Crossing in soccer is one of the oldest and most effective ways of creating chances. Whether it’s a low ball whipped across the box, a deep delivery to the far post, or a clever cutback, the cross is often the moment that separates average teams from dangerous ones.

In this video, we’ll break down everything you need to know about crossing — from the perspective of the attacker delivering the ball, the different types of runs attackers should make, how defenders should deal with it, and how to train these situations at every age group. As always, there will be drills I recommend for practicing at various levels and age groups.

Part 1: The Role of the Crosser

When we talk about crossing, the starting point is always the player on the ball — the crosser. As every player action in soccer, there are three elements we need to consider – the scanning, the decision and the execution.

Scanning – Crossing in Soccer

Let’s start with the scanning. There are two key factors for the crosser, firstly is where the teammates can be by the time the ball is delivered. Notice that I talked about where the players can be, not where the players are. The crosser should have several glances of the field. That way they can see both the snapshot of the current position, but also the movie of the momentum of the players. We are looking at the empty spaces and where the players are running into, not just where we saw them last.

Opposition – Crossing in Soccer

The second factor is the opposition. And on the opposition, the most important player is the closest player to the ball. One of the best players of all time when it comes to crossing is David Beckham. While he was not the fastest or had much skills to dribble, he had to key moves. Firstly, he could sell a fake cross to actually create space for himself to actually cross the ball on the next touch. Secondly, he would use one of his teammates in a one-two move and deliver a cross with first touch.

Decision Making – Crossing in Soccer

The decision making comes with experience and is naturally linked with both the scanning and the execution capabilities. If a player doesn’t scan on the second post, then they will never attempt to deliver a ball there. And why are they not scanning the second post? Maybe because they are not good at scanning, but maybe because their execution technique is not good enough to even try that, so they already have decided against that option. Remember, the best cross is the one that matches your teammate’s run — not the one you are most comfortable or the most spectacular one.

Execution – Crossing in Soccer

Finally, the execution is about repetition and practice. You need to open your hips, approach the ball at an angle and keep your head steady when striking. The mechanics such as the exact position where you plant the supporting foot and where you strike the ball are different depending on whether you’re going for a driven low ball or a floated one. However, you need to get comfortable with 4 basic executions.

First post

If you notice your striker winning a run on the first post, you have to be able to deliver a simple ball there. It’s the closes to you and because of that you can pick different technique for a last moment adjustment of the shot. Note that if you deliver it with high velocity, then the striker doesn’t need to shoot, but it needs only a touch to guide the ball to the goal.

Second post

This can be harder because it’s longer distance. Note that usually you would hit the ball at an angle with the inside of the foot. For example, a right footed right winger delivers this ball on the second post for the left winger that is making a run. The ball will curve away from the goalkeeper and often go around the defenders that are between the goalkeeper and the attacking players.

Low ball or bouncing ball

The target here is very clear, which is for our teammate to just touch the ball and guide it into the goal. The ball will be fast and hard to control. Defenders might also struggle when a ball like this is delivered, because they need to clear it and make sure that they don’t score an own goal or kick it into a teammate or an opponent. When the ball is fast and unpredictable, it can be harder than it looks, so we see often comical own goals.

Cut back

Last but not least. The cut back cross is a signature move of intelligent players. The crosser needs to see the runner, but also the receiver must be patient and smart enough to allow both the teammates and the opponents to anticipate balls on the first and second post, and vacate the space for the cutback to work. One important thing about the crosser – the body position should still signal that the ball will be delivered on the first or the second post. It’s essentially a fake, a misdirection for the defenders, in order to sell this move.

Part 2: Runs in the Box

Crossing only works if attackers make intelligent runs. The most important thing we are looking for when making runs is to identify the empty space that we can run into. It’s less of a picture and more of a movie – we are looking few frames ahead where the player can be and where the ball should be delivered. There is a moment right before the player with the ball looks up to see where the ball should be crossed. That’s the moment when the runner should change direction and pace, so it shows where the cross should come in. Let’s break down the three most common runs:

First Post Run

People often complain that we don’t have too many classic strikers anymore. The classic striker does the first post run and gets to the ball first. The true striker instinct is to get to the ball first. They can striker with their foot or it might be a header, but they have to get to the ball first, often including physical contact with the defender. The striker’s run is often straight through the middle. Then at one moment the striker needs to change direction and sprint to get in front of the defender. That special moment is when the striker notices that the crosser is ready to cross and has lifted their head up, so the striker starts that sprint to signal to the crosser where to get the ball.

Second Post Run

The second post run is actually more interesting. It can be the striker, but more often the opposite winger or late-arriving midfielder. The run often has two phases. First step is to stretch the defense by running further from the ball. The second step is to run into the ball when it’s crossed, often opposite from the first run. The defender won’t have this momentum and would be relatively static, so the runner can get to the ball first.

Cutback Zone Run

We briefly touched on this earlier when talking about the crosser role. Let’s look a bit more from the runner point of view. The two important parts of this run are the empty space and the timing of the run. The empty space is created both by the attacking players who run on the first and the second post. If the striker didn’t make the first post run, both the striker and the defender will occupy the space where the cutback pass should happen. Same goes for the opposite winger on the second post.

The second important point is that there has to be a run with a change of direction and pace. If the run is by an attacking midfielder, it goes from outside the penalty box, towards the penalty spot. If the run is by the opposite winger, it will have a dummy run to the second post, then cut back towards the penalty spot. We are talking about the penalty spot, but what we are really looking for is the area between the two defensive lines – the defenders and the midfielders. The holding midfielder often drops back to help the defenders, which leaves the area wide open.

Part 3: Momentum when Crossing in Soccer

Together, these three runs force defenders to cover the entire width of the box — making it much harder to defend. I want to make one more point and that is about the momentum. There are essentially three general states – players running towards goal, standing still, running back.

Counterattacking

Say there is a counterattack and our winger has the ball. Both the attackers and the defenders are running towards the goal. All types of crosses can work in that case, but choosing the perfect one will depend on the situation. For example, if the players are outside of the box when I am crossing the ball, I will try a low cross, so that somebody can run into it and have a shot. If the players are closer to the goal, I will have to pick between crossing on the first and the second post. And if players are still running and hoping for a low cross in the 6 yard box, I will either do that or look for a cut back, because the attackers have moved the defensive line so low.

