11 Most Fun Soccer Drills for Any Age and Level

What if the key to developing better soccer players isn’t more serious drills, but rather bringing back the joy that made them fall in love with the sport in the first place? Soccer training doesn’t have to be repetitive or dull, since at its heart, soccer is called the beautiful game because it’s fun, creative, and full of excitement.

Whether you’re a player, parent, or coach of soccer players at any age group, using fun soccer drills can help players develop their skills while keeping training sessions engaging and energetic. In this post, I’ll go over 11 dynamic soccer drills that I’ve used as a player and as a coach throughout my soccer journey that will help build the fundamental skills needed to become better players, such as soccer IQ, decision making, awareness, composure, first touch, passing, dribbling, shooting, and defending.

To perform the drills on this list in the most efficient way, it will be important to have some of the following training gear and accessories:

• Soccer balls – Have a few to spend less time shagging balls
• Soccer ball bags – Easy way to carry your soccer balls
• Soccer Cleats – Wear the right cleats based on your playing surface
• Portable soccer goal – Important to work on scoring goals
• Rebounder – To have a training partner that doesn’t get tired

What are the Most Fun Soccer Drills for Any Type of Player?

The following drills are some of the best and most fun soccer drills that you can do with a partner or group, although the first drill you can do individually. You can also practice many of these drills barefoot, even occasionally, to reap numerous performance-enhancing benefits.

Wall Passing Variations

This first drill is one of the best soccer drills you can do for individual training or group training. All you need is a ball and a wall, and you can work on all types of skills.

If you have a goal available as well as another training partner, you can do even more drill variations, since the wall IS another training partner. For example, you can work on different types of passing and shooting techniques, first touch, wall juggling, pass to dribbling, pass to turning, pass to shooting, or a combination (Pass to wall – Turn – Dribble – Skill Move – Shot) if you have a soccer goal available.

Soccer Tennis

Soccer tennis is a fantastic soccer variation that mixes the best of both sports, soccer and tennis, to make a game / drill that helps players improve their touch and ball control skills while having fun. If you don’t have a net you can set up cones, or any other object to make a line, use a line already on the field, or just play two-touch juggling or any other similar variation.

Soccer Ping Pong

Similar to soccer tennis, soccer ping-pong is another fantastic soccer variation that forces soccer players to improve their touch and ball control skills. Instead of a net, players set up a small table, benches, or even cones to create a “ping pong table” and volley the ball back and forth using only soccer techniques like volleys, headers, or controlled passes.

Small-Sided Games and Variations of Soccer

Small-sided games are a great way for soccer players to develop all of the skills they will need for a full-sided game. These fun soccer games, which can range from 2v2 all the way up to 9v9, encourage players to get more touches on the ball and make more decisions.

There are also other variations of soccer that are forms of small-sided games, but have their own official rules, such as futsal and beach soccer.

Rondo Variations

Rondo variations, which you can think of as a monkey in the middle game, are excellent soccer drills for all players to improve their passing, ball control, and awareness. This fun drill forces players to keep possession of the soccer ball and work together as a team while facing defensive pressure from the player, or players, in the middle.

With rondos, you can easily adjust the difficulty by changing the number of touches allowed, the size or shape of the playing area, or adding more defenders to the middle.

Possession Games

Possession games, which are similar to small-sided games but without scoring on a goal, are fun soccer drills that train players to keep the ball under pressure, make smarter decisions, and improve their ability to find and create passing lanes. In these possession games, two teams compete to maintain control of the soccer ball within a designated playing area, and there are a lot of variations to adjust the difficulty.

The scoring can also vary, but usually teams will get points by reaching a certain amount of passes before the other team touches the ball or by playing the ball through a gate.

Header Challenge (Head into a Bin)

The header challenge is a fun soccer drill that encourages players to work on their heading technique while aiming for a specific target, such as a bin or goal. This drill promotes teamwork, communication, ball control, and accuracy in a fun, low-pressure environment.

This is something that you might see being done in team locker rooms, but it can easily be adapted into a drill on the soccer field.

Tic Tac Toe Race

The tic-tac-toe race is a fun game that involves two teams racing to complete a tic-tac-toe grid using three colored training vests or cones. Teams will start off lined up with a tic-tac-toe grid about 10 – 20 yards in front of them, and on the whistle, the first player of each line will sprint to the grid, throw the object into a box, and race back to tag their other teammate.

If all three objects are placed, the fourth player and the following players will move one of the three on the grid. This simple drill keeps everyone active, sharpens quick thinking under pressure, and adds a fun, competitive twist to any practice session.

Obstacle Course Relay Race (with and without the ball)

The obstacle course relay race is a fun soccer drill that has many different variations and can be done with the ball, without it, or a hybrid mix. With cones and obstacles scattered across the soccer field, players work together in teams to navigate the course as quickly as possible to see which team finishes first.

These drills are a lot better to do with a team, instead of individually, because being with a team adds a competitive and energetic atmosphere that keeps players motivated and fully engaged, although it could still be fun and beneficial to do it alone.

Flying Changes

Flying changes are an exciting soccer drill that challenges players to quickly transition between attacking and defending. To set it up, place two goals facing each other about a quarter of the field apart, or you can vary the distance as the drills go.

Divide the team into four lines, with two lines next to each goal post on both goals. The players that are on the same goal will be on the same team of two, and whatever team starts with the ball at first can be determined in any way; after that there is a special rule.

Any side the ball goes out of bounds from a new team starts with the ball and can attack as soon as that ball gets past the goal line. If the ball goes out of bounds through the sidelines, there can also be different variations as to how the next round starts.

World Cup Game

The World Cup game is a competitive soccer game where teams splits into groups of 2 or more, depending on how many players you have, and it is basically like a free-for-all amongst all of the teams. If a team scores, they are “safe” and are out for that round until there is one team left that does not score, which means they are out of the game.

The point is to make it to the final round between the final two teams and be the first team to score in the final round, although the final round can be for more than one goal, depending on the set up.

Final Thoughts

To summarize, these 11 fun soccer drills prove that effective training doesn’t have to sacrifice enjoyment for skill development because players often learn faster when they’re having fun during training. By incorporating the drills on this list, like small-sided games, rondo variations, and creative challenges into a training session, you can build the skills you need to succeed at the game while having fun.

FAQs

What are the best soccer drills for kids?

The best soccer drills for kids are often the same drills that benefit older age groups, since mastering the basics of ball control, passing, and dribbling drills is essential for every skill level. Fun soccer games like rondos, small-sided games, and tic-tac-toe races keep young players engaged while developing technical skills in a fun game environment.

What are the best soccer dribbling drills to keep young players engaged?

The best dribbling drills for kids are small-sided games and variations where players dribble under defensive pressure, forcing them to make quick decisions and learn to trust their instinct. These fun soccer drills improve confidence with the soccer ball, encourage creativity, and teach youth soccer players how to find a passing lane or beat a defensive player in real-time.