Good defending starts with the individual: approach, body shape and patience. From there, players learn to press together, cover a teammate and keep the team compact.
Reward defenders for winning the ball and doing something with it, not only for stopping the attack.
13 exercises
Waves
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.
BeginnerGlobalDefending
Waves
Five attackers move the ball across the pitch while a back four and goalkeeper shift together, keeping 8–10 m between defenders and protecting the goal.
AdvancedGlobalDefending
Waves
Three zonal defenders protect the six-yard box while three man-markers follow the best headers. Corners and wide free kicks against a live attack.
AdvancedGlobalDefending
Waves
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.
BeginnerGlobal1v1
Match
4v4 to mini goals where a goal scored within six seconds of winning the ball counts triple, and winning the ball back within five seconds of losing it earns a point.
IntermediateGlobalTransition
Waves
Three attackers attack two defenders. As soon as the attack ends, the two defenders counter-attack the other goal against the one attacker who took the shot.
IntermediateGlobalTransition
Possession game
Two teams of four keep the ball together against a third team that presses for the whole round. The pressing team counts its recoveries; every team presses once.
IntermediateGlobalPossession
Football-adapted game
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.
BeginnerGlobalDribbling
Positional game
A goalkeeper and five players try to build up and dribble through a gate, while four pressers wait for a trigger — a pass to the full-back, a back pass or a bad touch — to press together.
AdvancedGlobalTactical
Positional game
2v2 in the middle with four wall players around the area. Teams score by getting the ball to the end player they attack; side wall players help whoever has the ball.
IntermediateGlobal2v2
Possession game
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.
IntermediateGlobalPossession
Match
7v7 match with goalkeepers where defenders may not press inside the two wide channels. Attackers get time out wide; defenders must protect the box and defend the cross.
IntermediateGlobalSmall-Sided Games
Match
A team match where blue defend in a compact 4-4 mid block and only press when a signal appears: a pass to the touchline, a back pass or a poor touch.
AdvancedGlobalTactical