WANT TO TRAIN INDIVIDUALLY AND DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START? START WITH THESE 7 MATCH-REALISTIC EXERCISES TO IMPROVE BALL CONTROL

Many players dream of becoming professionals, but only a few are willing to train alone when no one is watching. If you want to grow outside of team training and don't know where to start – begin with what matters most: functional technique, meaning controlling the ball in situations as close as possible to real match play.

Below are 7 individual exercises you can do on your own – on asphalt, in your yard, or on a pitch. No coach. No goal. Just you, the ball, and one mission: mastering the ball better than most players your age.

1. DIRECTIONAL FIRST TOUCH OFF THE WALL (PLAYING FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES)
   Goal: Learn to receive the ball in a way that lets you immediately move forward.
   How to do it: Stand 3–5 meters from a wall. Pass against the wall using the inside of your foot – alternate between left and right. After the rebound, take a directional first touch and move 2–3 steps sideways.
   Harder variation: Add a turn after the touch or use the outside of your foot.

2. DRIBBLING WITH REACTION TO SIGNAL
   Goal: Quick decisions and direction changes – like reacting to an opponent during a match.
   How to do it: Dribble toward 3–4 cones (or bottles). During your approach, someone gives a signal (left/right) – you must react instantly and go around the last cone on that side.
   Training alone? Record a video on your phone with random left/right signals and react to the screen.

3. BALL CONTROL IN A 2X2 METER SQUARE
   Goal: Mastering the ball in tight space – just like in the middle of the pitch.
   How to do it: Mark out a 2x2 meter square. For 1–2 minutes, move around with the ball inside the square only. Use different parts of the foot: inside, outside, sole.
   Harder variation: Add regular direction changes and switch the dominant foot.

4. FIRST TOUCH AND TURN – PLAYING BACK TO GOAL
   Goal: Quick turning after receiving the ball – like when playing with your back to goal.
   How to do it: Pass the ball against a wall, receive it with your back to the direction you want to go, perform a turn (e.g. outside foot or Cruyff turn), and take the ball forward.
   Focus on fluid motion and spatial awareness.

5. DRIBBLING – STOP AND ACCELERATE
   Goal: The ability to explode after stopping – crucial for beating defenders.
   How to do it: Dribble 5–7 meters, stop the ball with the sole, drag it back, turn, and push forward explosively.
   Repeat 3–5 times with full intensity and no rest.

6. ONE TOUCH CHAOS – WALL PASSES
   Goal: Rhythm, touch, and reaction speed.
   How to do it: Stand 1.5–2 meters from a wall. Pass the ball off the wall using one-touch – alternate between right and left foot. Keep going for 30–60 seconds.
   Harder variation: After each touch, step sideways and return to your starting point.

7. FIRST TOUCH AND PASS WHILE MOVING
   Goal: Practicing ball control in motion – like during real match action.
   How to do it: Dribble a few meters, pass the ball off a wall, receive it while moving, and continue forward. Add a feint or turn between repetitions.
   Make sure your first touch doesn’t slow you down.

SUMMARY – TRAIN THE WAY YOU PLAY

Each of these exercises translates directly to real match situations.
It’s not about flashy tricks – it’s about control under pressure, on the move, and in tight spaces.
Individual training only works if it’s intense – 30 minutes of focused work is worth more than 90 minutes without purpose.

YOU CONTROL YOUR FUTURE. TRAIN INDIVIDUALLY – BUT TRAIN SMART.

Want to see each exercise in a step-by-step instructional video?
Let me know – we’ll prepare them just for you.