The Best Soccer Passing Drills for Individual and Partner Training
What are the best soccer passing drills? Passing a soccer ball is one of the most important skills for any position of the game, because that is the primary way of moving the ball around the field.
The best way to start improving your passing skills is by reading our guide on how to pass a soccer ball and getting familiar with the different types of passes. Once you have done that you can use some of the drills on this blog to start improving your skills, but first it’s important to go over a couple of things.
When it comes to training there is no drill that is going to replicate the game. This means that the best way to improve all of your skills, not just passing, is by playing and training against real opponents in soccer practices or small-sided games such as pick up games.
Once you are training consistently with other players, you can supplement your training with individual training sessions, and include some of the following drills to improve your passing.
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The best individual passing drill
As mentioned above, the best way to improve your passing is with partners, so you can work on different types of passing techniques and control the ball from different areas. However if you don’t have a partner you can get away with training with a wall or a rebounder.
Depending on the type of wall or rebounder you have available that will determine what type of techniques you can work on. For example, if you have a high wall you can work on long passes in the air, and if you have a shorter wall you can focus more on hard passes on the ground.
You can do wall passing in many different ways. You can start with freestyle passing where you just pass the ball to the wall and pass back in one touch, two touches, or however you want.
Or you can set up a timer for about 2-5 minutes and focus on a certain technique with maximal effort. You can also add in other skills, individually or a combination, such as by passing to a rebounder, turning, dribbling out to space, and then shooting at goal.
Playing with the wall is by far one of the best ways to improve if you have to train individually because it is basically a training partner that will never get tired.
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The best passing drills with small groups or a partner
One touch / 2 touch passing
Setup: Partner up with another player and stand about 10 yards apart. You can mark this distance with cones or just eyeball it.
One-Touch Drill: Pass the ball back and forth using only one touch. The goal is to improve the speed and accuracy of your passes over time.
Two-Touch Drill: Similar to the one-touch drill, but now you’re allowed two touches: one to control the ball and the second to pass it back.
Progression: Step back and get further away from each other. Focus on hitting the ball hard, but accurately, so that it challenges your opponent, but it’s manageable.
One Touch / Two Touch Passing with Grid
Setup: Partner up with another player and stand about 10 yards apart. Create a square grid using cones each player stands in their grid.
One-Touch Drill: Pass the ball to your partner using one touch and make sure it goes straight into their grid. Your partner will then do a one touch pass back to you.
Two-Touch Drill: Same as above, but now with two touches allowed. Make sure the ball does not leave your grid after your first touch and make sure it enters your opponent’s grid once you make the pass.
Progression: Step back and get further away from each other or make the grids smaller.
Two touch juggling
Setup: Stand a few yards apart from your partner.
Drill: Juggling the ball, pass the ball back and forth using two touches: one to control the ball and the second to pass it. The goal is to keep the ball in the air without dropping out and getting better at passing and receiving from the air.
Progression: As you improve, play with the height of the juggles and how far you are from each other.
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Long Pass Drill (Passing or juggling)
Setup: Partners stand about 30-40 yards apart from each other.
Drill: Pass the ball back and forth using long passes. Focus on using the instep for accuracy and power, aiming to deliver the ball to your partner’s feet or chest.
Progression: As you become more accurate, increase the distance between you and your partner or add a grid, similar to the two touch passing grid drill, but obviously further apart.
Crossing to Finishing Drill
Set up: One player stands on the wing (either left or right), and the other in the penalty box.
Drill: The wing player crosses the ball into the box, and the partner attempts to finish by shooting on goal with either one or two touches. Alternate roles after a couple of minutes or shot at goal
Progression: Get further away from your partner, further away from the goal, receive some balls in the air and some on the ground, or limit your number of touches.
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Rondo
Setup: Form a circle with 4-6 players, with one or two players in the middle (defenders).
Drill: Players on the outside pass the ball to each other, while the defenders try to intercept it. The goal is to keep the ball away from the defenders with quick, precise passes sort of like money in the middle.
Progression: Increase the number of defenders or reduce the size of the circle to make it more challenging.
Square Drill
Setup: Create a square using cones, about 10 yards per side and a player is positioned at each cone.
Drills: Players pass the ball around the square, either clockwise or counterclockwise. Focus on not staying on the cone and checking out and calling for the ball.
Progression: Use two touches (one to control, one to pass), then progress to one-touch passing or add a second ball.
Triangle Drill
Setup: Set up three cones in a triangle formation. Position a player at each cone.
Drill: Players pass the ball around the triangle, either clockwise or counterclockwise. Focus on not staying on the cone and checking out and calling for the ball.
Progression: Use two touches (one to control, one to pass), then progress to one-touch passing or add a second ball.
Y Drill
Setup: Arrange cones in a Y shape. Place a player at each cone.
Drill: The player at the bottom of the Y passes the ball to one of the players at the top, who then lays it off to the other player. That player then passes it back down to the starting point.
Progression: Use two touches (one to control, one to pass), then progress to one-touch passing or add a second ball.
Diamond Drill
Setup: Create a diamond shape using cones, with a player at each cone.
Drills: Players pass the ball around the diamond, focusing on precise, well-timed passes. Rotate positions regularly.
Progression: Use two touches (one to control, one to pass), then progress to one-touch passing or add a second ball.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I improve my passing accuracy if I don’t have a partner?
If you don’t have a training partner, teammates or friends then the most important thing you can do is find some. Training with others is by far the best way to improve, but if you currently don’t have a training partner then you can use a wall or a rebounder to improve your passing.
What are the best individual soccer drills for young players?
The best ways for younger players to improve at the beautiful game is by being in a team environment, not by doing individual training sessions. By being in a team environment players will get to play real matches, train against live opponents, as well as get feedback from their coach.
If you have to do an individual training session it is best to focus on keeping it simple, but intense, meaning you are doing everything mindfully and with full intensity.
What are the most fun games to play in soccer to improve your passing game?
The best drills, and most fun games, to help you improve your passing skills include small-sided games, rondos, and two touch. These games are very simple, but very fun, and can help you improve your first touch, second touch, and all-round passing skills.
Conclusion
Mastering the art of passing in soccer is important for any player looking to make an impact on the field. Remember, although these drills can be helpful, they are most effective when combined with regular team practices and real-game experiences.
By consistently incorporating these passing drills into your training routine, you will improve your passing accuracy and help your team retain possession of the ball. Now go out there and train!
