In soccer a game can be won or lost based on the qualitative superiority of a single individual.

How many times have players such as Hazard, Messi or Ronaldo produced moments of genius which have been the decisive factor in a match? Now imagine a whole team of players who are technically superior, who can out-think, out-play, and out-fight their direct opponent; players who are willing to receive the ball in any situation and are capable of finding a solution to the problem they face – lots of exposure to 1v1 practices will help make this a reality.

Check out this awesome individual soccer challenge to help you receive, turn and play like Ronaldo. You will have seen this great player do this countless times in games so try this simple challenge to give yourself the ability to do the same.

This practice will improve your dynamic movements, 1st touch, dribbling and finishing.

Set up a simple diamond and work on these 4 turns

1. Flick behind
2. Inside foot
3. Outside foot
4. Inside & spin

Remember to practice on both feet, be sharp, explosive and focus to make it game realistic.

Hard work pays off
Master the Ball…Master the Game

How sharp can you be with this buddy soccer training practice? This multiple outcome kids soccer dribbling drill is aimed at U8-U12 but can be done by all players. It will work on many areas including your first touch, passing & receiving along with explosive movements, quick feet, 1v1 and shooting.

1. Get on your toes, quick feet…Explode into the square and receive the ball on the move.Make sure your passer fires the ball into the square.
2. After receiving turn explosively at each corner of the square!
3. Drive out at speed and through the maze of cones with lots of little touches, keep the ball moving.
4. At speed do a 1v1 skill at the next set of cones and finish!
5. Repeat on your weak foot

Hard work pays off

Master the Ball…Master the Game

Be the complete striker with this soccer first drill in collaboration with FourFourTiwo Performance. This simple soccer first touch drill is great for mastering that first touch with explosive movements and a final shot to goal. Being in full control of the ball as you recieve it and moving it in a desired direction with effective speed is vital for any aspiring football player.

This soccer first touch drill requires 2 players

TIPS

1. Ensure the first touch is pushed in front with good weight to allow you to explode pass the defender but not so far that the ball has gone
2. You must be explosive with your movement after the touch is taken
3. The defender should be passive to start but can increase their inteference for added difficulty
4. Practice off both feet

Master the Ball…Master the Game

Be the complete striker with this soccer shooting drill in collaboration with FourFourTiwo Performance. This shooting drill is all about turning sharply with your back to goal, into space and finishing with style.

The turn square is marked out with 4 cones and another person or required to pass the ball into you.

TIPS

1. Run into the square
2. Server passes to striker
3. Turn out of the box with one touch. Turn sharply using the outside of the boot
4. Shoot towards goal making sure you hit the target
5. Repeat using other foot

Master the Ball…Master the Game

Be the complete striker with this soccer shooting drill which is designed to be practised with 3 players who together will combine with attacking passing patterns before finishing in the goal.

The aim of the exercise is to practise 1-2 combinations around the goal with various angles before shooting in the goal with volleys, laces and side foot finishes.

TIPS

1. Make the passed between players quick and sharp
2. Move into positions quickly and be alert
3. Try to pass the ball with one touch
4. Work off both feet
5. Aim for the corners when shooting

Hard work pays off
Master the Ball…Master the Game

MyPersonalFootballCoach.com have teamed up with FourFourTwo Performance to bring you a series of soccer training drills to improve your football game.

Be a complete striker with a soccer shooting practice that works on 3 essential elements that every soccer player much master. The ability to pass, dribble & finish. This fun soccer training drill required 2 players.

1. Set up 4 cones in a square away from the goal.
2. Players should stand diagonally opposite at the corner and exchange 4 passes starting with the player furthest away from the goal
3. After the final pass the player furthest away from the goal attacks the player and beat him with any skill. Be sure to vary the skills and explode out of the square.
4. Once out of the square, shoot at the goal with a laces finish.
5. Alternate corners for angle variation and work on both feet.

Hard work pays off
Master the Ball…Master the Game

This soccer skills challenge is focused on aerial ball control and mastering your touches when the ball is coming at you from a height. The challenge will need 2 people and is a fun exercise to do with your team mates.