Stallemate

Now, let’s say I have failed to cross the ball for whatever reason, maybe my defender blocked me or simply prevented me from crossing the ball. My teammates have slowed down and stopped, same as the defenders. If I try to cross the ball at that point the teammates are outnumbered, have no momentum and some of them might be stuck in offside. Two factors can change this. Firstly, a good cross can fix that – either a very strong ball that bounces close to the goal, or a precise cross that will float above the heads of the defenders and land in front of a teammate. Secondly, the crosser is close to the goal line, then there is virtually no risk of offside. This is how corner kicks often look in a game.

Pullback

Finally, let’s assume that I have made a fake cross, then switched to my other foot and plan to cross. The result is that defenders are regrouping, starting to push up, creating an offside trap. Doing a cutback cross at this point is usually useless. Doing a regular cross usually results in an offside. The most important player here is the late runner who will aim to get the ball into space or at least break the offside trap. If you don’t have that runner, it is very hard to create anything against a good opponent. You often see at set pieces that the defenders push a high line with an offside trap, only to be broken by a late runner, not the usual suspects who are all caught in offside.

Part 4: Training Crossing in Soccer

How do you introduce this in training? Let’s go step by step:

• Ages 6–9 (No Heading, Simple Finishes)

Start with low, ground crosses. Drills: 3v1 in wide areas — winger crosses, striker finishes with the inside of the foot. The rule is that the winger must cross from wide, outside of something that will look like a penalty area. Focus on timing of the run rather than power.

• Ages 10–12 (Introduce Aerial Awareness, Still Minimal Heading)

Add bouncing crosses and whip. Players can start practicing attacking different zones of the box. Encourage players to recognize when to cut back vs. play across goal. At this age, cut back crosses will already work just fine. So really, the three options are low on first post, low on second post, and cut back. If the striker goes on first post, the second winger is ready for second post or cutback. If the striker waits, then the second winger makes the run.

• Ages 13+ (Introduce Heading, More Complex Patterns)

Now heading is not just legal, but also safe to introduce. Practice timing jumps and attacking the ball at its highest point. Add more defenders to simulate real game pressure. Drill: 4v2 crossing and finishing — one crosser, three attackers, two defenders, plus a goalkeeper.

• Advanced Level

Professional clubs today have dedicated coaches only for set pieces, which of course are just one aspect of crossing. The main thing in the advanced level is the flow and the timing. Things are executed at full sprint and things are coordinated, such as full-backs overlapping, midfielders arriving late, wingers rotating inside. There is wide crossing, but also crossing from half-spaces, trying different types of crosses, different kinds of runs and with different momentum.

Part 5: The Defensive Side of Crossing in Soccer

While this video focuses on attacking, you can’t talk about crossing without mentioning how to defend it.

• Goalkeeper
  • Needs to command the box. Coming out for a cross can kill the danger before it even arrives, but it has to be well timed. The goalkeeper has to do the most communication and be the most vocal person in the box.
• Defenders
  • Near-post defender must block the most dangerous run and don’t hesitate to kick it out for corner.
  • Central defender takes the striker in front of goal and often should care more about not conceding, then intercepting the ball. What I am trying to say is that they must prevent the striker from getting the ball first and foremost. Let the other teammates worry about the ball.
  • Far-post defender must tuck in but still be aware of the back-post run.
• Midfielders
  • Track cutback zones. Many goals come from midfielders arriving late and unmarked. The holding midfielder might drop to help the defenders, but the other midfielders must get back and be disciplined when the team is defending. If not the cross, they will need to clear the second ball.

By sprinkling in defensive awareness while coaching crossing, players understand the balance of the game better.

The Magic of Crossing in Soccer

Crossing may look simple, but when done right, it’s one of the most powerful ways to break down defenses. The timing, the delivery, the finishing — they all have to work together.

If you found this breakdown helpful, check out my other videos on attacking movements and positioning. And if you coach or play, try some of these drills with your team — you’ll see how quickly crossing can become a real weapon.

I can’t coach you height. It will take me years to coach you technique and it will take you years to develop physically with the right training plan. But you can instantly improve your game with getting better at positioning and movement. And I am not talking about a bit better. You will see the difference of getting the ball and being frustrated again. Positioning isn’t just about where you stand — it’s about how you make the game easier for yourself and your teammates. In 11 lessons, I’ll get you there. We’ll start with the basics, then build up step by step until you’re thinking like the best players in the world

Basic Soccer Positioning – Learn them ASAP

The first 3 lessons are The Basics of Positioning. For most of you, this will be too elementary. However, I still see it at top teams, where a player is too tired or careless and doesn’t do these basic things. They are simple to explain, but not easy to do, especially on a consistent basis. The time to learn them is as early as possible, regardless of the age of the soccer players.

1. Compress on Defense

When your team loses the ball, think compress. Individually, that means you get between the opponent and your goal. You close down space, you deny passing lanes, and you make sure that if they want to score, they have to go through you. If you are marking a player without the ball, they have the advantage of deciding when to make a run. However, your positioning between them and your goal gives you an advantage of being closer to your goal, so there is less distance to cover.

2. Expand on Offense

The opposite is true when you win the ball back. Think expand. Stretch the field, give your teammates options, and create space to play. The wider and deeper you move, the more passing lanes open up. If you receive the ball, you have more space to maneuver it and decide what to do. If you don’t get the ball, then you’ve dragged your opponent further away from your teammate and created space for them.

3. Be Available and pass

The simplest rule: can your teammates pass to you? Positioning is about being seen and found. If your teammate with the ball looks up, are you showing in a way that makes the game easy for them? Don’t hide next to or behind an opponent. And if you have the ball, look to quickly move it. If you are not sure you can dribble or shoot, it’s ok to pass it, it will come back to you.

