Goalkeeper Back-Pass: First Touch and Play Out
The goalkeeper receives a back-pass under pressure from a forward, takes the first touch away from them and plays out to the free centre-back. Build-up starts here.
- Age
- U9–Senior
- Players
- 4–6
- Duration
- 12 min
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Intensity
- Medium
- Area
- 25 × 20 m
- Type
- Technical
- Approach
- Intermediate
- Format
- Waves
- Objectives
- Technical: Goalkeeping, Receiving / first touch
- Tactical: Build-up play
- Concepts worked on
- Technical:ReceivingDirectional first touchPassing
- Tactical:Build-up
Training diagram
Legend
- Attacker
- Defender
- Goalkeeper
- Pass
- Run without ball
- Dribble
- Ball
- Cone
- Goal
Playing out from the back depends on the goalkeeper's feet. In this exercise a centre-back passes back to the goalkeeper while a forward sprints to press; the goalkeeper must see where the pressure comes from, take the first touch away from it and pass through a gate to the centre-back on the other side. Only four players are needed, so it fits a goalkeeper session or a station.
Objective
Receive a back-pass under pressure, take a directional first touch away from the presser and play out to the free side.
Organisation
- 25 × 20 m area in front of a goal with a goalkeeper.
- Two centre-backs, one on each side, behind a 3.5 m cone gate about 6 m in front of the goal line.
- One forward in a bib starts 12 m from goal. With 5–6 players, the extra ones rotate as forwards.
How it works
- A centre-back passes back to the goalkeeper. The forward may start pressing as soon as the pass is played.
- The goalkeeper passes through the gate to the opposite centre-back (one point).
- If the forward blocks the pass or wins the ball, they try to score (one point to the forward).
- Alternate the side of the back-pass. 6–8 actions per forward, then rotate. 3–4 rounds.
Coaching points
- Goalkeeper: before the ball arrives, look at the forward — where does the pressure come from?
- Open your body and take the first touch to the side away from the forward.
- Pass with the inside of the foot, firm and along the ground, through the gate.
- If the forward closes both sides, play long or clear: never risk a pass across the goal.
- Centre-backs: after the back-pass, move wide to offer a safe angle.
Progressions
- The forward curves the run to close one side: the goalkeeper must play the other.
- Add a second forward: the goalkeeper can also play the centre-back who made the back-pass.
- The goalkeeper plays with one touch.
Regressions
- The forward starts from further away (16 m).
- Widen the gates to 5 m.
- The goalkeeper may take as many touches as needed.
Variations
- Back-passes in the air or bouncing, to practise controlling difficult balls.
Key principles
- Look before receiving.
- First touch away from the pressure.
- Safety first near your own goal.
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