Big circle rondo (8v3)
A large rondo with the whole group: eight on the outside, three inside. Great for team bonding at the start of a session, with lots of touches and pressing practice.
Your assistant coach: turn this drill into a full session, plan the weeks around it and tell me how it went.
Set-up
- Eight players on a large circle, three defenders inside.
- One ball; spare balls with the coach.
Equipment: Cones, bibs, balls
How it works
- Outside players keep the ball; inside players press.
- Defender wins it: swap with the player who lost it.
- Play with a two-touch limit.
Coaching points
- Angles: give the passer two options.
- Pass across the circle when the press comes.
- Defenders: press as a three, cut passing lanes.
Add this drill to a session plan โ
Make it easier
- Two defenders
Make it harder
- One-touch
- Smaller circle
AttackersDefendersKeeper / neutral- - โ Passโ Runใฐโ Dribble
Free AI coaching help from Gafferbook. Ask anything about coaching your team.
More rondos drills
4v1 rondo
Four players on the outside of a square keep the ball from one defender in the middle. The simplest rondo and the best place to start.
See the drill โ5v2 rondo
Five keep the ball from two defenders. Two defenders can cut passing lanes together, so attackers must split them with a pass through the middle.
See the drill โRondo with transition (U11 to U13)
A 4v2 rondo where the defenders who win the ball try to pass it into the next square. It adds the moment after losing the ball, ideal for U12 and 9v9 teams.
See the drill โ3v1 triangle rondo
Three players stand on the corners of a triangle and keep the ball from one defender. The first rondo for young players: every pass has one safe option and one brave one.
See the drill โ4v2 rondo
Four attackers keep the ball from two defenders. With two defenders, attackers must find the pass that splits them and support at angles on both sides.
See the drill โ4-3-3 midfield triangle rondo (6v3)
Four players on the outside and two inside keep the ball from three defenders. The two inside players and the passer form the 4-3-3 midfield triangle, so it trains the exact angles your number 6 and 8s use in games.
See the drill โ