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1v1 exercises

Football is full of 1v1 duels. These drills give attackers the confidence to take on an opponent and teach defenders how to delay, channel and tackle.

Keep work periods short (15–30 seconds) and rest periods long enough to keep the quality high.

8 exercises

  • Waves

    1v1 to Mini Goals

    A defender passes to an attacker and closes down; the attacker must beat them and score in one of two mini goals. Simple, intense and full of duels.

    Age
    U7–​U14
    Players
    4–12
    Duration
    15 min

    BeginnerGlobal1v1

  • Football-adapted game

    Sharks and Minnows

    Minnows dribble across the 'ocean' without losing their ball to the sharks in the middle. Caught minnows become sharks. A classic dribbling game for kids.

    Age
    U6–​U10
    Players
    8–20
    Duration
    10 min

    BeginnerGlobalDribbling

  • Waves

    First Touch Away from Pressure

    A player receives while a defender closes in from one side and must take the first touch away from the pressure, through the gate on the free side.

    Age
    U9–​U16
    Players
    4–12
    Duration
    12 min

    IntermediateIntermediateBall Control

  • Waves

    Reaction Sprint Duel

    Two players react to the coach's call, touch the called cone and race to a ball 8 m away. The first to the ball attacks; the other defends in a 1v1 to two mini goals.

    Age
    U7–​Senior
    Players
    4–16
    Duration
    12 min

    BeginnerGlobalSpeed

  • Waves

    1v1 Defending in a Channel

    The defender passes, closes down and must stop the attacker from dribbling over the end line in a 10 m wide channel. Teaches approach, body shape and timing of the tackle.

    Age
    U9–​U16
    Players
    4–12
    Duration
    12 min

    BeginnerGlobalDefending

  • Football-adapted game

    1v1 Gates Duel

    Pairs play 1v1 in an area full of gates. The attacker scores by dribbling through any gate; if the defender wins the ball, the roles swap immediately.

    Age
    U7–​U14
    Players
    6–16
    Duration
    12 min

    BeginnerGlobalDribbling

  • Football-adapted game

    King of the Square

    Every player dribbles their own ball in a 15 × 15 m square, protects it and tries to knock the other balls out. Nobody is eliminated.

    Age
    U7–​U12
    Players
    6–16
    Duration
    10 min

    BeginnerGlobalFun Games

  • Possession game

    4v4 Possession with Man-Marking

    4v4 keep-ball where every player has a direct opponent with the same number and can only tackle, or be tackled by, that player. Six passes score a point.

    Age
    U11–​Senior
    Players
    8–10
    Duration
    14 min

    IntermediateGlobalPossession

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