One of the problems with most soccer dribbling drills is that they are too forgiving. You’ll set up some cones and dribble through them, and if you make a mistake, the cones don’t really stop the ball. This doesn’t really get you ready for a game situation.
This is why sometimes, it’s better to train with something solid, like tires. Tires are ideal for your dribbling training for two reasons. First, if you hit them while you’re dribbling, you will lose the ball. This is a lot more like a game situation, where if you go into a tackle weakly, you won’t retain possession of the ball.
The second reason is that if the ball hits the tires while you’re dribbling, even if you don’t lose it, the rubber material of the tire will grab at the ball, slowing it down and really forcing you to power through with your dribbling. This is great practice for retaining the ball through weak tackles in a game.
There are 4 drills included in this video to help you work on your soccer dribbling skills. Start by setting up two tires just far enough apart to barely let a ball in between them. This forces you to be precise with your dribbling.
Drill 1 – Dribble with a Quick Cut and a Push
Dribble hard at a bit of an angle at the tires. At the last moment, cut the ball with the outside of your foot and push it between the gap in the tires. This simulates taking a quick touch around a defender’s outstretched foot in a real game.
Drill 2 – Dribble with a Move
Dribble hard at your tires. At the last moment, do a move and push the ball through the gap in the tires. Recover the ball on the other side. This simulates doing a move to beat a defender while still forcing you to retain control of the ball.
Drill 3 – Quick Cut with a Shot
As before, dribble hard at your tires. do a quick outside cut, push the ball between the gap in the tires. On the other side of the tires, recover the ball and take a shot on goal. This will help you practice taking a quick touch around a defender while forcing you to retain enough control of the ball to take a shot on goal. The easiest way to get clear of a defender in a game is to take a quick cut to the inside or the outside and get a shot on goal before they can recover, so focus on getting your shot off as quickly as possible.
Drill 4 – Move with a Shot
As before, dribble at your tires, do a move and push the ball between the gap. Retain control of the ball on the other side of the tires and have a shot on goal. One of the biggest things players struggle with when trying to do moves on the field is losing control of the ball. This drill teaches you to do moves while forcing you to keep the ball close to your body. Otherwise, you will lose the ball to the tires.
All of these drills are best done at as close to game speed as you can do them. Start off slow, but this drill probably comes as close as possible to actually having defenders as any of the ones I have done so far, so try to practice at full speed.
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If you’re looking for some great resources to get you started on your soccer training journey, check out our individual soccer drills page. These drills are all free and are intended to help you grow as a player.
For something a little more in-depth, check out our soccer training guides section.
