⚽ FootieSkills
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All football skills

Every skill the FootieSkills roller can give you, listed here so you can browse before you play, or look one up again after a session. Each one has a junior, intermediate and pro target and three plain-English steps for how to do it. Tap ROLL on the home page to get one at random instead.

Dribbling

Toe taps

  • Junior: 10 taps, ball under control
  • Intermediate: 20 taps, keep head up
  • Pro: 30 taps at speed, both feet
  1. Rest one foot lightly on top of the ball.
  2. Quickly tap the top of the ball with alternating feet, keeping it stationary underneath you.
  3. Stay on the balls of your feet and keep your eyes up between taps.

Sole rolls

  • Junior: 5 each foot, slow
  • Intermediate: 10 each foot
  • Pro: 15 each foot, add a turn every 5
  1. Place the sole of your foot flat on top of the ball.
  2. Roll it forward a short distance, then drag it back using the sole.
  3. Switch feet regularly and keep the touches low and close to your body.

Inside-outside cuts

  • Junior: 5 reps, walking pace
  • Intermediate: 8 reps, jogging
  • Pro: 10 reps at match speed
  1. Use the inside of your foot to nudge the ball across your body.
  2. Immediately push it back out with the outside of the same foot.
  3. Repeat in one flowing motion to shift direction quickly and keep a defender guessing.

Step-overs

  • Junior: 5 single step-overs
  • Intermediate: 8 step-overs into a turn
  • Pro: 10 step-overs, explode away after
  1. Circle one foot around the outside of the ball without touching it.
  2. Plant that foot down on the far side, selling a fake change of direction.
  3. Push off with your other foot and accelerate the opposite way.

Cruyff turn

  • Junior: 3 slow reps
  • Intermediate: 5 reps, disguise the look
  • Pro: 5 reps then sprint 5 yards
  1. Plant your standing leg like you're about to pass or shoot.
  2. Instead, drag the ball behind your standing leg using the inside of your kicking foot.
  3. Spin through 180 degrees and accelerate away in the new direction.

La Croqueta

  • Junior: 4 reps, stationary
  • Intermediate: 6 reps while moving forward
  • Pro: 6 reps under pressure from a defender
  1. Push the ball quickly from one foot to the other using the inside of each foot.
  2. Stay low and compact, keeping the ball close throughout.
  3. Use it to shift the ball away from a defender in one sharp sideways movement.

Figure-8 weave

  • Junior: Around 2 markers x2
  • Intermediate: Around 4 markers x2
  • Pro: Around 4 markers, weak foot only
  1. Set up two or more markers (cones, shoes, bottles) a couple of metres apart.
  2. Dribble a figure-8 pattern around them, using both feet to control the ball.
  3. Keep your head up and touches small so you don't run the ball too far from your feet.

Body feint

  • Junior: Left-right feint x5
  • Intermediate: Feint then burst past a marker x5
  • Pro: Feint, burst, and finish on goal
  1. Drop your shoulder and lean one way, like you're about to run that direction.
  2. Push the ball the opposite way using the outside of your foot.
  3. Accelerate hard past the defender or marker before they can recover.

Elastico

  • Junior: 5 reps, walking pace
  • Intermediate: 8 reps, jogging speed
  • Pro: 10 reps with a burst after
  1. Push the ball out with the inside of your foot as if you're about to cross it.
  2. Immediately snap it back the other way using the outside of the same foot in one quick flick.
  3. Practise the flick slowly at first, speed comes once the motion feels natural.

Roulette (Marseille turn)

  • Junior: 3 slow reps, no pressure
  • Intermediate: 5 reps, add a defender's shadow
  • Pro: 5 reps then accelerate away
  1. Approach the ball and stop it under one foot as if you're being closed down.
  2. Spin your body a full 360 degrees, dragging the ball around with the sole of your foot as you turn.
  3. Come out of the spin facing a new direction and push the ball away from where the pressure came from.

Juggling

Keepy-ups

  • Junior: Reach 5 in a row
  • Intermediate: Reach 15 in a row
  • Pro: Reach 30 in a row
  1. Drop the ball from your hands onto your foot.
  2. Tap it gently upward before it hits the ground, aiming for knee-height bounces.
  3. Alternate feet where you can and keep your ankle locked for a soft, controlled touch.

Thigh only

  • Junior: 5 thigh touches
  • Intermediate: 10 thigh touches
  • Pro: 15 thigh touches, alternating legs
  1. Bounce the ball up onto the flat part of your thigh.
  2. Let it settle briefly, absorbing the impact, before popping it back up.
  3. Switch legs regularly to keep both sides sharp.

