Soccer Drills to Improve Ball Control: 12 Effective Exercises

Ball control is one of the most important skills in soccer. A player with good ball control can receive difficult passes, keep possession under pressure, change direction quickly, and create more time and space on the field.

The good news is that you do not need expensive equipment or a full-size soccer field to improve. With a soccer ball, a few cones, and consistent practice, you can develop a softer first touch, quicker feet, better dribbling technique, and greater confidence on the ball.

In this guide, eCoach Pro covers 12 soccer drills to improve ball control, from simple exercises for beginners to more challenging drills that can help players prepare for game situations.

What Is Ball Control in Soccer?

Ball control is the ability to receive, move, and manipulate the ball accurately using different parts of your body.

Good ball control includes more than simply keeping the ball close to your feet. It involves:

• A controlled first touch

• Close dribbling

• Using both feet

• Changing direction quickly

• Receiving the ball under pressure

• Moving the ball into useful space

• Keeping possession while making decisions

The better your ball control becomes, the more options you have when you receive the ball.

12 Soccer Drills to Improve Ball Control

Toe Taps

Difficulty: Beginner

Equipment: Soccer ball

Toe taps are an easy way to warm up your feet and improve coordination around the ball.

How to do toe taps

1. Place the ball in front of you.

2. Put the sole of your right foot lightly on top of the ball.

3. Quickly switch to your left foot.

4. Continue alternating between your feet.

5. Keep your body balanced and stay light on your feet.

Start at a comfortable pace and gradually increase your speed.

Training tip: Keep your touches light. The goal is control, not simply moving your feet as quickly as possible.

Try 3 sets of 20–30 seconds.

Inside-Outside Touches

Difficulty: Beginner

Equipment: Soccer ball

This drill helps you become more comfortable using different surfaces of your foot while moving with the ball.

How to do inside-outside touches

1. Push the ball forward with the inside of your foot.

2. Immediately touch it with the outside of the same foot.

3. Continue moving forward.

4. Repeat with your other foot.

5. Gradually increase your speed.

Keep the ball close enough that you can change direction immediately.

Progression: Try the drill using only your weaker foot before alternating between both feet.

Cone Slalom Dribbling

Difficulty: Beginner to intermediate

Equipment: Ball and 5–8 cones

Cone slalom drills are excellent for improving close control and directional changes.

How to do it

Set up cones in a straight line, leaving enough space between them for comfortable movement.

Then:

1. Start with the ball at the first cone.

2. Dribble around each cone.

3. Use the inside and outside of your feet to change direction.

4. Keep your touches controlled.

5. Finish the course and repeat.

Once you are comfortable, challenge yourself to complete the course faster without losing control.

Make the drill harder

Try:

• Using only your left foot

• Using only your right foot

• Taking smaller touches

• Increasing your speed

• Looking up between touches

The objective is control at speed, not simply finishing the course quickly.

Sole Rolls

Difficulty: Beginner

Equipment: Soccer ball

Sole rolls teach you how to move the ball laterally while keeping it close to your body.

How to do sole rolls

1. Place the sole of your right foot on the ball.

2. Roll the ball across your body.

3. Stop it with your left foot.

4. Roll it back in the opposite direction.

5. Continue alternating feet.

Keep your knees slightly bent and your body relaxed.

As your technique improves, increase the speed of the movement.

Pull-Push Ball Control Drill

Difficulty: Beginner to intermediate

The pull-push drill is useful for developing quick touches and changes of direction.

How to do it

1. Place the sole of your foot on the ball.

2. Pull the ball backward.

3. Push it forward using the inside or laces of your foot.

4. Repeat the movement.

5. Switch feet after 30 seconds.

Try 3 sets per foot.

Focus on keeping the ball close rather than pushing it too far forward.

Wall Passing and First Touch

Difficulty: Beginner to intermediate

Equipment: Soccer ball and safe wall

A good first touch allows you to prepare your next action quickly.

