Brazilian Football Drills

Brazilian football, more commonly known in the U.S. as "soccer," is the most popular sport in Brazil. The nation that is home to all-time great Pele has won the most games during World Cup tournaments (64 wins), as well as won more World Cup championships (5) than any other country. There are a variety of drills used in Brazil to improve soccer skills.

  1. Dribbling

    • Dribbling is when one player has the ball and controls it with his feet, often weaving past defenders while still maintaining control of the ball. Brazilians are known for their superior dribbling skills. One dribbling drill to try is to have the players on your team dribble around the practice field. When you say "drop," each player must immediately stop and hold the ball with his knees. This drill helps players quickly and easily lower their bodies for better ball protection. The lower center of gravity also gets them ready to quickly accelerate or move past an opponent. It also gets players used to lowering their shoulders and turning their upper torso to defend the ball, and helps them fake out opponents more naturally. Instruct the players to alternate knees during the drill to become more comfortable using either leg.

    Passing

    • Brazilian soccer teams often use quick passing and player movement to set up goal-scoring situations and to confuse opponents. Practice quick, short passes with your team. Set up a small ring a few feet wide and have one player pass the ball to his teammate on the other side of the ring. Instruct players to practice short, crisp passes using both feet, and using the inside and outside of their feet. They need to pass it through the ring to develop accuracy. Then, try a three-man weave, which involves three players. One player passes the ball to a teammate, then runs through the other two players as they pass to each other. This develops accurate passing, as well as moving without the ball, both of which are common Brazilian soccer fundamentals.

    Shooting

    • A team cannot win a soccer match if they do not score a goal, so be sure to practice shooting drills to develop the offensive aspect of your game. Brazilian teams often score goals through patient passing and teamwork. Many Brazilians have been flashy and frequent scorers on the world stage, including Pele, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. One shooting drill involves creating different targets on the goal for players to shoot at. Place two cones near the ends of the goal, and place a soccer ball on top of each cone. Then, have your players shoot another soccer ball from different angles to knock the soccer balls off the cones. You can also use hand-drawn targets on paper for elevated shots. Accuracy is a crucial component of successful goal scoring.