A practical session for young footballers with lots of ball actions and little waiting. Five clear activities, adaptable pitch sizes and useful coaching questions.
An example for around twelve children, two small pitches and one focus: take on opponents and recognise an open goal. Adapt the times to your group; short instructions and repeated ball actions matter more than a rigid schedule.
| Time | Activity | Organisation and focus |
|---|---|---|
| 10 min | Arrival with a ball | Six pairs in dribbling lanes: changes of pace and direction. |
| 15 min | 1v1 towards two goals | Approx. 12 × 16 m per duel; cone goals, short attacks and frequent role switches. |
| 15 min | 2v2 to end zones | Three pitches of roughly 16 × 12 m; use space and carry the ball into the end zone. |
| 20 min | 3v3 to four goals | Two pitches about 22 × 18 m; each team attacks two cone goals. |
| 15 min | Free 3v3 | Keep rules simple, finish with one short question to the players. |
Total: 75 minutes including short transitions. Add water and rest breaks according to conditions and the children.
Equipment: balls, cones and bibs. Mini goals are optional.
An attacker faces a defender with a goal to the left and one to the right.
Attackers choose the open goal, then switch roles quickly. Change partners after a few short attempts.
Easier: wider goals and more starting space. Harder: let the defender start closer.
Each team attacks two goals, encouraging observation, dribbling and timely passes.
Play on two pitches in parallel. Rotate groups after short rounds of around three minutes.
Too crowded? Add space. Too easy? Narrow the goals slightly without imposing unnecessary touch limits.
Score by dribbling under control into the opponents’ end zone.
Run three small games side by side. Reset quickly after every score.
Adjust the end-zone width or use corner target zones for an extra challenge.
Brief interventions are enough. Let children test their own ideas on the pitch.
| Players | Suggested format |
|---|---|
| 8 | Two 2v2 games or 3v3 with short rotations. |
| 10 | Two 2v2 games with supporting players, or 3v3 plus 2v2. |
| 12 | Two simultaneous 3v3 games. |
| 16 | Four 2v2 pitches or two 4v4 pitches. |
Pitch sizes are guidance, not fixed rules. Choose a setup that creates frequent decisions and little waiting.
Organise the five blocks in your training plan, illustrate the setup in the training editor and add the session to the team calendar. iCoachPro helps with preparation and organisation; you remain the coach.
More ideas: Football training planner · Five 1v1 football drills · U12 weekly training plan
No. This is one adaptable example. Shorter sessions can work well when they are organised and engaging.
No. Cone gates are enough for many of these games.
Let young players experience different roles in attack and defence.
Frequent involvement, enjoyment and repeated decisions in small-sided games.
Background: The German FA training philosophy highlights small-sided play, enjoyment and repetition. These sessions are independent, adaptable examples created for iCoachPro – not official DFB plans.
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