This drill combines passing with receiving and is one of the most useful solo soccer drills for ball control.

How to do it

1. Stand several feet away from a wall.

2. Pass the ball against the wall using the inside of your foot.

3. Prepare your body before the ball returns.

4. Control the ball with your first touch.

5. Pass it back.

6. Continue the sequence.

Practice with both feet.

Make it more challenging

Instead of stopping the ball directly in front of you, use your first touch to move it to the left or right.

This teaches you to control the ball into space, rather than simply stopping it.

Soccer Juggling

Difficulty: Beginner to advanced

Equipment: Soccer ball

Juggling helps players develop coordination, touch, balance, and confidence with the ball.

Start with one touch

Drop the ball onto your foot and kick it gently upward. Catch it and repeat.

Then progress to:

• 2 touches

• 5 touches

• 10 touches

• Alternating feet

• Feet and thighs

• Feet, thighs, and chest

Try to keep the ball at a manageable height.

Training tip: If the ball moves too far away, reduce the power of your touch.

Directional First-Touch Drill

Difficulty: Intermediate

A quality first touch should help you perform your next action.

In a game, you rarely want to receive the ball and leave it directly underneath you. Instead, you want to move it into space where you can pass, dribble, or attack.

How to do it

1. Place two cones several feet apart.

2. Have a partner pass the ball toward you or use a wall.

3. Before receiving the ball, look at the space around you.

4. Use your first touch to move the ball toward one side.

5. Accelerate after your touch.

6. Repeat in different directions.

Practice receiving with both feet.

Why this drill matters

It helps connect technical ball control with decision-making, making the exercise more realistic for match situations.

Tight-Space Dribbling

Difficulty: Intermediate

Equipment: Ball and four cones

Create a small square with four cones.

Dribble inside the square while constantly changing direction.

Use:

• Inside of the foot

• Outside of the foot

• Sole

• Laces

Keep your touches small and stay balanced.

Progression

Ask a teammate to apply light defensive pressure.

As your ball control improves, make the area smaller or increase the pressure.

This helps you learn how to maintain possession when space is limited.

Stop, Turn and Accelerate

Difficulty: Intermediate

Changing direction effectively can help a player escape pressure and create space.

How to do it

1. Dribble toward a cone.

2. Approach it under control.

3. Stop or pull the ball back.

4. Turn quickly.

5. Accelerate into the new space.

6. Repeat using different turns.

You can use moves such as:

• Pull-back turn

• Inside cut

• Outside cut

• Sole roll

Focus on making the first touch after the turn positive and controlled.

Two-Cone First-Touch Drill

Difficulty: Intermediate

Place two cones several yards apart.

Have a partner pass the ball toward you.

Your objective is to receive the ball and take your first touch toward one of the cones.

How to do it

1. Start between the cones.

2. Ask your partner to pass the ball.

3. Decide which direction you want to move.

4. Take your first touch toward that cone.

5. Move around the cone.

6. Return to the starting position.

7. Repeat.

For a more advanced version, have your partner call out left or right just before the ball arrives.

This adds a decision-making element to the drill.

1v1 Ball-Control Drill

Difficulty: Advanced

Equipment: Ball and cones

The best way to test ball control is under pressure.

Create a small playing area and have two players compete for possession.

The attacking player must use close touches, changes of direction, and body movements to protect the ball.

How to Improve Ball Control Quickly

Doing ball-control drills regularly is important, but the quality of your training matters just as much.

Practice With Both Feet

Do not rely exclusively on your dominant foot.

Spend part of every training session using your weaker foot. It may feel uncomfortable at first, but consistent repetition will give you more options during games.

Keep Your Touches Close

When practicing close control, avoid kicking the ball too far ahead.

A useful rule is:

Small touches in tight spaces. Bigger touches when you have open space.

Learning when to use each type of touch is an important part of becoming a better player.