Head only

  • Junior: 3 head touches
  • Intermediate: 7 head touches
  • Pro: 12 head touches
  1. Under 12? Skip this one. UK football guidance advises against heading practice for younger children.
  2. Use your forehead, not the top of your head, to nudge it gently upward, keeping your eyes on the ball all the way in.
  3. Keep your neck firm and aim for small, controlled bounces rather than big hits.

Weak foot only

  • Junior: 5 touches, weak foot
  • Intermediate: 10 touches, weak foot
  • Pro: 15 touches, weak foot
  1. Use the same keepy-up motion as usual, but only with your weaker foot.
  2. Go slower than feels natural, focusing on a soft first touch.
  3. Build up speed once the weak-foot touch feels controlled.

Around the world

  • Junior: Attempt it slowly, no count
  • Intermediate: Land 1 clean rotation
  • Pro: Land 3 clean rotations
  1. Get the ball up to a comfortable juggling height first.
  2. While it's in the air, quickly swing your foot in a full circle around the outside of the ball.
  3. Catch it back on your foot before it drops. Expect a few misses while you find the timing.

Sit-down catch

  • Junior: Juggle 3 then catch and sit
  • Intermediate: Juggle 8 then catch and sit
  • Pro: Juggle 15 then catch and sit
  1. Juggle the ball for the target count.
  2. As it drops, start lowering yourself toward the ground.
  3. Cushion the ball on your chest or thigh and finish seated in one smooth motion.

Chest control

  • Junior: 3 chest touches then catch
  • Intermediate: 6 chest touches, keep it up after
  • Pro: 10 chest touches, straight into a foot juggle
  1. Get your body behind the ball's flight and arch your chest slightly.
  2. Let the ball meet your chest and cushion it by relaxing backward slightly on contact.
  3. Drop it softly down to your feet to keep control rather than letting it bounce away.

Juggle and turn

  • Junior: Juggle 5, then turn 90 degrees and catch
  • Intermediate: Juggle 8, turn 180 degrees mid-juggle
  • Pro: Juggle 12, turn 360 degrees mid-juggle
  1. Start a normal juggling rhythm at a comfortable height.
  2. As the ball is in the air, quickly turn your body to face a new direction.
  3. Find the ball again with your foot and continue juggling without missing a beat.

Two-touch juggle

  • Junior: 5 reps, thigh then foot
  • Intermediate: 10 reps, thigh then foot
  • Pro: 15 reps, alternating which foot finishes
  1. Bring the ball up onto your thigh first to control the height and pace.
  2. As it drops, meet it with your foot for the second touch, popping it back up.
  3. Repeat the thigh-then-foot pattern, keeping each touch soft and controlled.

Cushion and catch

  • Junior: Juggle 5 then cushion it dead on your foot
  • Intermediate: Juggle 10 then cushion it dead
  • Pro: Juggle 15, cushion it, then start again with no hands
  1. Juggle normally until you're ready to stop.
  2. As the ball drops, relax your foot completely on contact instead of popping it back up.
  3. Let it come to a complete stop balanced on your foot or instep before setting it down.

Passing

Wall pass reps

  • Junior: 10 passes, both feet
  • Intermediate: 15 passes, one-touch return
  • Pro: 20 passes, one-touch, both feet
  1. Stand a few metres from a wall or flat surface.
  2. Pass the ball firmly against it using the inside of your foot.
  3. Control the rebound with a good first touch before passing again.

Weak foot passing

  • Junior: 10 passes, weak foot
  • Intermediate: 15 passes, weak foot
  • Pro: 20 passes, weak foot, first time
  1. Set up the same wall pass drill as usual.
  2. Use only your weaker foot for both the pass and the first touch.
  3. Focus on a clean strike through the middle of the ball rather than power.

Target pass

  • Junior: Hit a target 5 times from 5 yards
  • Intermediate: Hit a target 5 times from 10 yards
  • Pro: Hit a target 5 times from 15 yards
  1. Set a small target on the ground, a cone, bag, or jumper works fine.
  2. Strike the ball with the inside of your foot, aiming directly at it.
  3. Increase the distance once you're hitting it consistently.

Chipped pass

  • Junior: 3 chips over a low object
  • Intermediate: 5 chips landing on a marker
  • Pro: 5 chips, weak foot
  1. Approach the ball and strike underneath it, not through the middle.
  2. Use the inside of your foot or your laces to lift it into the air.
  3. Follow through upward, aiming to land the ball softly on your target.

Driven pass

  • Junior: 5 firm passes along the ground
  • Intermediate: 8 driven passes, 15 yards
  • Pro: 8 driven passes, 20+ yards, both feet
  1. Line your body up behind the ball, non-kicking foot pointing at the target.
  2. Strike through the middle of the ball firmly with your laces.
  3. Keep the ball low and flat for a fast pass that carries over distance.