Intermediate Soccer Positioning Lessons

Now that we know the basics, let’s get into the intermediate positioning concepts. You need to really understand and practice the basics, but that will only get you so far. If you are playing full field 11v11 soccer, only one player has the ball at a time. That means that 21 players on the field don’t. What they do with their bodies can be just as important, if not more, than the player with the ball.

4. Playing Area vs Boundaries

There’s a difference between just being “on the field” and being in the actual playing area. If you are defending team, try to cut out the passing lanes and redefine the playing area. While this team is playing 11v11 officially, they have isolated the right back, center mid and right winger, in a 3v4 situation. The extra defender is there because the other side is completely empty, but they don’t care because that’s not the playing area. By closing the passing lanes, they’ve essentially redefined the playing area into this 3v4 tight area.

5. Third-Man Support

The third man is a key concept. Sometimes the teammate with the ball can’t pass to you directly. But if a teammate comes to help at the right time and the right spot, they can be the support. Instead of the ball going directly from Player A to you, it goes from Player A, to Player B, and then to you. That little triangle unlocks defenses. Check out the deep dive video about this on the channel.

6. The One-Two Instead of Dribbling

Instead of forcing dribbles, think one-two. If you pass and immediately move, you position yourself for a quick return that often beats defenders. Imagine you are facing the defender, so your momentum is forward and the defender is exactly the opposite. Instead of risking with a dribble, use your teammate for a quick one-two and sprint pass your opponent. It’s simple positioning and timing that makes you look way faster than you are.

7. Playing Into Space

Remember: the further you are from the ball, usually the more space you have available to receive. The ball takes some time to travel. If a teammate is nearby and an opponent has closed the passing lane by being in the middle, then it’s really closed. However, if the distance is large, then the passing lane is not really closed because you pass where the player should be by the time they receive the ball, not now. You can pass on either side of the opponent, or even lob the ball over their head.

Professional Soccer Positioning

The concepts so far can be seen on a pickup from some experienced players. They are individual skills that come natural after a few years of playing. However, at the top level, this won’t cut it. It’s like playing chess looking only 2 steps ahead; it’s a good start, but if the opponent is looking 6 steps ahead, you are in big trouble.

8. The Third-Man Run

At a higher level, it’s not just about supporting passes — it’s about running into space while the ball is still played between your teammates at a different part of the field. That’s the third-man run. You anticipate where the ball will end up and get there just as your teammate plays it. You have to make the run, but your teammate must see you and execute that pass at the right moment, too. Check out the video talking about the third-man runs in depth.

9. Inviting Pressure to Create Space

Sometimes, the smartest positioning is not about putting pressure and attacking forward, but inviting the pressure from the defense to stretch the field. You receive the ball knowing defenders will close you down — and by drawing them in, you open up space for your teammates. This is how top midfielders control games. They don’t just keep possession, but they make the opponent believe that if they put more pressure, they can gain advantage. Of course, there is the element of risk, but that’s why only top teams do that well.

10. Switching Sides

If one side is blocked, the best players reposition to switch the attack. Let’s say your winger just got the ball and you come closer to them as a creative midfielder planning for a 2v2 situation. If the defenders all came there very fast and the situation went from 1v1 to 3v5, then your role is not to attack anymore. You need to recycle possession and look to switch the ball to the open space on the far side. There is a 1v1 situation opening there, so exploit it.

11. Just stand there – wait for the opponent to challenge

This is the hardest lesson for players, because they have been conditioned to always be active. Let’s take the example from before where you got a 2v2 potential opportunity. Once you’ve come to support, you think it’s up to you to decide if you should come closer to the ball, do an overlap or drop to receive the ball. Your positioning reacts to what the opponent gives you in some cases. If your opponent is just marking you, your teammate still has the 1v1 situation. If your opponent is marking you very tightly or decided to challenge your teammate, you make an underlapping run straight to goal. If your opponent dropped deeper to support their teammate, then you can receive the ball to play one-two or switch sides. In all of these cases, your opponent decided which risk they are willing to take. In the meantime, you just stood there.

You are never done learning soccer positioning

These were the 11 lessons that you should understand, study and practice, in order to develop your positioning where you benefit from being in the right time at the right place. If you start practicing these steps, your positioning will improve faster than your fitness or your technical skills ever could. Positioning makes the game easier — and that’s why the best players seem to have so much time on the ball. Thank you for watching! See you in the next one!

If your 7v7 team treats goal kicks like hot potatoes, just punting the ball upfield and hoping for the best — you’re not alone. But what if I told you those few seconds after winning a goal kick could be your biggest opportunity to teach your players composure, decision-making, and real tactical awareness?
Playing out from the back isn’t just something for professional teams with perfect pitches and TV cameras. It’s one of the most valuable habits you can start building right now — even in 7v7 youth soccer. We’ll break down what playing out from the back really means, why it matters at this level, and how to do it in a way that makes sense for young players.

How do you Play From The Back in 7v7?

Firstly, let’s set the stage. 7v7 is usually played at U10 or younger in the US. This is relevant because we will assume that players can only kick to about half the field. If this is an adult league and players can pass anywhere on the field, then the story will be different. This is because I would advise that if there is a high press of the opponents with 4 or 5 players high up, you should always try to find your attackers up front and give them a chance to score a goal. In fact, if you have a player at U10 that can distribute these passes, do that. I have seen it once where the goalkeeper could pin a pass anywhere on the field. That changed our tactics to avoid high press when he had the ball. One more detail for the context of this analysis. We play in a 2-3-1 formation and the opponents also play in 2-3-1 formation for now. We will discuss how to adapt to different kinds of press later in the article.

Our formation gives us numerical advantage at the back, with two defenders and goalkeeper against the one striker. Why is it that hard to break from it then? If the opponents are not playing high press or at least not successfully, there is not much we need to do. However, at youth levels, the technical abilities are often not developed across the players, same as the positional knowledge or discipline. So, high press is extremely effective, compared to professional games.

Usually the opponents start closing the other passing options and from 3v1 it becomes 3v3 or even 3v4. The wide players on our team cannot receive the ball with the passing lanes closed, while both the central midfielder and the striker are also marked tightly. If we ask the players to position rigidly in their positions, waiting for the ball, they will likely be exposed.

