The simplest soccer footwork drills need one ball and a patch of ground about 10 by 10 feet: toe taps, juggling and cone weaves. Add a partner and you can work on trapping, crossing, 1v1s, headers and, with a group, a scrimmage.
Which footwork drills should every soccer player practice?
The ten below go from solo drills you can do in a driveway to team drills that need a field. The first five work alone. Drills 6 to 9 need a partner, and the scrimmage needs a group.
Two habits make them work. Keep sessions short and frequent, because ten minutes most days adds up to far more touches than one long session on Saturday. And count something every time, whether it's taps in 30 seconds, juggles in a row or clean traps out of ten, so you have a number to beat next time. Each drill lists what you'll need and a count to track.
1. Toe taps
What you'll need: a ball
Stand behind the ball and tap the top of it with the sole of one foot, then the other, switching quickly while staying on the balls of your feet. The ball should barely move. Start slowly; going fast before the rhythm is there usually ends with a foot landing on top of the ball.
Once it feels easy, move around the ball, tapping as you circle it, or go side to side. Our toe tap guide has more variations.
Count: taps in 30 seconds, three rounds with a short rest between.
2. Juggling
What you'll need: a ball
Juggling means keeping the ball in the air with your feet, thighs and head without letting it touch the ground. It's the classic practice-alone drill, and kids who are stuck at two or three get past that faster by letting the ball bounce once between touches.
Use the laces with the toe pointed slightly up, so the ball comes straight back to you instead of spinning off. When one foot is comfortable, alternate feet, then add the thighs. Younger players who aren't allowed to head the ball yet (see drill 8) should leave the head out. Step-by-step progressions are in how to juggle a soccer ball.
Count: your best run in a row. Write it down.
3. Inside-outside cone drill
What you'll need: 6 cones and a ball
Line up six cones in a straight row, about 2 to 3 feet apart. Using only your stronger foot, push the ball across in front of the first cone with the outside of the foot, then bring it back between the first and second cones with the inside. Keep going, outside then inside, zigzagging to the end.
The ball should stay within one step at all times. When you can get through without knocking a cone, move them closer together. Our dribbling drills take this further.
Count: time for one length, three lengths per session.
4. Inside-outside left and right drill
What you'll need: 6 cones and a ball
Same row of cones, now with both feet. Touch the ball with the outside of your right foot past the first cone, pass it across your body to your left foot with the inside of the right, then take it past the next cone with the outside of the left. Right outside, right inside, left outside, left inside, all the way down.
Learn drill 3 first. The pass across the body is where it falls apart, usually on the weaker foot, so slow down until that touch is clean and speed up later.
Count: lengths completed without the ball touching a cone.
5. Trapping
What you'll need: a ball
Throw the ball up in front of you, about head height at first, and kill it as it comes down so it lands still at your feet. Use the inside of the foot, the sole, the thigh or the chest. The trick is to give with the body part as the ball arrives, the way you'd catch an egg, instead of meeting it stiff.
Once that's comfortable, throw it higher, add a step before the trap, or trap it into space so your next touch moves you away. A partner tossing from different angles makes it game-like. More on first touch is in our soccer trapping guide.
Count: clean traps out of 10 with each surface.
6. Crossing
What you'll need: a ball, 2 players, 2 cones
A cross is a pass from a wide area into the middle, toward the goal, where a teammate can shoot or head it. Put one cone near a sideline as the crossing spot and another about 20 yards away in the middle of the field. The crosser dribbles to the wide cone and delivers the ball. The partner runs from the middle toward the far post, times the arrival with the ball and finishes or traps it.
Start with low driven crosses along the ground, then lofted ones. Switch roles after five crosses, and switch sides so both feet get a turn.
Count: crosses out of 10 that reach the runner.
7. 1v1 play
What you'll need: a ball, 2 players
One player attacks and one defends, so every touch from the first five drills now has someone trying to take the ball. Set two cone gates about 10 yards apart. The defender passes to the attacker, then steps in to defend. The attacker tries to dribble through the defender's gate, and the defender tries to win the ball and get it through the attacker's.
Keep rounds to about 30 seconds, as each one is hard work. Our 1v1 soccer drills list more setups, including 2v2.
