Soccer Techniques for Stealing the Ball

Changes of possession are frequent in soccer as both teams vie to progress up field to the opposition goal. Many of soccer's greatest teams from history are characterized by their maintenance of a high level of possession, such as the Barcelona team of the late noughties, 2010 and 2011. Stealing the ball back, therefore, is a key defensive aspect of the game. A team that shows a regular tenacity to regain possession is likely to retain the ball for greater periods of time.

  1. Basic Tackling

    • The simplest and most common way a team steals the ball from its opponents is through basic tackles. Tackles are performed in a number of ways, such as standing upright block tackles and slide tackles. For one simple tackling drill, set up a corridor of cones that is 20 yards long and five yards wide. Stand an attacker at one end of the corridor with a ball and place the defender halfway along. Inform the attacker that he must try to evade the defender and reach the other end of the corridor without leaving the cone corridor. The defender must try to win the ball and dribble it back to the start point, also staying within the cones.

    Applying Pressure

    • Pressuring a player who has the ball by using two or more teammates is also a straightforward way of stealing the ball. Set up a drill to carry out in the 18-yard-box using one ball, four ball carriers and four players trying to win the ball. Give the ball carriers the ball at one end of the 18-yard-box and instruct them that they must pass and move to get the ball from one side of the penalty area to the other without losing the ball or leaving the penalty area. The tacklers must be smart and pressure both the player on the ball as well as mark the players he could pass to. This creates pressure, which leads to mistakes. If a ball carrying team loses possession, swap the teams around so the ball carriers are now trying to win the ball.

    Race to the Ball

    • When a soccer game loses its shape and structure, it often leads to the ball running free and not in possession. In these situations, a player's ability to accelerate, sprint and take control of the ball at pace is tested. Use a drill where you split your players into two equal-sized groups and get them to line up on each side of the center circle facing the goal. You will stand on the leading edge of the center circle and pass balls directly towards goal as central as possible, getting the first two players in each queue to race to win the ball. The player that wins the ball must then run on goal and shoot, while the player who did not win the ball should try to tackle and disrupt the striker, attempting to win back the ball.

    Star Drill

    • Many teams also win back the ball without a confrontation between two players. This is achieved by intercepting the ball halfway through a pass, cross or shot. Set up five players in fairly small circle (about 10 yards across) or star shape and get them to pass the ball between one another, ideally using only one touch to pass. Position one player at the center of the circle, who must try to block the perimeter players' passes and win back the ball. When the girl in the center wins the ball back, she swaps out with the girl who played the pass that was intercepted.