Principles for Playing from the Back

Some coaches want to coach patterns, but I prefer coaching principles first. The reason is that patterns are faster, but they are not scalable. I change one parameter, such as the opponent’s formation or the moment we switch to 9v9, and everything falls apart. Instead, I prefer to coach principles – coaching the “why” before the “how”. Here are the most important ones to coach at this age.

Principle 1: Be available and want the ball

When you have only 6 teammates on the field, you have to be either available for the ball or be one touch away from it. In the situation earlier, you saw that the defenders tried to convert a 3v1 into 3v4 by cutting out the passes to the players they were marking. As a teammate, you want to change that and become part of the game again. So, maybe the wingers will drop lower to be able to receive that pass. Or the central midfielder will move sideways to open a channel for the pass. Soccer is a team sport, you need to make the life easier for your teammates.

Principle 2: Anticipation is more important that physicality

The true speed in soccer comes from the brain, not just the feet. Let’s look at a simple play. The central defender on the right received the ball. The striker is blocking the pass to the central midfielder and rushing forward, one of the winger is blocking the pass wide, while the other one is closing in on the other defender. The elegant solution is for a soft ball into space for the central midfielder who will find the winger who is already running forward as a third-man and we are off to a quick counter attack forward. In order for all this to happen, you need at least the central defender, the midfielder and the winger to all anticipate the movement of the defenders and of each other. If the ball is passed into space, but the receiver is clueless about their role, it will not work.

Principle 3: Booting and long pass are not the same

If the defender in the previous situation can kick the ball far enough for our striker to receive it, they should always do that. Obviously, if the striker can just go and score after receiving the ball, then that’s the fastest path to the goal, which is what we always want. However, if they can’t just turn and go to goal, it’s still much better to break the lines. We did a deep dive on breaking the lines, so check that out. In a nutshell, the striker can drop the ball to any of the three midfield players, all of whom are running forward and facing the goal. That the is the north star. Also, it pushes all the opponents to sprint back and try to cover, instantly breaking the high press of the opponents. Do this several times in a game and they will just stop pressing with the same intensity, knowing that they have to sprint back because of these passes.

Principle 4: Attract, then exploit

The previous example showed how to break the high press. But what if there is no high press? Oh, there will be. It is nearly impossible for U10 players to stay so disciplined without the ball and keep a low block. Even if they stay in shape for some time, one by one they will get restless and stay off position. But it’s easier for the team in possession to wait a bit longer for this uncoordinated pressure to come. At that point, the objective is to find the free player, usually the one that was supposed to be marked by the undisciplined defender. The goal of playing out is to invite pressure to create space further up the field. You’re not just passing to pass, you’re manipulating the opposition.

Context change when Playing from the Back

I talked about principles and not patterns. Does that mean that these principles work if some assumptions have changed? How can we adapt our game patterns based on what we are seeing in the soccer game context? Let’s look at what changes and what doesn’t.

Playing from the Back against different formations

The build-out structure depends on the opponent’s pressing shape. If the opponents were pressing with two strikers in a 3-1-2 formation, then we might do something different. Our goal is not to pass to our defenders, but to progress the ball forward in possession. So our defenders can drag the strikers for a high press while we distribute to our wingers that are wide open. Maybe the goalkeeper can do a straight pass or use the central midfielder or the striker for it.

Trigger and Pattern Recognition when Playing from the Back

Trigger recognitions are the AI of youth sports. The experience trains the mental models to recognize what will happen next based on other games and the current game, too. Several years ago, I was coaching youth team. We were playing against another team that always distributed to their right center back who always tried to pass to their right winger. They kept repeating the same thing on each attack. After seeing that 3 or 4 times in a row, our team adjusted. Also, I just moved our right winger to help on the press where the ball always went. The opponent didn’t change for this. It was simply too easy to win every single ball with numerical advantage and predictability. I assume that the other team had only one practice where they repeated this pattern and didn’t have time to work on another solution. The issue is that the players did everything right as agreed before, but you can’t place a rigid pattern in the wrong context and expect to work.

Escape Routes when Playing from the Back

Escape routes are premeditated. The parent do yell boot it on the first sign of danger. The coach believes they are the reincarnation of Pep Guardiola and demands no booting and only tiki-taka. Who is wrong? Both! The player should make a decision, there is no game controller to be operated by the parent or the coach. The player should know the escape routes like a passenger on a plane. Even before they are in position to need them. The player should know that in addition to the perfect passes. There is also the progressive dribble forward or carrying the ball away from the opponent until the opportunity for a pass shows up. Trying to determine what is safer, riskier or risk-worthy at the moment of high pressure is very hard. But if this is discussed at practice, then we enable the players to keep composure when they are under pressure.

Errors when Playing from the Back

Final thought – playing from the back leads to mistakes, right? Absolutely. The main reason why we must coach playing from the back, is because we want to limit those mistakes now. Some players will be in situations where the team will just play long balls, or the opponents will keep low block the entire game. But we want to give them tools to handle the other situations. You don’t want to have a large gap in the toolbox where the opponents know that every time they press it leads to a goal scoring opportunity. These mistakes are more normal at the very young age, so it is much easier to handle them.

Remember – teach the principles and the patterns will come.

Have you ever wondered why overlaps and underlaps often look like useless motions to keep players fit? They rarely work the way you think they should, so it’s just players running around in some patterns. Let’s break down what the end objectives and options are, how you can have effective overlapping and underlapping runs, as well as what drills can be effective to coach this.

What is an Overlap?

In a nutshell, overlapping run is when a player further away from the goal runs forward on the outside of their teammate. Let’s use a winger and a fullback as the ball-carrier and the runner, respectively. Often times, the winger has the ball, which leaves two attacking options to the them – pass to the runner, the fullback, into space or cut on the inside.

If the overlap finishes with a pass, then the runner will try to outrun the defenders, or cross the ball, or cutback to a free teammate. Either way, the momentum should give the advantage over either their original defender or the defender of the original ball-carrier that helped.