Look Up

Try not to stare at the ball throughout the entire drill.

Once you become comfortable with the technique, practice looking up between touches. This helps develop awareness and prepares you for real match situations.

Increase Difficulty Gradually

Do not make every drill difficult from the beginning.

A useful progression is:

Technique → Speed → Pressure → Decision-making → Game situation

Master the movement first, then gradually introduce challenges.

Common Ball-Control Mistakes

1. Only Using the Stronger Foot

Players often avoid their weaker foot because it feels uncomfortable.

Solution: Dedicate part of every session to your weaker foot.

2. Taking Heavy Touches

A heavy touch can give a defender an opportunity to win the ball.

Solution: Practice lighter touches and gradually increase your speed.

3. Looking Down Constantly

Watching the ball all the time makes it harder to see teammates and opponents.

Solution: Practice checking your surroundings before and during your movement.

4. Training Only Around Cones

Cone drills are useful, but they do not fully reproduce match pressure.

Solution: Progress from cone exercises to partner drills, 1v1 situations, and small-sided games.

5. Focusing Only on Speed

Fast feet do not automatically mean good ball control.

Solution: Prioritize clean technique first, then increase your speed.

20-Minute Soccer Ball-Control Workout

You can combine several of these exercises into a simple training session.

Exercise	Time
Toe taps	2 minutes
Inside-outside touches	3 minutes
Cone slalom	4 minutes
Sole rolls	2 minutes
Wall passing and first touch	4 minutes
Directional first touch	3 minutes
Tight-space dribbling	2 minutes

Take short breaks when necessary.

If you are training regularly, gradually increase the difficulty instead of simply making every session longer.

How Often Should You Practice Ball Control?

Consistency is more important than doing one extremely long training session.

A player can benefit from 15–30 minutes of focused ball-control practice several times per week.

For example:

• 2–3 sessions: Beginner players building basic technique

• 3–4 sessions: Players looking to improve technical consistency

• 4+ sessions: Advanced players incorporating ball mastery into regular training

Always balance individual technical work with rest, team training, and game-based practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best soccer drills to improve ball control?

Some of the most useful exercises include toe taps, inside-outside touches, cone dribbling, wall passing, juggling, directional first-touch drills, and tight-space dribbling. The best drill depends on your current ability and the specific part of ball control you want to improve.

How can I improve my first touch in soccer?

Practice receiving passes from different angles and use your first touch to move the ball into space. Wall passing and directional first-touch drills are particularly useful because they allow you to get many repetitions.

Can I improve ball control by myself?

Yes. Many ball-control exercises can be performed alone using a ball, cones, and a wall. Solo training is particularly useful for increasing the number of touches you get during a session.

How long does it take to improve ball control?

Improvement depends on your starting level, training frequency, technique, and consistency. Regular focused practice can produce noticeable improvements, but developing excellent ball control takes time and repeated practice.

Should I practice with my weaker foot?

Absolutely. Training your weaker foot can make you more comfortable receiving, dribbling, and passing from different directions. Include weaker-foot exercises in every training session.

How do I improve ball control under pressure?

After mastering basic technical drills, introduce pressure. Practice in smaller spaces, work with a defender, play 1v1 exercises, and use small-sided games where you have to make decisions quickly.

Final Thoughts

Improving ball control starts with consistent practice.

Simple exercises such as toe taps, sole rolls, juggling, cone dribbling, and wall passing can help you develop better touches. As your technique improves, progress toward directional first touches, tight-space dribbling, and pressure-based exercises.

Do not focus only on how quickly you can complete a drill. Focus on clean touches, both feet, awareness, changes of direction, and making your next action easier.

Pick a few of the drills above, practice them consistently, and gradually increase the difficulty.

With regular training, you can beco

me more confident receiving, dribbling, protecting, and controlling the ball.

Keep training. Keep improving. Keep playing with confidence — with eCoach Pro.