Soccer drills Seniors

Complete Seniors soccer sessions that you can apply to help your players progress during your sessions. Sign up to access all Seniors drills.

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Possession play and switch of play against a low block

Used by Jurgen Klopp during a training session at Liverpool, this exercise is ideal for working on attacking combinations against a low block to effectively exploit off-the-ball runs behind the defense.

On a half-field, create a space of about 20x30m on the left side, as well as an adjacent 5x30m area, as indicated in the diagram. Then place 2 mini-goals and 4 mannequins (or constri-foot) with a cone about 35m from the goal on the right side. Then set up a 5vs4 in the large area, place 1 player in the small area, and then a final player on the opposite side at the cone level.

The exercise will proceed as follows:

The offensive players (here in blue) start with a possession game against the 4 defenders in the large area.
After making at least 3 passes, they play to their teammate in the small area. No defender can press this player.
The player will then make a through ball behind the defense to their teammate on the opposite side.
This player finishes their action on the large goal.
If the defenders regain possession, they must score as quickly as possible on one of the 2 mini-goals.
Change the 2 offensive players every 3 minutes or so.

Progression

After a few rounds, you can propose these different progressions:

A defender can press the player in the small area (only one).
Players are limited to 2 touches of the ball.
The player in the small area can participate in the possession game (which then creates a 6vs4).
Players must make at least 5 passes before playing to the player in the small area.
The game is played in the same way, but on the opposite side (remember to set up the cones before the start of the exercise).

U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Information gathering Using width Numerical advantage Shooting

Discover our Seniors drills

Mr. Bielsa: Build-up play on the strong side with a switch of play to draw a defender and release

U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Ball circulation sequence working on build-up play under pressure on the strong side, followed by a quick switch of play to the we...

Durée

15 min

Joueurs

6-18

Thème

Tactics

Aerobic power circuit in 15-15-30 by skill level groups

U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Aerobic power training where players perform 15-second runs between different gates while adjusting their pace to arrive at the si...

Durée

15 min

Joueurs

1-24

Thème

Physical

High-Intensity Pair Running Repetitions

U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

High-intensity repeated runs in pairs, with relay, around markers placed all around the field....

Durée

10 min

Joueurs

2-20

Thème

Physical

3v3 (+1) Build-up with mini-goals and first line pressing

U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Numerical advantage build-up situation (GK + 3 players) to beat the first line of press and find outlets towards mini-goals....

Durée

15 min

Joueurs

7-14

Thème

Small-sided games

Small-sided game in 3v3 with neutral side supports and quick shooting

U14 U15 U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

3v3 game with goalkeepers and two wide supports to create link-ups on the flanks and find a situation for a give-and-go or a cross...

Durée

20 min

Joueurs

10-20

Thème

Small-sided games

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What constitutes the Senior category in soccer?

The Senior category includes all players over the age of 20. It encompasses players with a wide range of personal and athletic differences. As a senior coach, you must take this into account when preparing your senior training sessions. The Senior category marks a turning point in each player's soccer career. At this level, soccer is played with the utmost seriousness, commitment, and ambition, whether at the District level, regional competitions, or even at professional levels.

For Senior players, soccer is often a passion that requires great discipline, optimal physical condition, and an advanced tactical understanding of the game. Each training session and match thus becomes crucial and far more important than in previous categories.

Here are the objectives and some tips on the best ways to train a senior team.

The objectives of the Senior category

For the Senior category, the objectives go well beyond the simple enjoyment of the game and the passion for soccer. Physical, tactical, and technical conditions are a major focus in the development of each player, as well as other crucial elements of the sport such as positioning, strategies for set pieces, formation, the type of play executed, management of individualities, locker room relationships, etc.

Coaching a Senior team involves much more responsibility as a coach and requires constant focus and structure to optimize the development of each player as well as sporting results and to reach high-level competitions.

Some tips for coaching a Senior team

Here are some essential tips for successfully coaching a Senior team:

Personalization of training: Take into account the strengths, weaknesses, and individual goals of the players to customize each training session. This can include specific physical conditioning programs, technical workshops, or targeted tactical sessions.
Balancing intensity and variety: Sessions should be both intense and varied to maintain player engagement and simulate upcoming or past match conditions, especially after defeats!
Focus on tactics: Senior players must understand and execute complex game plans set by the coach. Use video analysis, classroom sessions, and on-field exercises to teach and refine the game strategies you desire.
Management of physical condition and recovery: Prevent injuries and ensure the athletic longevity of players by emphasizing good physical preparation, learning recovery practices after matches and training, muscle care, nutrition…
Strengthening team cohesion and mental health: Organize team-building activities and provide psychological support to each player to strengthen team spirit and help players manage pressure, especially if you reach high-level competitions.

What training exercises for a Senior team?

To succeed in your senior training session, we advise you to focus on 2 aspects: the phases of play and the pace of your sessions. There are many senior exercises available that highlight these 2 aspects, so it will be up to you to carefully select your specific senior exercises to add more dynamism to your training session.

Here is a series of exercises for a Senior team, inspired by modern soccer training practices:

Advanced technical workshops: Organize sessions focused on perfecting individual technical skills, such as ball control under pressure, long-distance passing accuracy, shooting on goal, or other set pieces...
Interactive tactical training: Set up games and simulations that encourage players to apply specific strategies and tactics, promoting quick thinking and decision-making under pressure.
Targeted physical sessions: Include specific training to improve endurance, speed, agility, and strength of each player, according to the time of year and upcoming sporting events.
Training matches and analysis: Regularly organize training matches to evaluate your Senior team's performance in real game conditions. Use post-match video analysis to discuss improvements and adjust strategies.
Dynamic warm-ups: One-touch play combinations with support, inspired by a Liverpool training session. The objective? Improve communication and quick play.
Possession and transition play: Possession exercise with attacking and defensive transitions, known and used notably by Pep Guardiola. This exercise emphasizes developing the ability to quickly switch phases of play (attack to defense…)
Physical conditioning: Aerobic endurance circuit, adapted for physical preparation at the start of the season.

