Passing is one of the most used activities on the soccer pitch. A soccer match gets underway after a pass has been completed. Taking that into account, it is that important.
The ability to not just pass, but complete a successful pass is highly needed by any player, team, or club aiming to achieve success in soccer.
As a person who played in the defensive midfield position during my active days, I knew my short and long passes had to be right if the players positioned in front of me were to enjoy their game. Knowing this, I can tell you how important passing drills are.
In the following sections, you will learn ten of the best and most popular soccer passing drills! Let’s delve right into it.
Soccer Passing Drills
Here are the top soccer passing drills you need to know.
Square Drill
Setup: As the name suggests, you need a marked square playing pitch. You can simply form a square of 10 x 10 yards with four cones.
Form groups of four players, each player standing on a cone. In addition, you can name the position of the players as well.
How to Play: In the four corners of the marked playing area, assuming you have decided to go with ABCD. Player A passes to Player B and then runs towards Player B’s position. Player B will then pass to Player C and run towards that Player’s position, and so on.
The drill is a sequence and it follows a pass-and-follow pattern. Whether at the pro or amateur level, this can also serve as a warm-up drill for you in test matches or competitive games.
Aim: The importance of the square drill is to help develop anticipation, communication, and communication among players while improving their abilities to pass and receive the balls.
More importantly, it encourages players to know where they want to play a pass, scan to receive the ball, and play the right pass. I used this to improve my passing range as well and it worked pretty well.
Passing Gates
I am sure you have seen a building with a gate before and you can only legally access that kind of house from its gate.
Bringing that knowledge into this subject, a “passing gate” – simply means a gate a pass can go through. Let us now look at the set-up.
Setup: To execute this drill, you need a set of cones and balls as your equipment. With the cones, you will set up several small gates (two cones about 2 yards apart) randomly around the pitch.
The last part of the setup is to pair the players up and give them a ball before play begins.
How to Play: The players you have paired up will now attempt to pass the ball to each other through the small gates. For every successful pass, the pair scores a point.
You can then set the time for the drill and score the pair to know which of them did well at the end.
Aim: Without saying too much, this drill focuses on accurate passing and receiving under a bit of pressure.
Because of the gates that have been positioned, this drill will further help the players hone their awareness and decision-making skills as they look for the best way to complete a pass through one of the gates.
Pass and Move
The pass-and-move drill is one of the most important responsibilities of a soccer player on the pitch. This is a perfect simulation of what you could encounter on the field of play.
Players are required to pass and move into space. It is a simple drill, yet impactful.
Setup: You are to divide your team into pairs and they will each be given a ball. In addition to that, the players should not be too far from each other, let’s say about 10-15 yards apart.
How to Play: Just like we adopted above, let’s call the first player – Player A and the receiver of the pass – Player B. This drill begins with Player A passing the ball to Player B and immediately starts moving to a new open space to receive the pass.
This sequence has to be repeated with players instructed not to receive the same pass in the same location.
You could go on with this sequence for several minutes while encouraging your teammates to play quickly, attempt accurate passes, and make dynamic constant movement.
Aim: Apart from improving passing accuracy, this drill helps players understand the need for constant movement in matches, space awareness, and communication.
Triangle Passing
This triangle passing drill is quite easy to set up as it helps players improve passing, ball control, and teamwork. Like every other soccer passing drill, the main focus is to enhance passing.
It’s a versatile drill that is suitable for all levels of soccer and ages. In addition, the drill is also a great warm-up drill.
Setup: With three cones, you can create the triangle needed for this drill. Then, Three players will take their position at each of the cones of the triangle.
The rest of the team can line up at the back of those three players on the cone.
How to Play: There are multiple ways by which you can carry out this drill. The most important thing to do is to encourage one-touch passes and proper receiving techniques.
After a bit of consistent play, you can increase the difficulty by introducing another defender or making the triangle bigger.
- Passing Around the Triangle: In this particular variation, players must pass the ball around the triangle and deliver strong passes. After each pass has been completed, players shift to the next position.
- One-Two-Passing Combination: In this passing drill, the first player passes to player 2. The first player will receive the ball back and immediately set up player 2, who makes a short run around the cone. Just as the first two have done, Player 2 will then repeat the same passing sequence with Player 3. Just like in the first variation, players rotate positions after passing.
The players should always stay on their toes, and be ready for the ball.
Aim: The importance of passing drills is to improve passing and receiving skills. In addition to that, it also allows players to practice passing at different angles and promotes communication and teamwork.
The triangle pattern is the most frequently employed tactic in soccer and this drill empowers your players with an understanding of a triangle pattern.