If the overlap didn’t result in a pass, it might have meant that one or both of the defenders dropped deep to cover, leaving the ball-carrier with options to cut in or dribble. Either way, the overlap can still be considered a success if it created this opportunity for the player with the ball to have a clear shot on goal.

Does overlap work only when the winger has the ball? Absolutely not! Here’s another setup with the winger not having the ball, but instead the striker receiving the ball. The winger cuts in, while the fullback does an overlapping run. The defenders are all confused. Should they track the winger, who can shoot more centrally, or the fullback, who can exploit the space behind the last line? All this without either of them having the ball.

What is an Underlap?

What about underlapping run? You hear it much less, but it can be just as effective. This run uses the half space. If the winger has dragged their defender to the flank, and the striker is staying with the central defender in the middle, then the half space is empty. A run from attacking midfielder or even the fullback can really bring danger. The ball can be either with the winger or the striker. Either way, both of the defenders recognize the danger in case the underlapping runner receives the ball in a clear position to shoot at goal.

Both overlapping runs and underlapping runs are stretching the defenders and are splitting lines, as well as pushing the offside traps lower. On top of that, they create space by leaving areas, dragging defenders deeper and breaking the defensive formation. Check out the channel for detailed videos on these topics.

How do you Coach Overlaps and Underlaps?

Let’s structure the drills into three categories – unopposed, semi-opposed and situational games. While drills should strive to be as close to the game situation as possible, there is a benefit of putting more constraints for certain period of time. The first four drills are solid warmup drills, often repeating before a game for muscle activation or at practice, but also a way for players to get familiarized with overlap and underlap. I usually introduce them as finishing drills, because the final step is to strike the ball. Note that you shouldn’t do them in the same practice, or even the same week. Give them some time to get proficient in the overlapping, before they do the underlapping drill.

Here are the first two drills, essentially doing only 1-2 passes. You only need two players to do them, which means you can even do a variation of them when you do individual practices, where you as a coach are one of the players. Note that these will become boring very fast, so it’s just a stop gap until you move to the next two – one for overlap, one for underlap.

Unopposed Drills

The overlap drill starts with one midfielder passing to the striker, the other midfielder already sprinting towards the striker to receive the ball. Then the first passer does an overlapping run to receive the ball on the flank only to cross it to the striker. Then the midfielder stays back to be the striker and on it goes.

The underlap starts similarly. However, once the second midfielder receives the ball, the first passer cuts to make a run between the two teammates. They can then do a one-touch finish. With that structure in mind, you can keep the striker and second midfielder in place and only rotate them from time to time.

Coaching points for Overlaps and Underlaps

What are the coaching points in these two drills? The most important thing is to understand the timing. For example, in the second one, the first midfielder firstly jogs toward the striker, then it changes direction towards the other midfielder or even stops. Then there is some sort of communication, like eye contact. Then they change of pace and direction, straight sprinting into the space. It is important for runner to understand that this change of pace and direction is enough to escape their defender if done right.

Also, for the passer to understand that the timing and weight of the pass is crucial. A slow ball that the runner has to wait for is useless, same as a late ball that will leave them in offside. If the ball is too strong, then it would go out of bounds or the goalkeeper would intercept it. When running unopposed drills, you as a coach must set the standard of excellence. It is hard to set the fake urgency and give the feedback like you make up opponents, but that’s why you are the coach.

Semi-opposed Overlapping and Underlapping Drills

There is a gap between being familiar with the overlapping and the underlapping runs, but not being proficient in them. In that case, you want to have semi-opposed drills. I will suggest two of them. The simpler one is just a 3v2, with focus on the runs. If you do a similar setup as the unopposed drills, you will need to change very little. The player with the ball will either have a free option for a pass or free space for dribbling. Unlike the previous drills, the players in this drill will need to make decisions based on the defenders. When executed well, the striker can even receive on half turn and progress immediately to shoot. However, more often they will look to distribute. The only restriction I usually do is give 6 seconds to take a shot on goal. You don’t want endless passing and dribbling in a 3v2 situation. It should look like counter-attack.

We can’t always assume that there will be space, so now we will get into something that looks like a low-block situation. We will set a 5v5 situation, but we will limit the movement of the defenders. Only one defender can be outside of the penalty box at a time. So if a player pressed on one side, it needs to come back inside the box so that another player can press once the ball has moved. That way the overlapping and the underlapping runs are easier, same as the crosses.

Game-like drills for overlaps and underlaps

Finally, have a situational game, focusing on the final third. Of course, you can coach them when playing from the back, but it’s less common. You can have 6v5 situation, trying to attack in the final third. The attackers will need to stretch the field, making underlapping and overlapping runs. Also they will switch the ball quickly and utilize the third man. You can find a detailed video about the third man pattern on the channel. However, your focus here will be to use the concepts of overlapping and underlapping to displace the defenders. For example, a winger must stay wide to stretch their defender or get a free cross otherwise. If that doesn’t happen, then an underlapping run must come soon to stretch the field.

The Third-Man Principle is all about creating passing options within the playing zone by adding a facilitating passer and exploiting space in ways that break down defensive structures. Third Man Run is about shifting the playing area. Move the ball into a place where the dynamics are more favorable for your team as there is a running player.

What is the Third-Man Principle?

The Third Man Principle is a tactical concept that revolves around creating an advantage by using one player to indirectly support another in possession. To put it simply, it’s about finding ways to create a passing triangles. One player makes a run to support a teammate, and the third player in the triangle (the “third man”) provides an unexpected passing option.

Basic Example

Let’s walk through an example. Imagine a scenario where Player A has the ball and is looking to pass to Player B who is in a good position to reach the team objective. Normally, the pass to Player B would be blocked by a defender. But Player C—who’s positioned just a little off to the side or behind—makes a run to receive the ball from Player A.

Player A doesn’t pass directly to Player B; instead, they pass to Player C, who then plays the ball to Player B. The key here is that Player C is not under pressure. The defender is left scrambling, trying to cover multiple options. This quick, unpredictable movement can create space and break down defensive lines.

