Passing triangle drill for soccer

A passing triangle drill for soccer has players pass around three cones and follow each pass to the next cone. Four players and one ball are enough, and it repeats what most short passing in a game is made of: a firm pass, a first touch that sets up the next one, and moving as soon as the ball has gone. It suits a warm up or the start of a session, before a rondo or a small game.

Setting up the passing triangle drill

Put three cones in a triangle with sides of about 10 yards, a little shorter for younger players. One player starts at each cone, with the fourth waiting behind the first player. The first player passes to the next cone and runs after the pass to wait behind that player. When a cone is empty, the player waiting there steps up so the ball always has someone to go to. If you have more players, set up several triangles side by side so nobody waits long.

After a minute or so, send the ball around the other way. Going one way, players tend to receive on one foot and pass with the other, so changing direction makes them use both.

What to coach

The first touch matters most. Have players stand half turned before the ball arrives, so they can see the player passing to them and the player they will pass to next. The ball should then be taken across the body with the foot farther from the passer, which moves it toward the next pass in one touch. A player who faces the passer and stops the ball with the near foot needs a second touch just to turn around, and in a game that second touch is when a defender arrives.

The pass should be firm and on the ground, played with the inside of the foot to the receiver's far foot. Ask players to look up before they pass, even in a drill with no defender, so the habit is there when it counts. Then go straight away. Running after the pass as soon as it leaves the foot is the same habit that gets a player forward for a return ball in a game.

Once players are comfortable, ask the receiver to move a couple of steps away from the cone and then come back to meet the ball. Against a defender, that small movement is what creates the room for the first touch.

Step by step

This play shows one trip around the triangle. O1, O2 and O3 each start at a cone, and O4 waits behind O1. The cones aren't drawn, and the square around the players is only there for scale.

O1 passes to O2 and follows the pass to the spot behind O2.

O2 takes the first touch across the body toward O3, then passes to O3 and follows. O4 steps up to the first cone.

O3 opens up to see O4, passes and follows the pass. O1 steps up to the top cone.

O4 passes to O1 and follows. O2 steps up to the third cone.

O1 has the ball and the pattern repeats. After a minute or so, send the ball the other way so players use the other foot.

Start at walking pace so players can get the pattern and the stance right, then build up to a jog and two touches. From there you can go to one touch, or add a wall pass, where the receiver plays the ball back to the passer and gets it again before passing on. A wall pass with a third player running onto the next ball is the start of a third man run, which is a good next step for an older group.

The full play

You can copy this playbook into your own account and change it for your team, for example adding a fifth player or a defender in the middle.

Playbooks can also be saved as a PDF if you would rather bring the drills to practice on paper.