Count: gates scored in 10 rounds, then swap.
8. Headers
What you'll need: a ball, 2 players (ages 11 and up only)
Check the age rule before anything else. US Youth Soccer's Policy on Players and Playing Rules (Rule 305, December 2025) says players 10 and under may not head the ball in matches or practice it in an organized team setting. Players 11 and 12 may practice heading, but coaches are to keep each of them under 25 headers a week, in any setting. State associations are encouraged to adopt the rule, so check what your league uses. Younger players can run this drill with chest or thigh traps instead.
For players old enough, keep it gentle. One partner tosses the ball underhand from about 5 steps away. The other heads it back with the forehead, eyes open, neck firm, moving through the ball with the whole upper body instead of just nodding.
Count: keep a weekly total so it stays under the cap.
9. Offensive and defensive headers
What you'll need: a ball, 2 players (ages 11 and up only)
Same setup as drill 8, with a call. The tosser shouts "attack" or "defend" as the ball is released. On "attack," the header goes down toward the tosser's feet, the way you'd aim at goal. On "defend," it goes up and long, the way you'd clear the ball from your own box.
Five headers each, then swap. These count toward the same weekly limit as drill 8, so plan the two drills together. Experienced players can add a cone as a target for the attacking headers.
Count: correct direction out of 5 calls.
10. Scrimmage
What you'll need: a group, a ball, 2 small goals or cone goals
A scrimmage is a practice game, and it's where all the footwork above gets used under real pressure. You don't need a full field or 22 players. U.S. Soccer's game formats set a maximum of 4v4 for U7 to U8, 7v7 for U9 to U10 and 9v9 for U11 to U12, and smaller formats are fine at any age. For backyard games, 2v2 or 3v3 gives everyone plenty of touches.
Let the players play, and stop the game only for a quick point that matters. Coaches often drop throw-ins in favor of kick-ins to keep the ball moving.
Count: goals don't matter much here. Count touches if you want a number.
How do you fit footwork drills into a week?
Ten to fifteen minutes on most days is a realistic target for a busy family. Pick two solo drills a day and rotate through all five over the week. Save drills 6 to 9 for days when a partner is around, and the scrimmage for team practice or a weekend with friends.
| Day | Drills | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Mon | Toe taps, inside-outside cone drill | 10 min |
| Tue | Juggling, trapping | 10 min |
| Wed | Inside-outside left and right, 1v1 with a parent | 15 min |
| Thu | Rest or team practice | - |
| Fri | Toe taps, crossing (age 11+: add headers) | 15 min |
| Weekend | Scrimmage with friends | As long as it lasts |
If you'd rather have a marked surface than a row of cones, have a look at our SenseMat 360 footwork training mat. Our soccer training dice can pick the next drill for you, too. For agility work without the ball, try our soccer ladder drills.
Footwork drills FAQ
How can I practice soccer footwork at home?
Toe taps, juggling, cone weaves and trapping all fit in a driveway, garage or a patch of yard about 10 by 10 feet. Use a ball that suits the player's age; our soccer ball size by age chart has the details.
How often should kids do footwork drills?
Short and often beats long and rare. Ten to fifteen minutes most days fits around school and team practice and keeps it from becoming a chore.
At what age can kids practice headers?
Under US Youth Soccer Rule 305, not in organized team practice or matches until 11, with a limit of 25 headers per player per week at ages 11 and 12. Check your state association's version.
What footwork drill should a beginner start with?
Toe taps. They need one ball, almost no space, and the count gives a clear number to beat.
This article is general information, not medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. For a persistent or worsening symptom, or any concern about your health, speak to a qualified healthcare professional.
Final thoughts
Start tomorrow with toe taps and the inside-outside cone drill, write down both counts, and repeat them at the end of the week. When the solo drills start to feel easy and you want shots and passes that come back without a fence to chase, the Open Goaaal® 3-in-1 Soccer Goal Trainer combines a goal, a rebounder and a backstop. The Junior size has an 8 by 4.5 foot goal, and the Standard's backstop is 10 feet tall and up to 21 feet wide. More ideas are in our agility drills you can do anywhere.