Wall Passing or One-two Passing Combination
“Wall passing” literally means passing into a wall to get the ball back. On this occasion, though, a player will serve as the wall to ensure a quick one-two combination. It is as simple as that.
Setup: Divide your players into pairs, each pair with one ball, and ensure they start about 5-10 yards apart.
How to play: Player A passes to Player B, who immediately returns the ball with just one touch. Player A can now control the returned pass, and the sequence is repeated. After a while, the players should swap roles, so that both players get to act as the ‘wall.’
Aim: This wall passing or one-two passing combination drill is solid for teaching quick one-two passing, improving first touch control, and developing urgency in play.
Long Passing Drill
Long passing drill requires the players to complete long passes from a decent distance. It is a two-in-one passing drill because you have to exhibit your control skills before attempting a long pass.
Setup: Put two players at a significant distance apart (30-40 yards). Let each pair have one ball.
How to Play: The paired players will try to make long passes to each other. The players are expected to control the incoming ball before making their pass. In addition, advise your players to use both feet and various passing techniques during this drill.
Aim: This drill is to help develop long-pass skills, including accuracy, strength, and timing. This is a drill useful for midfielders, and defenders who may be required to switch passes during matches.
Crossing and Finishing Drill
You might need your goalkeepers for this particular drill. As the name suggests – crossing and finishing – it is to enhance the crossing abilities of your players and improve their finishing.
Setup: You will have to split your team into groups of three – one crosser (a full back is preferable), one attacker, and one goalkeeper. The crosser is to stand near the sideline with a ball, the attacker is near the penalty area, and the goalkeeper will stand in the goal.
How to Play: It is a simple drill that will see the crosser send the ball into the box, looking to locate the attacker, who must score with one touch.
Because of how draining this drill is, rotate roles every few minutes so each player gets a chance to cross, finish, and defend.
Aim: This drill is a simulation of game situations. It will help the players learn how to cross, finish, and the art of goalkeeping. With the one-touch restriction for the attacker, this drill encourages quick decision-making and execution.
Passing Relay Race
It is a particular type of soccer possession drill that emphasizes teamwork, quick play, and accuracy.
Setup: You just have to divide your players into even teams and have them line up having a ball at the front of the line.
How to Play: It is a simple drill that begins with the first player on the line and the one standing as the receiver at a sizable distance from the line. the receiver then passes it to the third player, and so on.
As part of the conditions for this drill, instruct your players to always pass the ball along the line. Usually, the drill is completed or finished when the ball reaches the last person without them losing control.
Aim: Without any doubt, this drill is a competitive drill that encourages fast, accurate passing and dribbling under pressure. In addition, teamwork and communication skills are enhanced.
Diamond Passing Drill
This is another drill that requires the players to communicate, scan, and move quickly, with ball control and accuracy.
Setup: The set-up has to be in a diamond-shaped playing area marked with cones. Just one ball is okay for this drill.
How to Play: This drill follows the pass-and-move template. The first player will pass the ball to the player at the next point of the diamond. Upon receiving the pass, this player will now turn and pass it to the next player.
The drill continues in that sequence until the diamond is completed. The session can go on for at least five minutes, but make sure to encourage your players to follow their pass to the next point in the diamond. One-touch passing even makes this drill fun and intense.
Aim: This is a solid passing drill that helps teach advanced passing. In addition, it enhances the players’ awareness, footwork, decision-making skills, and so on.
4 vs 1 Rondo
This is a leaf from the soccer possession drills. This particular type of rondo helps to build ball retention, quick decision-making, and accuracy. On the other hand, it can serve as a foundation for young players to understand the rondo technique.
Setup: Just from its name, you will need five players and one ball for this drill. Set up a grid of about 10 x 10 yards.
The four players are to position themselves on the corners of the square, and the remaining player, who will serve as the defender, stands in the middle and tries to win the ball from them.
How to Play: The focus is for the four players on the outside of the grid to retain possession of the ball by passing amongst themselves while the lone defender in the middle attempts to intercept or win the ball from them.
The interesting thing about this drill is that the outside players have to move and pass along the line of their square. When the defender intercepts the ball, they are to swap places with the player who lost possession.
Aim: Just like every other passing drill, this drill helps to improve passing, and enhances accuracy. It also promotes quick decision-making and improves ball control, spatial awareness, and effective communication between players.
Final Thoughts
You cannot be a master at something without constant practice. If you desire that your passing or that of your team improve, you should engage in these passing drills.
When you engage in or practice soccer passing drills, it is not only a great way to improve your soccer skills, but it is also a good way to build other skills like ball control, awareness, teamwork, and effective communication.
These soccer passing drills can also help you improve your balance, coordination, accuracy, decision-making, and agility.
