cognitive Seniors soccer drills

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Information gathering, ball control, and passing in groups of 3

A very simple exercise to set up that helps work on information gathering through a color-based game.

Animation: Information gathering, ball control, and passing in groups of 3
Create 2 lines of cones. The distance between the 2 lines should be about 15m and the cones will be spaced approximately 5m apart. Then form groups of 3 players and place one player at each cone, then one player in the center (see animation). Then give 2 cones of different colors to each player located at the ends.

The drill will proceed as follows:
  1. The first player (A) will make a pass to the central player (B). Meanwhile, the 3rd player (C) will raise one of the 2 colored cones he/she has in hand.
  2. B will need to gather information and announce loudly the color before controlling, turning around, and making a pass to the 3rd player.
  3. The exercise continues on the opposite side.

Progression: define a color (in this example black) which means that the passing option is not available. If the player raises the cone of this color, the central player will not be able to play to him/her and will therefore need to play a one-touch pass back to the starting partner.

Variation with black cone = one-touch layoff

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U17 U18 U19 Seniors

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Cognitive

Discover our cognitive Seniors drills

Bayern Munich: agility and quickness on a 4-cone run

Bayern Munich: agility and quickness on a 4-cone run

12 min
5-20 joueurs
Conditioning
Seniors
Used during a training session at Bayern Munich, this agility drill with slalom around 4 cones alternating between the right and left sides is ideal for working on different footwork....
Possession play and defensive-attacking transition with players providing support

Possession play and defensive-attacking transition with players providing support

20 min
20-22 joueurs
Small-sided games
Seniors
Small-sided game with a focus on possession work and an attacking transition, which forms the core of this exercise. Note that several variations are possible....
Pep Guardiola's Quick Attacks: Working on Transitions in 6v6

Pep Guardiola's Quick Attacks: Working on Transitions in 6v6

20 min
14-18 joueurs
Tactical
Seniors
Exercise used by Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich, this 6v6 will allow your players to work on attacking and defensive transitions as well as game awareness. Decision-making and quick attacks will be the focus....
Agility and information gathering by color and by team

Agility and information gathering by color and by team

20 min
6-18 joueurs
Conditioning
Seniors
Used by Manchester United, this agility drill is ideal for combining cognitive work with athletic training, while incorporating ball play....
Pep Guardiola's off-the-ball agility with speed and coordination work

Pep Guardiola's off-the-ball agility with speed and coordination work

20 min
6-24 joueurs
Conditioning
Seniors
Used by Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich in 2014, this agility drill includes various stations that will allow your players to work on speed and coordination from different angles....
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Decision Making and Reaction Time with Shooting in 2v1

Decision Making and Reaction Time with Shooting in 2v1

15 min
6-18 joueurs
Technical
Seniors
On the agenda for this exercise: shooting, decision-making, and reaction time. An exercise that players generally enjoy a lot....
The 4 Colors of Unai Emery: Quickness and Reaction Time

The 4 Colors of Unai Emery: Quickness and Reaction Time

15 min
5-20 joueurs
Conditioning
Seniors
Used in 2018 by Unai Emery, this agility and coordination drill will help you work on reaction time while incorporating ball play. It's a rather fun exercise, you'll see!...
Information gathering, ball control, and passing in groups of 3

Information gathering, ball control, and passing in groups of 3

15 min
3-21 joueurs
Technical
Seniors
A very simple exercise to set up that helps work on information gathering through a color-based game....
Agility in 1v1 with ball and colored signals

Agility in 1v1 with ball and colored signals

15 min
8-16 joueurs
Conditioning
Seniors
A small agility exercise that will engage your players' cognitive abilities while keeping a significant portion of the drill with the ball....
1v1s on small goals with a defender chasing

1v1s on small goals with a defender chasing

15 min
12-24 joueurs
Technical
Seniors
On the agenda: 1v1 duels followed by 2v1 with a defender in pursuit. Quick decision-making will be crucial!...
Possession play and progressive switches of play

Possession play and progressive switches of play

20 min
6-24 joueurs
Small-sided games
Seniors
This small-sided game with a numerical advantage and progression from zone to zone is ideal for youth teams and will help improve concentration while adding a competitive element....
Specific Forwards: Shooting Around the Edge of the Box

Specific Forwards: Shooting Around the Edge of the Box

18 min
8-18 joueurs
Technical
Seniors
Shooting drill with numerous variations, this exercise will definitely appeal to your attacking players. Directional controls, shots, quickness: it's all there!...
Warm-up: defensive block and group positioning

Warm-up: defensive block and group positioning

8 min
16-20 joueurs
Warm-up
Seniors
Ideal exercise to improve your players' group positioning....
Possession and Recovery in 2v2

Possession and Recovery in 2v2

15 min
16-18 joueurs
Warm-up
Seniors
Starting from a 2v2, this warm-up exercise focuses on ball recovery and possession....