Playing from the back example

Let’s give few situations of how the third man run can be utilized. Firstly, we’ll start with playing from the back. A simple pass from your goalkeeper to the central defender. Then you want the next one to be from your defender to your fullback, as it is a bit higher up the field and also safer and less crowded on the side. However, the opposition winger knows that and is blocking that pass and starting to put pressure on the defender. Instead, the central midfielder comes into the empty space and just needs to do a one touch pass to the fullback. That’s it. This is the bread and butter of playing from the back.

Final third example

Let’s look at another example, where the passing lane is not blocked, but the pass is impossible because the defender is pressing high. We want our winger to receive the ball from our fullback, but they cannot in this setting. Instead, we utilize the creative midfielder that does something similar as before, but in another area of the field. In this case, the moment the ball is passed to them, the defender is often stunned and trying to see where the ball is going or even starts to move towards the central area. The winger then starts to make a run and the defender is at least one step behind, often way off. The ball goes into space and the problem is solved way more elegantly than beating the defender 1v1.

What is the Third-Man Run?

The third man run is when two teammates look to be playing a one-two, but another teammate is making a run to receive the ball in a more dangerous area. In a very generic example, say we have a 2v2 situation in the central area. Then a player that makes a run in the wide area means that they have already won against their opponent and is just missing the ball. So we move the ball to them. Why would is it easier for them to beat their opponent? Because the human psychology makes their defender focus on the playing area. They either come and help the teammates to make a 2v3 situation, or they simply relax for a moment thinking that the danger is not there. Either way, it is a favorable situation for our third man. To get the timing it might be a one-touch pass or a delayed pass with La Pausa to invite the pressure and create space. We will run through three examples to illustrate this at different areas of the field.

Examples

If we start from the fullback and pass to the centerback. Then the winger keeps the pressing and cuts the passing lane back to the fullback. That press by the winger changes the playing area and takes our fullback out of it. Then the centerback passes to the midfielde. Now the midfielder passes into the fullback that made a run forward in the meantime. This pass made the playing area move there, with the fullback already on the run forward.

Here is another example of the third man run, way more devastating for the opponents. The focus is all in the middle with the striker looking for help from the midfielder to do 1-2 passing. The midfielder can even yell “1-2”, but then once it receives the ball, they find the runner on the wing. All eyes were in the central area. Unless the fullback was so diligent to track the runner on time, this can be an easy goal. The coordination between the winger and the creative midfielder falls apart.

Here is one more special case, where the striker wants to use the midfielder for a combination. However, after the pass and the run, the striker doesn’t get the ball and is in offside situation. Then the whole world kind of freezes. The defenders are thinking that they have solved the threat by holding the offside line. However, the pass to the third man in the wider area unfreezes the attack and the striker is back in action as the second pass can go to them.

What do you need to make good Third-Man?

The crucial elements of both the third man principle and the third man run are the off-the-ball movement, the vision and the exploiting of the space.

Off-the-ball movement

…is crucial. In the third man principle, the third man coming in as a facilitator needs to find the perfect timing when they will be available to receive and pass the ball. If they are too early, the opponent will adjust and potentially intercept the ball or the pass will not longer be available. If they are too late, then the teammate with the ball will be under too much pressure. Similarly, for the third man run, a well timed run is essential, so that we can create a dynamic advantage. Too early and the third man gets covered or ends up in offside. Too late and the ball is lost or moved somewhere else on the field.

Vision

… is the other key characteristic of these patterns. Vision is not about players that can see other players, but it is to see several steps ahead, like in chess. In the third man principle, the player needs to see the objective of the two initial players and their obstacle. Then they need to see how getting into the empty space can change the perspective. Finally, how the steps will evolve from then on. Similarly, the third man run is exactly that – a run. The vision of the passer and the runner is seconds ahead, where they need to see what will happen if they coordinate their movements together. The vision is built over time and experience, by playing soccer for years and years and seeing what is possible and how to make it happen. Naturally some players are more talented in seeing this, but it is also a trained skill.

Exploiting space

…is the secret to both the third man principle and third man run. We talked about changing the playing area by moving the ball. But in order for that to happen, the players off the ball need to create a favorable situation before the ball gets there. Exploiting the space is exactly that. For example, leaving the space empty is important, so that the space can be exploited at the right time. This can be the space for passing or for the run behind. Either way, understanding the space is vital.

Can you see the Third-Man in Pro Games?

One of the most iconic uses of the Third Man Principle is in the way Barcelona used it during their tiki-taka era, especially under Pep Guardiola. The movement of players like Xavi and Iniesta was a textbook example of the Third Man Principle. They were constantly working off each other’s passes and positioning, pulling defenders out of position, and creating extra options for the ball carrier. It would often look like they were passing to each other with no purpose. However, at one point you will see the wingers, such as Villa, Pedro or Henry, or even the wingbacks, like Alves and Alba, making a run on the wing and before you know it the third man run creates a perfect opportunity to score.

That is a textbook example of using both the third man principle and the third man run. However, I challenge you to watch a game. Whenever you see players playing from the back, you will see the third man principle. Also, you will see runs that hard-working players make even when they don’t get the ball. The expectation for them is that they will get the ball once every 5 to 10 runs. However, all they need is one perfect play in the final third and the goal scoring opportunity is there.

How to coach?

There is a reason we are still talking about the Xavi and Iniesta style of play, even though we haven’t seen them play in Barcelona for the last decade. It is not normal to find players that are technically dominant, have world class positional awareness and possess exceptional vision.

However, you do need to coach these concepts, as both Xavi and Iniesta have been coached at the famous Barcelona academy called La Masia. At the very young age, you should coach playing from the back and that might be the first time they will see the usage of the third man facilitator player. These will become recognizable patterns for the players, but it will take years of repetition and variations to become second nature.

You will need to have overloading drills, where the attackers will outnumber the defenders. This is because the natural moves for players might be to dribble or to pass back. Instead they can make overlapping runs or even underlapping runs that will naturally create the third man situation. If you are trying to change that, then the pressure has to be decreased a bit. Not completely, but sufficiently enough to give some time and direction to the players to find these opportunities. To counter this numerical overload, you can restrict the attackers not to be able to pass back to the same player.