One-two pass

  • Junior: 5 one-twos with a wall, slow
  • Intermediate: 8 one-twos, moving forward after each
  • Pro: 10 one-twos at jogging pace
  1. Pass the ball into the wall and immediately start moving into open space.
  2. Time your run so you arrive just as the ball rebounds back to you.
  3. Take the return pass in stride rather than stopping to control it first.

Long diagonal pass

  • Junior: 5 passes, 15 yards, any accuracy
  • Intermediate: 5 passes, 20 yards, landing near a target
  • Pro: 5 passes, 25+ yards, landing on a target
  1. Set your standing foot well beside and slightly behind the ball, angled toward where you want it to land.
  2. Strike the bottom half of the ball with your laces to lift it, following through across your body.
  3. Watch it land and adjust your angle or power on the next attempt.

Backheel pass

  • Junior: 5 backheels, ball stationary
  • Intermediate: 5 backheels, ball rolling toward you
  • Pro: 5 backheels, first time under light pressure
  1. Let the ball run slightly past your standing foot.
  2. Flick your heel back into the ball firmly, keeping your ankle locked.
  3. Check over your shoulder first where possible, this pass is about surprise, not power.

First-time pass

  • Junior: 10 first-time passes, easy service
  • Intermediate: 15 first-time passes, both feet
  • Pro: 15 first-time passes, first time under pressure
  1. Have a partner (or a wall) feed the ball to you at a comfortable pace.
  2. Strike it back immediately on arrival, without taking a touch to control it first.
  3. Stay balanced and let the pass do the work rather than rushing your swing.

Curved pass

  • Junior: 3 curved passes around a cone, close range
  • Intermediate: 5 curved passes around a cone, 10 yards
  • Pro: 5 curved passes bending into a target zone
  1. Strike the side of the ball, not the middle, using the inside or outside of your foot.
  2. Follow through across your body in the direction you want the curve to bend.
  3. Start with a gentle curve and increase the sidespin once you're landing it consistently.

Shooting

Top corner finish

  • Junior: 5 shots, any corner
  • Intermediate: 5 shots, called corner in advance
  • Pro: 5 shots, weak foot, called corner
  1. Place the ball and take a short, balanced run-up.
  2. Strike through the lower half of the ball with your laces.
  3. Follow through toward the corner you called before striking.

Weak foot finish

  • Junior: 5 shots, weak foot, close range
  • Intermediate: 5 shots, weak foot, mid range
  • Pro: 5 shots, weak foot, first time
  1. Use the same shooting technique as your strong foot, just slower at first.
  2. Keep your standing foot planted firmly beside the ball for balance.
  3. Prioritise clean contact over power until it feels natural.

Volley finish

  • Junior: 3 volleys off a self-toss
  • Intermediate: 5 volleys off a self-toss
  • Pro: 5 volleys off a partner's throw
  1. Toss the ball gently up in front of yourself.
  2. Keep your body over the ball and eyes locked on it as it drops.
  3. Strike it out of the air before it bounces, following through toward the target.

First-time finish

  • Junior: 3 first-time shots, easy service
  • Intermediate: 5 first-time shots
  • Pro: 5 first-time shots, moving across goal
  1. Have someone serve the ball to you, or set up a simple rebound.
  2. Strike it immediately, without taking a controlling touch first.
  3. Stay balanced through contact rather than rushing the swing.

Power strike

  • Junior: 3 hard shots, technique focus
  • Intermediate: 5 hard shots at target
  • Pro: 5 hard shots, weak foot included
  1. Take a slightly longer run-up than a normal shot.
  2. Rotate your hips fully into the strike as you make contact.
  3. Hit through the centre of the ball with your laces, technique before raw force.

Low driven finish

  • Junior: 5 shots along the ground, close range
  • Intermediate: 5 shots along the ground, edge of the box
  • Pro: 5 shots, low and hard, weak foot included
  1. Keep your knee over the ball and lean forward slightly at contact.
  2. Strike through the middle of the ball with your laces, aiming low.
  3. Follow through toward the target, keeping the shot flat rather than lifting it.

Outside-of-foot finish

  • Junior: 3 shots, close range, technique only
  • Intermediate: 5 shots, mid range
  • Pro: 5 shots, bending it into the far corner
  1. Approach the ball slightly from the inside rather than straight on.
  2. Strike it with the outside of your foot, letting your foot naturally curl around the ball.
  3. Aim for a bend away from the goalkeeper rather than pure power.

