Six dribbling drills cover what most young players need: a straight cone line for close control, a 1v1 to face a defender, an attack-and-score run, a knockout game, team relays and musical cones for keeping the head up. All six need only cones, balls and a patch of grass.
Each drill below has a setup in feet or yards, how to run it and what it trains. After the six, there's a short section on moves made famous by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo that players can add once the basics are in place, then answers to common questions.
What makes a good dribbling drill?
A good dribbling drill keeps the ball close, changes direction and speed, and makes players look up. US Youth Soccer's Skills School manual (2017) names change of direction and change of speed as the two things that make dribbling work, and its coaching points ask players to touch the ball with the front of the foot, glance down to make contact, then glance up to see where they're going.
The six drills build in that order. The first two are about the ball and one opponent. The last four put players in a crowd, where looking up matters as much as the touch.
1. Straight cone dribbling
Set 6 to 10 cones in a straight line, about 3 feet apart for players under 10 and 2 feet apart for older players. Tighter spacing means smaller touches.
How to run it
The player starts at the first cone and weaves through the line on the whistle, using the inside and outside of both feet. At the last cone, they stop the ball with the sole, turn it, and sprint back to the start with the ball. Run it three times with the right foot only, three with the left, then three with both.
What it trains
Short, soft touches with the ball never more than a step away. The turn at the end is the part kids rush, so watch it: a clean stop with the sole, then a quick push the other way. Our footwork drills and toe taps are good warm-ups before this one.
2. 1-on-1 controlled dribbling
Mark a box about 15 x 15 yards in the yard or on the field, with a small goal or a pair of cones at each end. Put the ball in the middle and two players on either side.
How to run it
One player starts with the ball and tries to dribble past the other and score. If the defender wins it, they attack the other goal straight away. After each goal, the player who conceded starts with the ball. Play two-minute rounds.
What it trains
A real opponent forces real decisions: when to go, which side, when to protect the ball. If one player scores every time, shrink the box or match them against someone stronger. US Youth Soccer's Skills School manual uses a similar 3v3 "Dribble Attack" game in a 30 x 20 yard grid, with rounds that grow from one minute at U6 to five minutes at U14. That's a good guide for how long a round should last at each age. For more versions of this drill, see our 1v1 soccer drills.
3. Dribbling attack and score
You need a goal and at least four players: one attacker, two defenders and a goalkeeper. Place two defenders in a line in front of the goal, about 10 yards apart, one behind the other. Mark a 5-yard-wide gate with two cones in front of the first defender.
How to run it
The attacker starts about 30 yards out and dribbles toward goal. Once the attacker reaches the gate, each defender can shuffle side to side, but not forward, to block the way. The attacker has to beat both and shoot. If a defender or the keeper wins the ball, the attacker goes back to the start. Rotate positions after every turn.
To make the finish count, clip an Open Goaaal® corner target into one top corner. It attaches to the goal with adjustable straps, and the attacker gets two goals instead of one for hitting it.
What it trains
Looking up at speed. New players stare at the ball while they run, so they don't see the defender until it's too late. This drill rewards the player who spots which way the defender is leaning and changes direction early.
4. Dribbling knockout
Mark a box sized to the group, about 15 x 15 yards for six players and 25 x 25 for twelve. Every player has a ball.
How to run it
Players dribble around inside the box and try to knock other players' balls out while keeping their own. Lose your ball out of the box and you're out. Dribble your own ball out by mistake and you're out too. Last player in wins. Players who are out can juggle or do toe taps outside the box until the next round.
What it trains
Ball protection and awareness. A player who lets the ball run three feet ahead gets knocked out fast. It's competitive and quick to explain, so it works as a reward at the end of practice or as a quick warm-up game, and it pairs well with the tag-style sharks and minnows.
5. Dribbling relays
Set two parallel lines of 6 cones, about 2 to 3 feet apart within each line and 5 yards between the lines. Split the group into two teams, one per line, with one ball each.
How to run it
On the whistle, the first player on each team weaves through their cones, turns at the end and weaves back. At the start, they pass to the next teammate, who goes. First team to finish wins. Miss a cone or lose the ball, and you go back to the cone you missed.
What it trains
Control under a bit of pressure, plus a short pass at the end. Teammates cheering for each other adds the pressure without a defender. Coach small touches with both the inside and outside of the foot, and watch the turn at the end of the line.
6. Musical cones
Scatter cones around a 20 x 20 yard area, one fewer cone than the number of players. Six players, five cones.
How to run it
Everyone dribbles freely around the box. On the whistle, each player dribbles to a cone and knocks it over with the ball. The player without a cone is out for that round. Stand the cones back up, remove one, and go again.
What it trains
Heads up. Players have to know where the nearest free cone is before the whistle, which they can only do by looking around while they dribble. Ask the players who were out where they were looking when the whistle went. Most will say "at the ball."
Which Messi and Ronaldo moves can players add?
Once the six drills feel easy, add one move at a time into drills 1, 2 and 3. These come from two of the best-known dribblers of the last twenty years.
The in-out and the nutmeg (Messi)
FIFA's profile of Lionel Messi (Feb. 2026) calls him arguably the greatest dribbler in the sport's history and singles out his nutmegs. For young players, start with the in-out: push the ball across your body with the inside of the foot, then pull it back the other way with the outside of the same foot. Practice it at each cone in drill 1. Then try a nutmeg in the 1v1, playing the ball through a defender's legs when they open them. Our soccer nutmeg guide breaks that one down.
The stepover and the chop (Ronaldo)
FIFA's profile of Cristiano Ronaldo (Mar. 2026) notes that he became known for his stepovers early at Manchester United, along with the "Ronaldo Chop." In a stepover, the player circles a foot around the front of the ball without touching it, then pushes off the other way. Start it walking past a single cone, then add speed. The chop cuts the ball behind the standing leg with the inside of the foot, a sharp change of direction that fits the turn at the end of drills 1 and 5.
The Skills School manual adds a useful distinction: a fake moves the ball, while a feint (a body swerve) uses only the body. Both aim to put the defender off balance. Our full list of soccer moves has more to try.
FAQ
How do you practice soccer dribbling?
Short and often. Ten to fifteen minutes of cone work and a dribbling game, a few times a week, gives a lot of touches. Keep the ball close, use both feet, and look up between touches.
What are the main types of dribbling in soccer?
Coaches usually split it into close-control dribbling in tight spaces, running with the ball into open space with longer pushes, dribbling to beat an opponent with fakes and changes of direction, and shielding to protect the ball. The Skills School manual covers running with the ball and shielding as their own techniques next to the dribble.
How do you get faster at dribbling?
Control first, then speed. Run each drill slowly until the ball stays close, then add pace. In open space, use longer pushes with the laces and run onto the ball; in traffic, go back to small touches.
Where should you start?
Pick two drills per session: one technical (cones or relays) and one game (knockout or musical cones). Rotate through all six over a couple of weeks, then add one move. For a finish to every session at home, the Open Goaaal 3-in-1 Soccer Goal Trainer works as a goal, rebounder and backstop, so the ball comes back after each dribble-and-shoot run instead of ending up in the neighbor's yard.