Other sub-theme Seniors soccer drills

Seniors Agility soccer drills

  1. Pep Guardiola's technical circuit with shooting and speed drill
  2. Athletic work in groups of 3 with the ball
  3. J. Klopp: agility and reaction time training with the ball
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Seniors Attacking transition soccer drills

  1. Finishing sequence followed by 2v2 opposition
  2. Defensive-attacking transition: switch of play with possession in 2 areas
  3. Defensive transitions after loss in rondo games
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Seniors Build-up play soccer drills

  1. Build-up play from the goalkeeper and alternating between short passing game and direct play
  2. 3v3 (+1) Build-up with mini-goals and first line pressing
  3. Pressing and Counterattack Work in 8v8
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Seniors Circuit soccer drills

  1. Passing Circuit by J. Klopp with Support and One-touch Play
  2. Finishing exercise with diamond passing game
  3. Mr. Bielsa: working on lateral-winger automatisms with a passing circuit
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Seniors Counterattack soccer drills

  1. Possession game in 4v4 followed by a 2v1 counterattack
  2. Pressing and Counterattack Work in 8v8
  3. Jurgen Klopp's Attacking-Defensive Transition with a Reduced 6v6 Game
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Seniors Counter-pressing soccer drills

  1. Ralf Rangnick's Possession Game to Work on Transitions
  2. 6v3 Positional Play with Mini Goals
  3. Possession game in 3 zones with transitions and numerical disadvantage on the weak side
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Seniors Defensive recovery / Tracking back soccer drills

  1. Attacking transition of J. Klopp with quick attacks in 6v6
  2. Possession Game by Claudio Ranieri on 4 Mini-Pitches
  3. Build-up play from the goalkeeper and alternating between short passing game and direct play
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Seniors Defensive transition soccer drills

  1. Double 3v2 with pressing from a central square
  2. Warm-up with a small-sided game focused on counter-pressing
  3. Build-up play from the goalkeeper and alternating between short passing game and direct play
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Seniors Dribbling soccer drills

  1. Warm-up with Bayern Munich Relay
  2. Circuit with offensive combinations in groups of 4
  3. Switch of play and shooting with a series of 1v1 duels
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Seniors Dribbling soccer drills

  1. Speed work, one-two pass, dribble, and shooting
  2. Dribbling and Shooting in a Speed and Precision Circuit
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Seniors Duels soccer drills

  1. 3v3 with 4 supports and a central player
  2. Defensive play on opponent's throw-in
  3. Goalkeeper build-up into 1v2 duels with defensive recovery
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Seniors Endurance soccer drills

  1. Aerobic Training for Early Season in 6 Phases
  2. Fundamental endurance with an athletic circuit over 3 stations
  3. High-Intensity Pair Running Repetitions
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Seniors Explosive strength soccer drills

  1. Bayern Munich: agility and quickness on a 4-cone run
  2. Anaerobic with interval work in 10/20/30
  3. Speed work, one-two pass, dribble, and shooting
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Seniors Fun Game soccer drills

  1. Luis Enrique: Switch of play in a dynamic 3v3 with a neutral player
  2. Duel Training by V. Del Bosque in 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3
  3. Double 2v2 and Shooting on Full-Size Goal
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Seniors Gaps soccer drills

  1. Luis Enrique: Switch of play in a dynamic 3v3 with a neutral player
  2. Attacking to defensive transition with a 5v3 in a dual zone
  3. Build-up play: finding space between the lines
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Seniors Motor skills soccer drills

  1. Endurance capacity circuit with ball and motor skills work
  2. Pass, dribble, cross, and near-post off-the-ball run
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Seniors Offensive combinations soccer drills

  1. Offensive combination with short passing game, overlap, and shooting
  2. Getting Open and Combinations in Front of Goal
  3. Building the Attack: Movement and Finding Open Space
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Seniors Overload soccer drills

  1. Tracking back in 1v1 situations with variations by Jurgen Klopp
  2. Jurgen Klopp's possession play with use of the weak side
  3. Luis Enrique: Switch of play in a dynamic 3v3 with a neutral player
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Seniors Passes soccer drills

  1. The warm-up with 3 stations by Carlo Ancelotti
  2. Dribbling and Shooting in a Speed and Precision Circuit
  3. Finding the Ideal Position with Passing Sequence
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Seniors Positional play soccer drills

  1. Possession play and high press in 2 zones
  2. 6v3 Positional Play with Mini Goals
  3. "Juego de Posición" in possession 3v3 + 2 at high intensity
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Seniors Possession soccer drills

  1. 7v7 Possession Game with 3 Neutral Players and Gate Passes
  2. Jurgen Klopp's possession play with use of the weak side
  3. 6v6 possession game with 2 neutral players and shooting on small goals
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Seniors Pressing soccer drills

  1. Possession game with quick transitions upon losing the ball
  2. Possession game in double zone with coordinated press
  3. Fast-paced 3v1 play with speed and agility work
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Seniors Rondos soccer drills

  1. Small group possession in 4 zones
  2. Possession game in 2 zones with role change
  3. Defensive transitions after loss in rondo games
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Seniors Scanning soccer drills

  1. Possession with 3 teams and quick transition play
  2. Speed work, one-two pass, dribble, and shooting
  3. Possession Game by Claudio Ranieri on 4 Mini-Pitches
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Seniors Shooting soccer drills

  1. Possession play and switching against a low block
  2. 3v1 Exchange, Layoff and Shooting on Full-Size Goal (Variation)
  3. Pep Guardiola's technical circuit with shooting and speed drill
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Seniors Support soccer drills

  1. 3v3 Opposition with Goalkeepers and Neutral Support Players
  2. Warm-up: working on play with support
  3. Small-sided game in 3v3 with neutral side supports and quick shooting
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Seniors Transition soccer drills

  1. Luis Enrique: dynamic situation in 3 zones with support for the ball carrier
  2. J. Klopp: Quick attacks with work on defensive-attacking transitions
  3. Possession and Recovery in 2v2
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Seniors Using width soccer drills

  1. Positional play and movement in 9v7 on 3 goals
  2. Collective Defensive Positioning in Zonal Marking
  3. Pass, dribble, cross, and near-post off-the-ball run
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