Summary

To sum it up, the Third Man Principle and the Third Man Run are game-changing tactics that relies on intelligent off-the-ball movement, quick decision-making, and exploiting space. Whether you’re a player or coach, understanding and implementing this principle can improve the fluidity of your team’s attacking play and help break down defensive lines.

Next time you watch a game, pay close attention to how teams use the Third Man Principle and the Third Man Run to create space and opportunities. It’s a subtle, yet incredibly powerful aspect of modern soccer tactics.

“Kids don’t play soccer on their own and we have to do something about it”. I’ve heard this from every coach I’ve talked to. Then they come up with “genius” marketing ideas to lure them with pizza instead of good protein snacks, but I digress here. While kids don’t play as much as they used to, it’s not completely true. I keep hearing from my players that they play pickup soccer at recess. Or that they play after school or in their backyard. Or they play for the school team. The value of unstructured play or mismatched competition is incredibly high. We will explore where to find these games, the benefits of playing and how to make most out of it. Regardless of the format (5v5, 6v6 or 10v10), the location (grass, turf or futsal) or even the game (soccer, skills challenge or soccer tennis), the value of playing soccer outside of the regular practices and games will develop the players in a different way.

“Edgar Davids wanted to play in the local neighborhood. I told him that we had training every day and that we couldn’t go and play with kids in the street. So he told me ‘You’ve changed! You don’t remember your neighborhood and what you did before.’

Once or twice, I went with him. But he did it often. It was impressive because we were having fun, but it was also crazy to go, after training , playing on the tarmac with the kids. He did it a lot and had great technique”

Zinedine Zidane, soccer legend, about Edgar Davids playing pickup soccer during their time in Juventus (1996-2001)

Where to find pickup soccer?

1. Facebook Groups! I know that it sounds like I have not been online for the past decade, but there really are more pickup events on Facebook than any other place. Especially if you are a parent looking for games for your kid – where do you think other parents are active? Not Discord or SnapChat or TikTok, but Facebook. Alternatively, look for MeetUp events created by folks. Obviously many groups just communicate over WhatsApp, WeChat, Viber or even regular group text message chat. However, they are usually private and can’t just find them online.
2. Individual practices at the nearby field. Get a ball and do some kicking at the goal. It is unlikely that anybody is going to kick you out, such as school custodian or something like that. However, if they come and ask you to leave, it is a prefect opportunity to start a conversation. “Sorry, I didn’t know it is not public. I’ve seen others play. Do you know when and where people play pickup games nearby?”
3. Stop by around fields and parks. I often go for a run or a bike ride, and when I see a soccer field, I go close to check out if anybody is playing. Often times there is nobody there, but sometimes people play.
4. Start your own! If you already have 3-4 friends that might want to play, create your own group. If you really want to get awareness, do the things above, such as creating a Facebook or MeetUp groups. The important thing is to get the contacts and keep them posted. Then, you might want to consider joining a league if the commitment is high and the quality of players is similar. If the group becomes large enough, you might need to think about renting a field and getting insurance. If the group becomes enormous, you can create a league on your own or at least a tournament. It can become a fantastic soccer side hustle.

Benefits of pickup soccer and unstructured soccer games

Sometimes parents ask me if their player has to come to practices in order to play in games. I often compare soccer to piano. If a piano recital is the game, soccer practice is the piano lesson, then piano practice are backyard and pickup games. You don’t go to the recital if you haven’t taken lessons. You often don’t do recitals if you have practiced on your own either. However, for some reason parents think that it’s ok to go only to the games and not to the previous steps. As coaches, we show drills and technique, correct mistakes and build platform for individual and team development. But it is up to the players to get repetitions until they get fluidity, instead of trying those movements for the first time with an opponent sprinting straight at them.

How to make most out of pickup soccer?

Pickup games can be great, but they can be annoying. Sometimes people want to take it too seriously or to goof off. Players often play dangerously or don’t try at all. Finally, the difference in skill levels can make it a bad experience. However, there are some ways to make the most out of it, even in these situations.

1. Play against worse players than you. You have to practice controlling the ball and play possession with purpose and intensity. If the opponent is faster, stronger and better than you, then you will likely try to get rid of the ball whenever you can.
2. Play against better players than you. If you play against better player, they will attack your weaker spots. You want that to happen at pickup games and on at championship finals! So, position yourself to be there and lose the ball multiple times, until you get the movements perfect.
3. Pick an uncommon position for you. If you usually play as a left back, try playing as an attacking midfielder. The position will force you to learn new things, such as do more scanning or pass with one-touch passes.
4. Try unconventional things. I am talking about trying crosses or through passes, or other things that you usually don’t do. It is at pickup games that I learned many of the moves I do now at regular games, such as the la croqueta.
5. Play in bad weather and weird terrain. When the weather gets bad, like rainy soccer season or the soccer pitch covered in snow, many people stop playing pickup soccer. But the pros are still playing and they get used to it. If you want to get used to playing through rough weather, including heat waves, you have to at least play low intensity pickup.
6. Don’t be afraid to lose the ball. Yes, there are some folks that keep on screaming at their teammates during pickup games like their life depends on it. However, just brush it off and be ok with losing the ball. The only way to grow is to play with some risk in terms of the result.
7. Stay safe! The most annoying thing is to get injured during a pickup game because of some reckless challenge. Silly thing like that can make you miss soccer for weeks and more. There was one time I saw a player doing rough challenges at a pickup game. He kept doing it even though some of his friends told him to stop. I just moved across the pitch to play in an area as far away as I could. Eventually I stopped coming to those pickup games because it was too risky for me.

How much unstructured soccer is played?

“Just 27% of children said they regularly play outside their homes, compared to 71% of the baby boomer generation.” While nobody is particularly surprised to see the difference for soccer kids in the USA, it is really important to think about the consequences. Playing outside will bring some challenges that the kids will need to learn to handle. I am talking about social challenges of not getting a field or a ball, or enough players, or older kids taking over the game… So many issues can arise that the players will learn from. However, I focused on the soccer skills that will be gained by playing pickup games, as well as how to make the most out of it. I keep playing today, well past my prime soccer days. I love it and I hope you will, too. Happy soccer!

