Soccer Guides / Skills and training
Passing, from the short pass to the long switch
Technique for the inside-foot pass, lofted ball and driven pass, the decision-making behind good passing, and drills that build both feet.
Passing is decision plus technique
A good pass is the right pass, played at the right time, with the right weight. Technique without decision-making leads to accurate passes to the wrong player. Decision-making without technique leads to great ideas that never arrive. Train both.
The inside-foot pass
The most common and most accurate pass.
- Plant the standing foot beside the ball, toes pointing at the target.
- Turn the kicking foot out so the inside of the foot faces the target, ankle locked.
- Strike the middle of the ball with the middle of the foot.
- Follow through toward the target.
Keep your head steady and over the ball. Leaning back lifts the ball off the ground.
Other types of pass
| Pass | Surface | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Inside-foot | Inside of the foot | Short and medium accurate passes |
| Driven pass | Laces, low and hard | Switching play quickly along the ground or at waist height |
| Lofted pass | Laces or inside, striking under the ball | Long switches and balls over a defense |
| Chipped pass | Stab under the ball with little follow-through | Lifting the ball over a nearby defender |
| Outside-foot pass | Outside of the foot | Disguise, bending a ball around an opponent |
| Through ball | Any surface | Playing a teammate into space behind defenders |
| Wall pass (one-two) | Usually one touch | Getting past a defender with a teammate's help |
The weight of the pass
Weight is the speed of the pass. Too soft and it is intercepted. Too hard and it is difficult to control. Into a teammate's feet, pass firmly. Into space, pass so the ball arrives at the same moment as the runner. Coaches often say "pass to the foot farthest from the defender" to protect the ball.
Passing decisions
Ask yourself, in this order:
- Can I pass forward to break a line of defenders?
- If not, can I switch play to the side with more space?
- If not, can I keep the ball safely and try again?
Drills for both feet
- Wall passing: two-touch then one-touch, 50 passes each foot.
- Triangle passing: three cones 10 m apart. Pass and follow your pass to the next cone.
- Long-ball target: hit a 30 to 40 m pass into a marked square. Score points for each ball that lands inside.
- Through-ball timing: a runner sets off from a cone. The passer must play the ball into space so the runner collects it without breaking stride.
- Weak-foot week: use only your weaker foot for passing in warm-ups for one week.
Common errors and fixes
- Ball pops up: you leaned back or struck under the ball. Keep your knee over it.
- Pass drifts wide: your standing foot pointed the wrong way.
- Pass too soft: follow through further and lock the ankle.
Measure progress. Count how many of 20 inside-foot passes hit a 1 m gate from 10 m with each foot. Repeat every week.
Next, learn to receive the ball well so your teammates' good passes are not wasted.