Maintain possession in a rondo under pressure, then break out with dribbling after 10 passes to score in a mini-goal....

Durée

U14 U15 U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Possession and switch of play drill in a three-zone format with role rotation between attackers and defenders....

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Used during a training session at Bayern Munich, this agility drill with slalom around 4 cones alternating between the right and l...

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Exercise used during a training camp with the Spanish national team, it allows your players to work on the weight and accuracy of ...

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Used by Marcelo Bielsa during a training session, this drill is ideal for working on the chemistry between fullbacks and wingers, ...

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U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Used by Diego Simeone at Atlético Madrid, this drill will help you work on quick attacks during an attacking transition in the cen...

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U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Used by Xavi at FC Barcelona, this drill will help your players work on using width and how to effectively take advantage of a num...

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U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Used at Juventus by Massimiliano Allegri, this drill is ideal for the start of the season and will allow you to work on aerobic en...

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Exercise primarily highlighting anaerobic metabolism, it can be used at the beginning of the season or during a post-winter break ...

Durée

U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Ideal as a warm-up, this exercise is a great way to get started. Remember to emphasize the importance of verbal communication, as ...

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Used by Manchester United, this agility drill is ideal for combining cognitive work with athletic training, while incorporating ba...

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U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Very useful for managing a numerical advantage during a switch of play, this exercise used by Marcelo Bielsa should appeal to your...

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Passing circuit with numerous possible combinations, this drill is ideal for technical work during a warm-up....

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Excellent double circuit used by Marcelo Bielsa, which is ideal for working on build-up play against a high press....

Durée

U17 U18 U19 Seniors

Inspired by an exercise used by Marcelo Bielsa, this drill will allow you to take advantage of a 3v1 situation in the wide areas....

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U18 U19 U20 Seniors

This passing sequence with 7 players finishing on 2 colored mini goals is ideal for working on passing in a circuit format, with a...

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

In this 3v2 (and 3v3 with pressing), your players will be able to work on coordinated press as well as transition play when losing...

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

A variation of the possession game on 2 zones, this exercise will allow you to develop your team with formations similar to those ...

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

How to work on defensive duels? Here you will have the opportunity to tackle numerous defensive situations in 1v1 then 2v2 from di...

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Finishing workshop focused on the repetition of techniques with a passing circuit where you can implement many variations: changin...

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Used at Liverpool, this shooting exercise with a 3v2 attacking transition is ideal for practicing classic moves and working on pos...

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

1v1 duels from different perspectives: first a 1v1, then a defensive transition to quickly move into a 2v1 on the large goal....

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Great exercise to train your players in quick attacks following a high press. Offered at Tottenham, it's an ideal small-sided game...

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

It's a classic from Bayern Munich: the relay as a warm-up to gradually increase the intensity within the group....

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U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Used by RB Leipzig under Julian Nagelsmann, this transition exercise is ideal for working on counter-pressing as well as vertical ...

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U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

This possession drill focuses on three aspects: space management, passing quality, and speed of execution. With numerous variation...

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Mix of quick offensive combination play, overlap, and shooting, this exercise used by Unai Emery at Arsenal in 2018 is ideal and c...

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Still based on Positional Play, this exercise allows you to work with your players on quick recovery (gegenpressing) as well as sw...

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Two teams play on a small field and try to score with one condition: every time a team loses possession, they must sprint, touch t...

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Possession, forward passes, layoff, and shooting on a small goal. All the elements are in place to offer a quality drill to your p...

Durée

U17 U18 U19 Seniors

This drill is perfect for learning how to exploit spaces between the opposing lines. It was designed to find the free player betwe...

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Through a 6v6 with support players, this drill works on both the quickness of your players and ball control in high-speed play....

Durée

U15 U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

In a 7v7 on a half-field, you work with your defenders and central midfielders on collective zonal defensive positioning and the q...

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Through this exercise, your forwards practice participating in the collective build-up play and the optimal timing of the off-the-...

Durée

U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Ideal exercise for practicing pressing and playing under pressure, as well as triggering a counterattack upon ball recovery....

Durée

U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Starting from a 7v7 on a half-field, your players practice finding open space between opponents and behind them to offer solutions...

Durée

U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Through a double 2v2, your players practice defensive recovery (defenders) as well as combinations and shooting (attackers)....

Durée

U16 U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

With this exercise, your forwards work on positioning between the lines to provide options in build-up play and attack constructio...

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

By asking your players to combine on one side, they practice getting open and being available for their teammates. They also work ...

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

By creating an imbalance with this 5v3, you allow your players to calmly work on the attacking-defensive transition....

Durée

U17 U18 U19 U20 Seniors

Excellent exercise to learn how to defend when outnumbered, where it is common for one or two defenders to find themselves at a nu...

Durée

12 min

Joueurs

10-14

Thème

Tactics

Progressez grâce à nos exercices

Rejoignez notre communauté d'entraineurs amateurs et accédez à 500+ exercices premium avec schémas et inspirés de coachs pros. Recevez de nouveaux exercices chaque semaine.

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