Since its inception, the Women’s World Cup has been a stage where the world’s finest female football talents converge to compete for glory and showcase their skills on the global stage. The United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) has enjoyed an unprecedented era of dominance. They won 4 out of the 8 World Cups so far, placing in the top 3 on all of them. The biggest US soccer superstars ever have achieved their heights with the USWNT. However, the 2023 Women’s World Cup has marked a significant shift in the landscape. The team faced an unexpected exit in the early knockout phase. People are shocked and the US public is disappointed. Let us look into the evolution of the Women’s World Cup to understand the reason for the decline in USWNT’s dominance.

A Glance Back in Time: The Evolution of the Women’s World Cup

The Women’s World Cup, first introduced in 1991, marked a pivotal moment for women’s football. The inaugural tournament, held in China, opened a window to a previously unexplored arena for female athlete. The rise of women’s soccer worldwide is undeniable. Over the years, the tournament gained momentum, attracting growing interest and showcasing exceptional skills and determination.

Throughout the tournament’s history, the USWNT emerged as a powerhouse, securing four titles – 1991, 1999, 2015, and 2019. Their triumphs not only highlighted their dominance but also played a crucial role in elevating the popularity of women’s football worldwide. The team’s relentless pursuit of excellence made them a source of inspiration for aspiring female athletes everywhere.

Sport dominance is not normal

Nobody in soccer has had as much success, closest being Brazil National Team between 1958 and 1970, winning 3 out of the 4 titles. Basically, that is a statistical anomaly, not just in soccer, but overall. During that time, every kid played soccer for endless hours on the streets of Brazil. That team had one of the best players of all time, and definitely the best player of his time – Pele. Unlike today, the players of the team were mostly playing in the national league in Brazil and could time their form for the World Cup. While that was a hard period for the country, the national team was a unifying opportunity for the nation. It is impossible to imagine such dominance in today’s world of soccer. The clubs have so much money that it always take precedence over the national teams.

For people outside of soccer, the USWNT looked like the US Dream Team with Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in it. In fact, it is with great confidence we can say that the US had 12, if not 14, of the 15 best basketball players in that era. Let us be honest, even in the best years that couldn’t be said for the USWNT. So, while the dominance is clear, we shouldn’t overplay it. We will likely refer to the titles in 2015 and 2019 as the “golden generation”. Furthermore, it is important to understand that it is not normal to have that kind of talent when the competition is the most popular sport in the world. If the activity is underwater chess or pickle eating, that might have limited competition, but not soccer.

The Shifting Landscape: Why USWNT’s Early Exit is Not Entirely Surprising

Something has changed and let us take a look at it. While the USWNT’s history of success is undeniable, it is essential to acknowledge that the global women’s football landscape has evolved dramatically since their first triumph. Over the past few decades, investment, development, and increased support for women’s football have led to significant improvements in team dynamics, tactics, and overall competitiveness. Several factors contribute to the decline in USWNT’s dominance:

1. Rise of Competing Powerhouses: Countries like Germany, France, and England have invested heavily in women’s football. They have talented squads capable of challenging the USWNT’s supremacy. These teams have honed their skills and developed tactical strategies that enable them to contend at the highest level. The best soccer clubs in Europe are competing in the UEFA Champions League with their women’s teams and they want to win. So, they leverage their fanbase, finances, scouting and coaching systems, as well as medical teams, infrastructure and knowledge.
2. Development of Youth Programs: The success of the USWNT inspired countries to invest in robust youth development programs. As a result, younger soccer players have gained access to higher levels of coaching, facilities, and competitive opportunities, accelerating their growth and contributing to the overall elevation of the sport. In fact, the USWNT has supported growth of women’s soccer in countries like China, Japan and Jamaica. Not surprisingly, their women’s teams are ranking higher than the men’s national teams.
3. Globalization of Women’s Football: The expansion of international talent pools has diversified the competitive landscape. Players from different continents now compete in top leagues around the world, sharing their experiences and learning from one another. This cross-pollination of talent has fostered a deeper understanding of the game and led to increased tactical innovation.
4. Strategic Adaptation: Teams that once struggled against the USWNT have evolved their strategies to neutralize their strengths and exploit their vulnerabilities. This has led to more evenly matched contests, challenging the USWNT’s dominance and raising the overall level of competition. As any other national team, there are highs and lows when it comes to talent. Without dominant attacking superstars, it is obvious that it is hard to score goals even if the team dominates in other aspects of the game.

The Natural Progression: Other Teams Catching Up

The USWNT’s early exit from the 2023 Women’s World Cup should not be perceived solely as a decline in their abilities. Rather, it serves as a testament to the sport’s global growth and the natural progression of teams worldwide. The rise of other competitive squads is a testament to the effectiveness of investments, dedication, and long-term planning put forth by various nations.

As other teams have caught up, the overall quality of the Women’s World Cup has significantly improved. The unpredictability of matches, the emergence of new stars, and the increasing competitiveness have led to a more engaging and captivating tournament. It’s better for the fans, for the players and for the rising popularity of the sport.

Path forward for the USWNT

The 2023 Women’s World Cup has marked a turning point in the narrative of USWNT’s dominance. While their early exit might come as a surprise, it is vital to understand that the evolution of women’s football has led to a more competitive and diverse landscape. The rise of other teams is characterized by enhanced development programs, strategic adaptation, and tactical innovation.

The US Soccer Federation needs to reexamine the way to develop players. The importance of creating technical excellence and superstars is the way forward and there has to be a plan for that. The system doesn’t support that at the moment and it’s only a matter of time before it will become apparent that a team can hold for a draw, but a moment of brilliance will make the difference at a knockout match.

As we move forward, the legacy of the USWNT remains intact, as they have played a pivotal role in shaping the present state of women’s football. Their achievements have inspired generations and paved the way for the growth and recognition of the sport on a global scale. The 2023 Women’s World Cup serves as a reminder that no team’s dominance is indefinite, and as the sport continues to flourish, new heroes will emerge, each contributing to the tapestry of women’s football history.