team sending a long ball to the player from the attacking team.
The player who is designated the attacker receives the ball, and has just one job; take on the defender.
The defender’s job is to stop him, while the attacker can go ahead to finish if he has gone past the defender.
Meanwhile, if the defensive player wins the ball accurately, that plays over, and the next attacker will come in.
Takeaway
Like every other soccer defense drill, this particular one helps to develop the stamina, quick reaction, and spatial awareness of your defenders.
It will help them make the right decision when faced with such situations during matches.
Defensive Clearances- Up and Out
From the name, it is simply clear that it is a drill meant for defenders only. It is a drill that will teach them the decisions to make when they find themselves in such situations during matches.
Players like John Terry, Sergio Ramos, and most Italian defenders that I know, are quite comfortable with making quick interventions that will lead to the ball being cleared to safety, allowing their teams to get back into the right defensive shape.
Setup
You will need half of a full-sized pitch for this drill. Then you will place a defender inside the box six, while there are other players called servers positioned around the half of the pitch as well as target players. The defender is to start on their defensive goal line.
How to Play
This drill begins with the players, who are the servers, sending long balls into the area where the defender is standing.
The defender must now clear the ball before touching the ground towards the target players. After the ball is cleared away, the defender then sprints back to the goal line, ready for the next service.
Takeaway
This drill is very important when learning the art of defending. As defenders, you will be required to clear balls at one point or the other. Learning the right body positioning, timing, and awareness is very important.
Defensive Recovery Runs
This drill simulates a game situation where your attack breaks down, and the team has to defend a quick counterattack. It is important to note that the action of the first player is key to winning possession back or clearing danger.
It is required of that player to delay play and block passing options to buy the recovering defense valuable time to get back into shape.
Soccer is a sport decided by goals or the team that can outscore its opponents. While it is important to score, some reasons why goals are absent in games are not far-fetched—the work of the defenders.
In modern-day soccer, Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk is a master of this particular drill. He has enhanced his ability to delay attacks and prevent the opposition from punishing his team when they are out of position.
Without any doubt, it takes serious practice to master this skill as it is difficult to develop.
If you want to see your team become solid defensively, this is one drill that must be done continually for the defenders to improve their defensive abilities.
The first part of this drill is to teach pressure & cover. You just need to have a player in the box, and two attackers in the wide areas, while the other defender coming back will be at a longer distance than the two attackers.
The drill begins with the covering defender passing the ball to either wide player to start play.
The other defender applies pressure and tries to delay the attack long enough for his partner to get back into a cover position with a recovery run.
Play is still on until the defense wins ball possession. This particular one will help the defenders with their recovery, communication, and teamwork.
Final Thoughts
Teams are famous for their attacking prospects, while others are known for what they can do if they do not want the opposition to find the back of the net.
Engaging in or practicing soccer defense drills is a great way to improve your team’s defensive skills and enhance the players’ coordination, communication, decision-making, and teamwork.
Without any doubt, you have gained a few things from the soccer defense drills discussed in this article. Understanding these basic drills will enhance your team’s defense if they get to carry them out appropriately.
And that’s the best 11 soccer defense drills you can carry out with your team! After reading through, I’m guessing you already have an idea of a couple that could best work for you and your team’s setup.
