Free Football Lesson Plans

One ball, lots of touches, almost no set-up — the game that builds the close control everything else depends on.

Set-up: Scatter 8–10 cone gates across a 15m × 15m area. One ball per pupil, or per pair.

How to play

1. 1Dribble freely and score a point per gate — no same gate twice in a row.
2. 2Pause at 60 seconds: weak-foot round, then a head-up round.
3. 3Progress to gate pairs — two pupils must pass once inside the same gate.
4. 4Finish with defenders: two pupils become gatekeepers who block without tackling.

Teaching points

• Small, soft touches inside and outside the foot; glance at the ball, then scan.
• Narrow gates are harder — direct confident dribblers there first.