Three-Touch Max
A directional game where nobody gets a fourth touch — support arrives early or the ball is lost, and first-time finishes pay triple.
Step 1 of 3·Support arrives before the second touch
Set-up
Directional game to one full-size goal, attacking up. Restart from the halfway line after each goal or turnover. Five-a-side plus keepers.
By age group
- U9-U10
- Shrink the pitch and allow four touches; drop the triple-point rule.
Run it in order
- 1
Maximum three touches per player — receive, set, move.
- 2
Goal scored with a first-time finish counts triple; two-touch build-up goal counts double.
- 3
Fourth touch = free kick to the opposition at the point of the touch.
- 4
Play four-minute rounds and rotate teams.
Coaching points
Your third touch should be a pass or a shot — plan it on the first.
Support arrives before your teammate's second touch, not after.
First-time finishes start with early body shape, not late swings.
Progressions
- Drop to two touches for the final round.
- Goals only count if the move started in your own half.
Make it easier
- Four touches allowed for the first round.
More conditioned games
All drills- 50 x 30
Four-Goal Game
A 4v4/5v5 with a goal on every side — teams can score in either of the two opposite goals, which forces constant scanning, switching and decision-making.
8+ players 20 minAdvancedConditioned gamesU13-U14U15-U16 - 40 x 25
Two-Touch Game
A normal game with one condition — two touches, maximum — that forces every player to think before they receive and play the ball they've already pictured.
10+ players 20 minDevelopmentConditioned gamesU11-U12U13-U14U15-U16 - 30 x 20
Target Man Game
Teams can only score by finding a target man with their back to goal, who lays off for a runner — strikers learn to hold, and midfielders learn to time the arrival.
8+ players 15 minDevelopmentConditioned gamesU11-U12U13-U14