How to coach players on passing in football

Outside of the foot

Passing with the outside of the foot doesn’t require players to open up their body, making it deceptive and quick. It takes plenty of practice to master though. Check out Nottingham Forest using it to outsmart the opposition.

Loft

A lofted pass goes right over a defender’s head. To pull it off, players strike under the ball with their instep. It’s especially effective if the opposition’s playing with a high line, launching the ball straight into space. Watch the video to see it in action.

Curl

The perfect choice for bending the ball around an opponent. A curl pass requires careful foot placement. Angled right, players plant one foot to the side of the ball. Then they use their other foot strike the side of the ball with their laces or instep. Check out Keira Walsh’s textbook example.

Driven

For speed and precision, a driven pass delivers. Players strike the middle of the ball with their laces or instep, allowing them to thread the ball through small gaps over long distances. Watch the video to see how it targets teammates in space.

Designing your training sessions to work on passing

Follow these tips for designing training sessions to work on passing.

Use small-sided games

To develop passing, repetition is essential. Like learning numeracy, this skill requires weekly work. Small-sided games are the best way to give players plenty of touches while preparing them for scenarios they’ll face in a real match.

Make it fun

Football should be enjoyable. So, create practices that players find fun. Respect their preferences by asking how they like to pass and tailoring training to suit. Most importantly, create a safe space for taking risks. When mistakes happen, treat them as chances to learn.

Give players freedom

Shouting “pass it” at every opportunity doesn’t help development. Instead, encourage decision-making and creativity. For instance, limit the number of players allowed in certain areas to naturally promote problem-solving through passing.

Build social connection

Passing improves when relationships are strong. So, encourage connection in your practices. Play fun games which bring out communication. And get players to find out when and how their teammates prefer to receive the ball. If you’re coaching really young players, invisible football could be helpful, where players ‘pass’ by calling out names instead of using a ball.

Encourage deception

Disguising a pass is a powerful way to throw off the opposition. It might take practice, but any player can be deceptive. Challenge your team to try changing their mind at the last moment, using different parts of the foot or using the same part in different ways.

The FA’s core capabilities

Effective passing isn’t just about technique. To master it, players also need to scan the pitch, time passes right, move with the ball, position themselves well and deceive the opposition.

Adapting to the age and stage of your team

Passing takes time to develop. Don’t expect too much too soon.

For the youngest players, you might not even need to focus on passing with feet. You could let them choose whether they want to carry, bounce or dribble to move the ball. It’s all about giving them ownership and keeping them interested.

As players get older, you can increase the challenge. For instance, in a foundation stage small-sided game, you might count passes to encourage repetition. In a youth development phase game, you might task them with using a different pass each time.