U7–U8 Football Exercises (Ages 6–7)

15 exercises

Possession game
4v1 Rondo
Four players on the sides of a 10 × 10 m square keep the ball away from one defender. The simplest rondo and the best introduction for young players.
Age
U7–U12
Players
5–20
Duration
10 min
BeginnerGlobalRondos
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
Match
3v3 Four-Goal Game
3v3 with two mini goals at each end. With two goals to attack, players learn to look up, spot the undefended goal and switch the play.
Age
U7–U14
Players
6–8
Duration
16 min
BeginnerGlobalSmall-Sided Games
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
Football-adapted game
Passing Gates Warm-Up
Pairs move around an area full of small cone gates and score a point every time they pass through one. A warm-up with hundreds of passes.
Age
U7–Senior
Players
6–20
Duration
10 min
BeginnerAnalyticalWarm-Up
Circuit
Ball Mastery Grid
Every player has a ball in a 20 × 20 m grid and follows the coach's calls: sole rolls, inside–outside touches, turns and changes of speed.
Age
U6–U12
Players
6–20
Duration
10 min
BeginnerAnalyticalWarm-Up
Football-adapted game
Treasure Thieves
Two teams race to dribble balls from the treasure in the middle to their base, then steal from each other. A favourite with U6 to U10 players.
Age
U6–U10
Players
6–16
Duration
10 min
BeginnerIntermediateFun Games
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
Football-adapted game
Traffic Lights Dribbling Game
Young players dribble around like cars and react to the coach's calls: green (go fast), amber (slow, small touches) and red (stop the ball with the sole).
Age
U6–U10
Players
6–16
Duration
10 min
BeginnerAnalyticalDribbling
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
Football-adapted game
Cone Knockdown
Two teams in their own half pass along the ground to knock down the opponents' cones while blocking shots at their own. Simple rules, lots of passes.
Age
U6–U12
Players
6–12
Duration
12 min
BeginnerIntermediateFun Games
Circuit
Coordination Ladder to Pass
Players work through an agility ladder and a pole slalom, then receive a pass and play it back. Footwork and coordination always finished with the ball.
Age
U7–U14
Players
4–12
Duration
12 min
BeginnerAnalyticalCoordination
Circuit
Jungle Stretching Story
A 6-minute cool-down for U6 to U10: the coach tells a jungle story and each animal is a stretch — giraffe, flamingo, frog, cat, snake and turtle.
Age
U6–U10
Players
1–20
Duration
6 min
BeginnerAnalyticalStretching & Cool-Down
Football-adapted game
Animal Moves and Dribble
Children move like the animal the coach calls — bear, frog, crab, flamingo — and dribble a ball when they hear “Balls!”. Mobility and coordination for the youngest.
Age
U6–U8
Players
4–16
Duration
10 min
BeginnerAnalyticalFun Games