Futsal drills for attacking and defending
Futsal is played with four outfield players a side on a small pitch, so there's always an opponent close by. The attacking drills cover a 4-0 rotation without a fixed pivot, the wide player's cut along the flank, a lay-off from the pivot and a kick-in routine for the four seconds you have to restart. The defending drills press in pairs out wide and shift a 1-2-1 diamond. For the youngest there's a technique drill played with the sole.
Futsal 4-0 rotation
Four attackers set up in a wide line without a fixed pivot. Each is marked by their own defender, and there is a goalkeeper in goal. A pass is played from the middle out wide, and the player who made the pass immediately makes a diagonal run towards goal. The marker follows, leaving an empty space in the middle. The other central player and the right wide player each move one position to the left, so the player on the ball has a safe pass nearby. The wide player plays the ball back into the filled space, the ball continues to the right, and the player who made the run becomes the new right wide player. Everyone has moved one position. The same is repeated in the other direction when the right central player passes to the right flank and makes a run. The others then move one position to the right. If the marker stays in place, the runner receives the ball directly and shoots. Play towards one goal in a realistic game situation. When the defenders win the ball, they try to dribble it over the halfway line. Make the game harder with a bib. The attacker wearing the bib is not allowed to receive the ball, and their task is to create space for the others. Change the bib to a different player every few minutes.
Futsal parallel run 2v2
The parallel run is a basic futsal movement: the wide player gets away behind their marker down the flank. The fixo and the wide player attack against two defenders and a goalkeeper. The wide player first moves diagonally towards the ball and takes the marker with them. Then they change direction and make an explosive run down the flank. At the same moment, the fixo plays a long ball along the flank into space behind the defender. The wide player dribbles inside and shoots towards the far post. The defenders play at half pace until the timing of the run and the pass works. If the reds win the ball, they get a point by dribbling it over the halfway line. Practise from both flanks.
Futsal pivot lay-off and far-post run 3v2
Three blue players attack: a deep player, a pivot and a wide player. They are up against two defenders and a goalkeeper. The pivot plays close to goal with their back to goal, with a defender tight behind. The deep player passes to the pivot and follows their pass. The pivot lays the ball off one-touch to the oncoming deep player. At the same time, the wide player on the opposite side runs to the far post. The second defender has to choose whether to press the player on the ball or track the runner. If they stay with the runner, the deep player shoots. If they come to press, the deep player plays a low ball across the face of goal to the far post, and the wide player finishes. Start with the defenders at half intensity. After winning the ball, the red players attack towards the halfway line, and dribbling over the line is a point. Change roles and sides every few repetitions.
Four drills, four attacking moves
In the 4-0 rotation, four attackers line up wide without a fixed pivot. The ball goes from the middle to the flank, the passer cuts diagonally towards goal straight away and the others move one position, so the player on the ball always has a safe pass nearby. If the marker stays put, the runner gets the ball and shoots. In the parallel run 2v2, the wide player draws the marker towards the ball, then escapes behind them along the flank as the long ball is played into the space behind the defender. In the pivot lay-off and far-post run 3v2, the pivot lays the ball off one-touch to the oncoming fixo, the deepest outfield player, and the second defender has to choose. If they stay with the far-post runner, the fixo shoots. If they come to press, a low ball goes across goal to the far post. In the kick-in routine, the ball travels through the fixo and the pivot to the kicker, who has run into the middle.
Futsal kick-in routine through the pivot
In futsal, the ball is put back into play from the touchline with a kick-in, and you have four seconds. That is why it is worth having a routine ready for the kick-in. Here the kick-in is taken in the attacking half from the right flank. There are four blue outfield players, three red defenders and a goalkeeper. The kicker plays a short pass to the deep player waiting further inside and immediately makes a diagonal run towards goal. At the same time, the pivot moves from in front of the goal out to the flank, and the marker follows. The deep player passes to the pivot on the flank, and the pivot plays the ball into the middle, where the kicker has run. The kicker shoots. If the passing lane to the pivot is blocked, the deep player switches the ball to the left-sided player. Once the routine is working, add a fourth defender to mark the kicker.
