THE BALL ARRIVES.
Your initial contact with a pass, bounce, or loose ball sets up what comes next. WORK ON RECEIVING
TRAIN / FIELD GUIDE 02
BALLCONTROL
KEEP IT.
MOVE IT.
OWN THE NEXT STEP.
MOVE IT.
OWN THE NEXT STEP.
Close control is what happens after the ball is yours. Build the touches, turns, awareness, and decisions to carry it through real space and real pressure.
CONTROL ZONE / 01PLAYER + BALL
THE BALL STAYS WITH YOU.TOUCH / LOOK / MOVE
NO TRICK REQUIRED. JUST A BETTER NEXT TOUCH.SCROLL TO TRAIN / ↓
01 / KNOW THE DIFFERENCERECEIVE IT.
RECEIVE IT.
THEN KEEP IT.
YOU TAKE IT FROM THERE.
Keep it within reach while you dribble, turn, shield, look up, and decide whether to pass, carry, or change direction.
02 / THE TOOLKITSIX THINGS
SIX THINGS
TO TRAIN.
No single move solves every situation. Build a small set of habits you can use while the game keeps moving.
CLOSE TOUCHES
Keep the ball within a step when space is tight. Use soft, frequent contacts rather than one heavy push.
CHANGE OF PACE
Slow to keep it, then accelerate out of a move. A turn only creates space if you use the space afterward.
TURNS
Use the inside, outside, or sole to move the ball away from the defender. Plant, turn your body, then leave.
SHIELDING
Put your body between the ball and pressure. Stay balanced, use your far foot, and look for an exit.
BOTH FEET
Give your less comfortable foot real repetitions. Start at walking speed; build the same patterns on both sides.
EYES UP
Glance down to make contact, then look up to find space. Practice noticing a call, a color, or an open gate.
03 / TAKE THIS TO THE FIELD18 MINUTES.
18 MINUTES.
ONE BALL.
A complete close-control session. Use a ball, four markers, and a safe open space. A partner is useful for the last block, but not required.
3 + 5 + 5 + 5 MINUTES / REST AS NEEDEDFEEL THE BALL
In a small square, alternate inside touches, outside touches, and sole rolls. Work both feet. Start slow enough to keep the ball close.
MOVE & TURN
Dribble across the square. At each edge, turn with the inside, outside, or sole and come back. Change the turning foot each trip.
FIND A GATE
Make two small gates with markers. Dribble through one, lift your eyes, turn, then choose the other. Call the gate before you enter it.
KEEP IT / ESCAPE
With a partner, shield for a few seconds against light pressure, then turn and dribble through a gate. Alone? Use a marker as the defender and turn away from it.
Keep the space clear and the pace suitable for the player. The clock is a guide, not a reason to rush sloppy touches.
04 / THE DRILL BOOKSET UP.
SET UP.
GET MOVING.
Choose one or two drills for a short session. Each has a clear way in and a way to make it more game-like.
01 / BALL CONTROL DRILL
THE TIGHT SQUARE
SETUP
Mark a square about four big steps wide. One ball per player.
HOW
Move continuously inside the square with small inside and outside touches. On a clap or self-call, change direction without losing the ball.
PROGRESS
Shrink the square, switch to the less comfortable foot for a round, or name something you see outside the square every few touches.
02 / BALL CONTROL DRILL
GATE TO GATE
SETUP
Place three pairs of shoes or cones as gates, spaced far enough apart to dribble between.
HOW
Dribble through a gate, look up to choose the next one, and take the ball there. Keep your touches shorter near the gate and longer in open space.
PROGRESS
Call the next gate before your turn. Then add a time limit or a partner who points to the next gate.
03 / BALL CONTROL DRILL
TURN & GO
SETUP
Place one marker at each end of a short lane, roughly eight to ten steps apart.
HOW
Dribble toward a marker. Before reaching it, turn away with the sole, inside, or outside of the foot. Push out of the turn and accelerate for two steps.
PROGRESS
Alternate turning feet. Add a passive defender at one marker; choose the turn that takes the ball away from them.
04 / BALL CONTROL DRILL
SHIELD & ESCAPE
SETUP
Use a small square, one ball, and a partner applying gentle pressure from behind or the side.
HOW
Keep your body between partner and ball for three seconds, moving the ball with your far foot. Turn into open space and dribble out.
PROGRESS
Let the defender increase pressure gradually. Add two exit gates so the ball carrier must look up and decide where to go.
05 / MAKE IT MATTERDON'T JUST
DON'T JUST
GO FASTER.
First add control. Then ask the player to see something, choose something, and deal with an opponent.
OWN THE PATTERN
Learn the movement with room and no opponent. Keep the ball close enough to change direction.
MOVE THE SPACE
Use a narrower lane or smaller square. Change speed without sending the ball out of reach.
ADD A SIGNAL
A partner calls a direction or points to a gate. Look up, decide, then execute.
ADD PRESSURE
Start with a passive defender, then let them challenge. The aim is to protect the ball and find an exit, not just do tricks.
06 / FIX THE REP
WHAT TO WATCH FOR.
- 01Ball gets away?
Shorten the touch and slow down first. Build speed only when the next touch stays within reach.
- 02Looking down the whole time?
Glance up between touches. In gate drills, name your next gate before you reach it.
- 03Always turning the same way?
Practice each turn on both sides, then let pressure decide which side actually makes sense.
- 04Trapped under pressure?
Get side-on, use the foot farther from the defender, and make the escape touch into available space.
07 / BETWEEN TEAM SESSIONSSMALL SPACE.
SMALL SPACE.
REAL WORK.
A clear patch of ground and a ball are enough for close touches, sole rolls, and turns. Use soft touches where space is limited; save faster dribbling for an open area.
CHECK THE SURFACE, THE SPACE, AND THE HOUSE RULES.TRY THE 15-MINUTE ROUTINE08 / QUICK ANSWERS
BALL CONTROL FAQ.
What is ball control in soccer?
Ball control is the ability to keep and move the ball deliberately while dribbling, turning, shielding, or changing pace. It is not just a collection of stationary footwork moves.
How is ball control different from first touch?
First touch is your initial contact when a ball arrives. Ball control continues after that: keeping the ball close, moving with it, protecting it, and choosing where to go. Receiving well can start a dribble, but the skills are not the same.
Should I practice with both feet?
Yes. Give both feet time in simple patterns first, then use them in turns and dribbles. You do not need identical feet to become more comfortable making choices on either side.
How do I keep my eyes up while dribbling?
You can still glance at the ball. The goal is to look away between touches often enough to see a gate, teammate, defender, or open space. Add a call-and-response or gate-choice task to your practice.
Can I practice without cones or a partner?
Yes. Shoes, water bottles, or other safe markers can make a square or gates. A partner helps with pressure, but you can rehearse turns and exits around a marker on your own.
When should I make a drill harder?
When you can keep the ball under control while doing the current task. Change one thing at a time: smaller space, quicker pace, a decision, or pressure. If quality falls apart, simplify again.
THE WORK STARTS WITH A BALLNEXT TOUCH.
NEXT TOUCH.
NEXT DECISION.
Keep the ball close enough to choose what happens next. Take a session outside and make every repetition count.
TAKE THE SESSION