Top Soccer Drills for 10-Year-Olds

By age 10, most players have some fundamentals in place. The job now is to build on them — through drills that replicate real game situations, demand decision-making, and are competitive enough to keep players locked in.

These are coach-tested drills for U11 players that hit every part of the game. Bookmark this page for your next practice plan.

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Warm-Up Drills

Good warm-ups get bodies moving and blood pumping before more demanding work. These two games do that while adding tactical elements players at this age can start to absorb.

2v2 Plus 2

A fast-paced small-sided game that introduces neutral players and dynamic supporting runs.

Setup: Create a 16x20 yard grid with four mini goals. Assign two players as neutrals positioned between two of the nets along the sidelines. Split remaining players into two teams and have them line up in four lines. Have extra balls ready for quick restarts.

How to play: The coach starts play with a pass to one side. The first two players from each team play a 2v2 with support from the two neutrals. Neutrals stay on the sidelines between the nets and always play with the team in possession — they switch sides dynamically. When a goal is scored, all four players leave and four new players enter. First team to 5 goals wins. Rotate the neutral players regularly so everyone experiences that role.

Team Knockout

A high-energy multi-team game that rewards both scoring and defending.

Setup: Prepare a 20-meter square with a mini goal in each corner. Split players into four equal groups, each starting behind one of the corner goals. Have plenty of balls ready.

How to play: The coach plays a ball into the grid, and the first player from each team enters — creating a 1v1v1v1. Each player tries to score on any goal while also defending their own. When your goal is scored on, you’re eliminated and return to the back of your team’s line. The coach plays in a new ball for the remaining players. Last player standing earns a point for their team. First team to 8 points wins.

Dribbling Drills

At 10, dribbling drills should challenge decision-making, not just touch. Make sure players use both feet throughout.

Goals from Chaos

A dribbling drill that replicates the unpredictability and quick adjustments of a real game.

Setup: Prepare a 25x25 yard square with two small nets on each side, evenly spaced (8 goals total). Place a flat cone inside each net and divide players into four lines behind each cone. Load up as many balls as possible.

How to play: Players in lines 1 and 3 each have a ball. Player 1 from line 1 passes to the top of line 2 — they play a 1v1, trying to score in either of the two goals in front of them by dribbling through. Encourage tight control and taking players on — no long-range goals that skip the dribbling work. Simultaneously, players from lines 3 and 4 do the same thing on the same pitch. Two games run at once, eliminating waiting. When a goal is scored or the ball goes out, the next players in line start immediately.

Passing Drills

Passing should be drilled at every session because it can always improve. Emphasize game-level passes — lazy, soft passes don’t develop the skill.

Team Lightning

A passing and shooting sequence drill that builds combination play and composure in front of goal.

Setup: Start at a full goal and use cones to mark positions: Cone A (starting line), Cone B (midfield relay), Triangle C (finishing zone). Split balls evenly between two sides of the goal behind Cone A.

How to play: Split players into two teams with pinnies. Each team has players at positions A, B, and C, with a goalkeeper. The team without the ball starts with a keeper in goal. The attacking team passes in sequence: A to B to C. When C receives, their first touch takes the ball out of the triangle and their second touch is a shot. If they score, that team earns a point and repeats. The scorer joins the back of their line, and the player in Triangle C from the defending team becomes the next keeper. First to 10 goals, then teams switch sides.

The Bermuda Triangle

A possession and finishing game with three goals that challenges keepers and outfield players alike.

Setup: Set up a 7x7x7 yard triangle using tall cones — each side is a separate goal. Mark a 35x35 yard outer square. You’ll need two sets of pinnies and a ball. Select two keepers.

How to play: The two keepers must defend all three triangle goals simultaneously and work out coverage between them. The two outfield teams compete for possession and shoot into any of the three goals. Players cannot run through the triangle. When a goal is scored, the ball re-enters play from a different side of the triangle. First team to 5 goals wins.

Shooting Drills

Shooting is the highlight of every practice. These drills make it competitive while building real technique.

The Lightning Game

A rapid-fire shooting elimination game that builds composure and first-touch finishing.

Setup: Full-size goal with one player starting as keeper. Rest of the players line up behind the 18-yard box. Coach stands beside the goal with all the balls.

How to play: The coach passes to the first player in line, who must shoot first touch.

• If it’s a goal: Scorer goes to the back of the line. The keeper is eliminated and waits behind the goal. The next player in line becomes keeper. The player after that takes the next shot.
• If it’s not a goal: The keeper stays and rejoins the line at the back. The shooter immediately becomes the new keeper. The next player in line shoots.

Eliminated players wait behind the goal and collect balls. If an eliminated player catches a missed shot before it hits the ground, they can shout “lightning!” and rejoin the back of the line. Last player standing wins. Warning: this one gets loud.

Ball Control Drills

Ball control — or ball mastery — is the ability to manipulate the ball at close contact. Mix these drills with eyes-up awareness so players develop scanning habits alongside touch.

Multi-Ball Shooting

A possession and ball control game with quick restarts that keeps players focused throughout.

Setup: Set up a 35x25 yard grid with a goal on each end. Place 12 balls around the outside of the grid in various positions.

How to play: The coach passes a white ball into play to start. The game follows standard soccer rules with one exception: if a team scores or kicks the ball out, the other team can choose any of the balls around the outside to restart play immediately. Only one ball is allowed on the pitch at a time — if two balls enter the field, the other team gets a free kick. The drill continues until all 12 balls have been used. Most goals wins.

Soccer Games for 10-Year-Olds

Small-sided games at the end of practice bring everything together. These are two of the best for the U11 age group.

The Four Goal Game

A possession-based game where teams attack two goals and defend two.

Setup: 25x35 yard grid with four PUGG nets. Two teams of four players. No keepers.

How to play: Each team attacks one pair of goals and defends the other. All other soccer rules apply. Play for a set time — most goals wins. The directional setup forces teams to think about both sides of the ball at once.

1v1 Gatekeeper Game

A dribbling and defending game that builds 1v1 confidence and scanning ability.

Setup: 20x20 yard grid with 4–5 small gates placed randomly inside the area. Players pair up, each pair has one ball. Players remember their number: 1 (attacker) or 2 (defender).

How to play: All pairs work inside the grid simultaneously. Attackers try to dribble through as many gates as possible, earning one point per gate. They cannot dribble through the same gate twice in a row. Defenders try to block gates and win the ball — if they win it, they return it immediately and play continues. After 90 seconds, switch roles. Most points wins. Repeat.

Take Their Development Further with TOCA

Age 10 is a pivotal point in soccer development. The players who accelerate fastest at this age are the ones getting more quality repetitions — more touches, more decisions, more feedback per session.

TOCA’s private training delivers up to 10x more reps than a typical team practice in a single 50-minute session. Our technology recreates real game situations so players aren’t just drilling in isolation — they’re practicing the specific actions that show up in matches.

Book a free first session at a TOCA center near you →

About TOCA Soccer: TOCA serves local communities throughout the United States and Canada, welcoming players and families to find their best through classes, training sessions, camps, leagues, and more. Soccer classes for ages 1–13 are engaging and educational, while individual or group training sessions for ages 7+ offer progressive levels of development for players looking to challenge themselves and have fun.