cognitive U18 soccer drills

cognitive U18 drills that you can apply to help your players progress on the cognitive aspect. Sign up to receive our latest 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

U17 U18 U19 Seniors

Cognitive

Discover our cognitive U18 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
U17 - U18
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....
Relay in pairs for athletic and agility work

Relay in pairs for athletic and agility work

12 min
4-24 joueurs
Conditioning
U15 - U14
Inspired by the work done by American football players, this exercise is ideal for getting your players to work on their fitness and agility in a competitive manner....
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
U19 - 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
U16 - U17
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
U19 - U18
Used by Manchester United, this agility drill is ideal for combining cognitive work with athletic training, while incorporating ball play....
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The U18 category includes players aged 17-18 years.
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
U19 - U18
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....
Decision Making and Reaction Time with Shooting in 2v1

Decision Making and Reaction Time with Shooting in 2v1

15 min
6-18 joueurs
Technical
U18 - 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
U18 - U17
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
U17 - U18
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
U16 - U15
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
U20 - U16
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
U18 - U17
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
U19 - 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
U19 - 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
U18 - Seniors
Starting from a 2v2, this warm-up exercise focuses on ball recovery and possession....

Other sub-theme U18 soccer drills

U18 Agility soccer drills

  1. 3v3 with 4 supports and a central player
  2. J. Klopp: agility and reaction time training with the ball
  3. Pep Guardiola's technical circuit with shooting and speed drill
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U18 Attacking transition soccer drills

  1. Defensive-attacking transition: switch of play with possession in 2 areas
  2. Possession play and defensive-attacking transition with players providing support
  3. J. Klopp: Quick attacks with work on defensive-attacking transitions
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U18 Build-up play soccer drills

  1. Creating a numerical advantage in a possession game across 3 zones
  2. Tracking back by forwards and involvement in build-up play
  3. Mr. Bielsa: Creating and Exploiting Space Along the Touchline
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U18 Circuit soccer drills

  1. Forward passing circuit with one-touch layoff
  2. Bayern Munich: agility and quickness on a 4-cone run
  3. Diamond play with passing combinations
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U18 Counterattack soccer drills

  1. 2(+1) vs 2 with goalkeeper – quick attack from wide area
  2. Possession game in 3 zones with transitions and numerical disadvantage on the weak side
  3. Transition and switch of play with support and neutral players (variation)
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U18 Counter-pressing soccer drills

  1. Defending and Delaying in the Final Third in 6v6
  2. 9v9: midfield pressing and maintaining a compact block across 3 zones
  3. Pressing and Gegenpressing: 4vs 2 + 4 in a double grid
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U18 Defensive recovery / Tracking back soccer drills

  1. Build-up play from the goalkeeper and alternating between short passing game and direct play
  2. Pep Guardiola's Transition Work in a 5v5 Across 3 Zones
  3. Defensive cover and tracking back in a three-man defense
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U18 Defensive transition soccer drills

  1. Collective Defensive Positioning in Zonal Marking
  2. Finishing sequence followed by 2v2 opposition
  3. 7v7 Possession Game with 3 Neutral Players and Gate Passes
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U18 Dribbling soccer drills

  1. Circuit with offensive combinations in groups of 4
  2. Warm-up with Bayern Munich Relay
  3. J. Klopp: agility and reaction time training with the ball
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U18 Duels soccer drills

  1. Duel Training by V. Del Bosque in 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3
  2. Double 2v2 and Shooting on Full-Size Goal
  3. Defensive play training for the fullback
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U18 Endurance soccer drills

  1. Warm-up with the ball, dribbling, and slalom
  2. Fundamental endurance with an athletic circuit over 3 stations
  3. Speed work with varied movements over 25 meters
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U18 Explosive strength soccer drills

  1. Bayern Munich: agility and quickness on a 4-cone run
  2. Speed work, one-two pass, dribble, and shooting
  3. Athletic and conditioning circuit in 4 sets
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U18 Fun Game soccer drills

  1. Rondo 8v3 and Passing Accuracy Under Pressure
  2. Luis Enrique: Switch of play in a dynamic 3v3 with a neutral player
  3. Duel Training by V. Del Bosque in 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3
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U18 Gaps soccer drills

  1. Effectively utilizing the spaces between the lines
  2. Passes between the lines with 2 final third zones in 5v5
  3. Luis Enrique: dynamic situation in 3 zones with support for the ball carrier
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U18 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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U18 Offensive combinations soccer drills

  1. Build-up play: finding space between the lines
  2. Shooting drills with attacking combinations and support player
  3. Offensive "Y" Combination with Support Play and Shooting
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U18 Overload soccer drills

  1. 3v3 with 4 supports and a central player
  2. Pep Guardiola: Small-sided high-intensity play from 1v1 to 5v5
  3. Quick Attacks Against a Team Defending in a Low Block (5v5)
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U18 Passes soccer drills

  1. Shooting with diamond play from the German national team
  2. 6v6 (+2) possession game with play through the central zone
  3. Rafael Benitez Passing Circuit with give and go, opening, and direct play
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U18 Positional play soccer drills

  1. Effectively utilizing the spaces between the lines
  2. Switch of play and defensive positioning game
  3. Possession game in 4 zones with mandatory switch of play
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U18 Possession soccer drills

  1. 3-Team Possession Game (6v6 + 3 neutral players)
  2. Possession Game by Claudio Ranieri on 4 Mini-Pitches
  3. Jurgen Klopp's possession play with use of the weak side
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U18 Pressing soccer drills

  1. Marcelo Bielsa: Build-up play under pressure and switch of play in 8v6
  2. Pressing and Counterattack Work in 8v8
  3. Possession game in 4 zones with mandatory switch of play
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U18 Rondos soccer drills

  1. 5v5 attacking game with 4 support players in tight spaces
  2. 7v7 Possession Game with 3 Neutral Players and Gate Passes
  3. Possession game in 4 zones with mandatory switch of play
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U18 Scanning soccer drills

  1. Combinations with a one-touch play circuit and supporting player
  2. Breaking the lines: warm-up with passing circuit
  3. Mr. Bielsa: Creating and Exploiting Space Along the Touchline
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U18 Shooting soccer drills

  1. Quick Attacks Against a Team Defending in a Low Block (5v5)
  2. Possession play and switching against a low block
  3. J. Klopp: Shooting drills with a give and go around the penalty area
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U18 Support soccer drills

  1. 3v3: shooting with outside support and delayed runs
  2. 3v3 with 4 supports and a central player
  3. Warm-up: working on play with support
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U18 Transition soccer drills

  1. Pressing then possession play in 3 zones by D. Simeone
  2. Back pass and 2v2 at the edge of the penalty area
  3. Possession Game by Claudio Ranieri on 4 Mini-Pitches
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U18 Using width soccer drills

  1. Build-up play from the goalkeeper and alternating between short passing game and direct play
  2. M. Bielsa: Build-up play on the strong side with a switch of play to draw a defender and release
  3. Luis Enrique: dynamic situation in 3 zones with support for the ball carrier
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