There are 5 stages and it is important to follow the video to achieve the best outcomes. Always run backwards when moving from side to side

Stage 1 – 1 touch volley – pass back with inside of your foot

Stage 2 – 2 touch volley – pop the ball up and pass back with the inside of your foot

Stage 3 – Chest cushion and volley back – Try to relax your check when you cushion the ball

Stage 4 – Chest to the side, wedge the ball and turn, scoop the ball back. After the turn, makes sure you explode before scooping the ball back

Stage 5 – Touch behind on the volley and scoop back. Touch the ball behind the standing foot to the side, turn back and explode before scooping the ball back.

Repeat the challenge using the weaker foot for all stages. Try and use right foot on one side and left foot on the side of the person throwing the ball.

Progression – use other surfaces of your feet to control and pass back.

Hard work pays off
Master the Ball…Master the Game

This soccer skills technical challenge takes inspiration from Xabi Alonso. The Spanish midfielder has won the European Champions League, the Euros and World Cup with Spain along with many other titles with some of the biggest clubs in the world. So what make Alonso so great? Some would say it is his simplicity and efficiency in midfield from which he makes a huge impact. His game is based on the fundamentals of “Receiving”, “Turning” and “Passing” and he has mastered them all.

Every player, especially midfielders who connect defence to attack must have these attributes so we have devised a very straight forward 5 stage challenge that will test all 3 areas.

Set up 2 cones 5 yards apart and between 5-8 yards from the wall. Adjust this distance between the cones and the wall to increase or decrease difficulty.

Stage 1: Inside foot passing against the wall, 2 touch on both feet between passes. Try to stay on the line between the cones.

Stage 2: Play around the outside of the cones. Receive with back foot with 1 touch to the other side. As a progression, try a fake before you receive

Stage 3: Receive with 1 touch to outside of the cone, then receive with 1 touch on back foot into the middle. Work your way from side to side and ensure you have the quality first touch.

Stage 4: First touch to outside of the cone, inside cut back into the middle and punch pass in with inside of the foot.

Stage 5: First touch to outside of the cone, outside cut back into the middle and punch pass in with inside of the foot. Keep disguising before you receive.

Remember, Pass, First touch and cut should be your only touches. Try to spend 1 minute on each stage.

This soccer skills technical challenge is about as simple as it gets but the outcomes are massive when playing football.
This football exercise is designed to Improve your Passing and First Touch and it is a great test of focus and precision.

Tips

1. Remember to play practice on your left and right foot
2. Spending no more than 3 minutes doing this challenge BUT do it as often as possible.
3. Move cones closer or further away from the wall to increase or reduce difficulty.
4. Start off slow and speed up but ensure your body shapes are correct when passing and receiving the ball
5. Keep a record of how many passes you can do in a row with out hitting the cones or moving out of position.
6. For advanced progression, do some turns and cuts after receiving the ball and before passing back through the cones

Hard work pays off
Master the Ball…Master the Game

This weeks technical challenge is inspired by Gerard Deulofeu following his superb 1v1 performance for Everton v Aston Villa in the English Premier League last weekend (Sat 21st November 2015) Deulofeu may not be a household name just yet but we see him emerging as a future star. He is a product of the famous Barcelona “La Masia” youth academy where he started at the age of nine and is showing all the technical attributes to be a formidable attacking player. This challenge showcases the 1v1 jinks and feints which he performed to such great effect, akin to Garrincha. We have tied this into an all round functional practice incorporating other skills, dynamic movements and shooting. With 2 progressions also included, this challenge will test your ability and improve your game.

When you think about the best midfielders of the last 10 years, who do you think of? We are pretty sure that Barcelona’s Xavi will be very high, if not top of your list. The World Cup and double European winner made his debut in August 1998 and was a mainstay in legendary Barcelona and Spanish teams that won trophy after trophy. This week we challenge you to be like Xavi with a 5 stage tech challenge that will work on your passing and turning in tight spaces. He made the game look simple but very effective. Can you do the same?

This dynamic midfielder practice is inspired by Santi Cazorla. He may be small in size but he is big on midfield impact. A two footed player who is always looking to make a positive impact