Half-volley finish

  • Junior: 3 half-volleys off a gentle bounce
  • Intermediate: 5 half-volleys off a bounce
  • Pro: 5 half-volleys off a partner's driven pass
  1. Time your strike for the moment just after the ball bounces off the ground.
  2. Keep your body over the ball and your knee bent to control the height.
  3. Strike down slightly through the ball so it doesn't balloon over the target.

Finish across the keeper

  • Junior: 5 shots aiming across an imaginary keeper
  • Intermediate: 5 shots, called side in advance
  • Pro: 5 shots, weak foot, called side
  1. Approach the ball as if a goalkeeper is standing slightly to one side.
  2. Strike across the ball with the inside of your foot to send it the opposite way.
  3. Follow through toward the far corner rather than square to the goal.

Free kick technique

  • Junior: 3 free kicks, no wall, technique focus
  • Intermediate: 5 free kicks around a marker 'wall'
  • Pro: 5 free kicks, bending over the wall into a target
  1. Place the ball and take a curved run-up rather than approaching straight on.
  2. Strike the side of the ball with the inside of your foot, wrapping your foot around it.
  3. Aim to lift it over an obstacle first, then bring it back down before it reaches the target.

Fitness & defending

Jockey shuffle

  • Junior: 10 metres, slow and controlled
  • Intermediate: 10 metres x3, quicker feet
  • Pro: 10 metres x5, react to a call
  1. Get into a low, side-on stance with knees bent.
  2. Shuffle sideways along the distance without crossing your feet over.
  3. Stay balanced and ready to change direction at any moment.

Shadow defending

  • Junior: 30 seconds, mirror a partner
  • Intermediate: 45 seconds, mirror a partner
  • Pro: 60 seconds, mirror a moving attacker
  1. Face a partner (or imagine one) a couple of metres away.
  2. Mirror their side-to-side and forward-back movements as closely as you can.
  3. Stay at arm's length and resist the urge to lunge in.

Shuttle sprints

  • Junior: 2 sprints, 10 metres
  • Intermediate: 4 sprints, 10 metres
  • Pro: 6 sprints, 15 metres
  1. Mark a start and end point at the stated distance.
  2. Sprint to the far marker and touch the ground or the object.
  3. Sprint back to the start, that's one rep. Repeat for the target count.

Plank hold

  • Junior: 20 seconds
  • Intermediate: 40 seconds
  • Pro: 60 seconds
  1. Support your body on your forearms and toes.
  2. Keep a straight line from head to heels, don't let your hips sag or pike up.
  3. Squeeze your core tight and breathe steadily for the stated time.

Burpees

  • Junior: 5 reps
  • Intermediate: 10 reps
  • Pro: 15 reps
  1. Drop into a squat with your hands on the ground.
  2. Kick your feet back into a plank position, then do a push-up.
  3. Jump your feet back in and jump up with your arms overhead. That's one rep.

Ladder quick feet

  • Junior: Through 4 squares, slow and controlled
  • Intermediate: Through 8 squares, quicker
  • Pro: Through 8 squares x3, as fast as possible
  1. Mark out a row of squares on the ground using chalk, cones, or a real ladder.
  2. Step quickly through each square with both feet before moving to the next.
  3. Stay light on your toes and keep your steps small and controlled rather than rushed and sloppy.

Reaction sprint

  • Junior: 3 sprints, react to a clap
  • Intermediate: 5 sprints, react to a clap
  • Pro: 5 sprints, react to a random direction call
  1. Stand in a ready position, facing away from whoever is starting you.
  2. Sprint the moment you hear the signal, whether that's a clap or a called direction.
  3. Focus on your first two steps being sharp rather than worrying about top speed.

Single-leg balance

  • Junior: 10 seconds each leg
  • Intermediate: 20 seconds each leg
  • Pro: 30 seconds each leg, eyes closed
  1. Stand on one leg with a slight bend in your knee.
  2. Keep your standing foot still and your core braced to stay steady.
  3. Switch legs and repeat, using a wall nearby for balance if you need it.

Mountain climbers

  • Junior: 10 reps, slow and controlled
  • Intermediate: 20 reps
  • Pro: 30 reps as fast as possible
  1. Start in a plank position with your hands under your shoulders.
  2. Drive one knee toward your chest, then quickly switch legs.
  3. Keep your hips low and steady throughout rather than bouncing up and down.

Recovery sprint

  • Junior: 3 reps, jog out then sprint back 10 metres
  • Intermediate: 5 reps, 15 metres
  • Pro: 5 reps, 20 metres, react to a call to start
  1. Jog away from your starting point to simulate being out of position.
  2. On the signal, turn and sprint back toward the start as fast as you can.
  3. Slow down gradually rather than stopping dead, this mimics tracking back in a real game.

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