Futsal drills

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.

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.

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.

The parallel run is a basic futsal movement: the wide player escapes behind their marker along the flank. The pivot and the wide player attack against two defenders and the goalkeeper. The wide player first moves diagonally towards the ball and draws the marker with them. Then they change direction and cut explosively along the flank. At the same moment, the pivot plays a long ball parallel to the flank into the space behind the defender. The wide player dribbles inside and shoots towards the far post. The defenders play at half intensity until the timing of the cut 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.