Defending in pairs and in a 1-2-1 diamond
In wide pressing and cover 3v2, the nearer defender presses the receiver from the inside while the ball is still travelling, so the wide player can only go down the line. The second defender covers centrally, closer to goal. In 1-2-1 defending 4v4, the whole diamond shifts towards the ball before it arrives. The presser tracks the dribbler sideways without dropping back, and the last defender cuts out the pass into the pivot in front of them.
Futsal wide pressing and cover 3v2
Three blue players attack: the fixo on the halfway line and two wide players providing width. They are opposed by two defenders and a goalkeeper. The fixo passes wide. The nearest defender presses while the ball is travelling and moves to the receiver’s inside, so the attacker is left with only the direction along the touchline. The second defender provides cover centrally and stays closer to their own goal than the pressing defender. This way, they block both the turn inside and the square pass to the opposite flank. The touchline is the third defender: when the wide player dribbles along it, the pressing defender gets alongside and wins the ball. After winning the ball, the red players attack towards the halfway line, and dribbling the ball over the line is a point. The blue players score a point with a goal. Change roles every few repetitions.
Futsal 1-2-1 defending and intercepting the pass into the pivot 4v4
Four blue players attack: a fixo, two wide players and a pivot in front of the goal. The red players defend in a 1-2-1 diamond in front of the goalkeeper. The fixo passes wide, and the whole diamond shifts to the ball side during the pass. The nearest defender presses the receiver immediately, the top player moves inside to the ball side, the opposite wide defender moves more centrally and the deepest defender stays in front of the pivot. When the wide player dribbles along the touchline, the pressing defender tracks sideways and does not drop back towards the goal. The pivot checks towards the ball, but the deepest defender reads the pass and intercepts it in front of the pivot. After winning the ball, the red players attack the halfway line, and dribbling the ball over the line scores a point. The blue players score a point with a goal. Change roles every few repetitions.
Timing and body shape
In the rotation, the passer starts the cut at the moment the ball goes wide. In the parallel run, the ball is played as soon as the cut begins. The wide player arrives at the far post at the same time as the ball, and the kicker times the diagonal run to receive the pivot's pass in stride. Body shape gets the same cue every time: the player on the ball stands open so that they can see their teammates, and the pivot receives side-on with the body between the defender and the ball. At the kick-in, the kicker lifts their head before the kick and takes it within four seconds, and the shot comes with the first or second touch, before the defence can recover.
Sole technique for the youngest
Sole passes and 1v1 to four markers is marked from U7. Two players pass and receive with the sole, and both move a quarter turn clockwise after every pass. After a full circle they play 1v1: one point for stopping the ball on a side marker, three for beating the opponent and stopping it on the marker behind them.
Futsal sole passes and 1v1 to four markers
In pairs, one ball per pair. Mark out an approximately 10 × 10 metre grid and place a marker in the middle of each side. The pairs pass to each other and receive the ball with the sole of the foot. After each pass, both move a quarter turn clockwise, and the player receiving the ball takes it along. When the pair has gone all the way around the circle and is facing each other again, the 1v1 begins. Either player can start the attack. Stopping the ball under control at a side marker is one point; beat an opponent and stop it at the marker behind them for three points. Make it more difficult by having the player on the ball keep the ball for as long as possible before scoring a point. If the opponent wins the ball cleanly, they attack immediately.
How to make the drills harder
The parallel run, the pivot lay-off, the kick-in routine and wide pressing are marked from U12, the 4-0 rotation and 1-2-1 defending from U13, and the difficulty is set through the opposition. In the parallel run and the pivot lay-off, the defenders play at half intensity until the timing works. In the rotation, the attacker wearing a bib may not receive the ball and makes space for the others instead, and the bib changes player every few minutes. Once the kick-in routine works, a fourth defender marks the kicker. In five of the drills, the defenders who win the ball try to dribble it over the halfway line.