The Football Analyst Score more goals, and sharpen your skills! In this article, we’ve got the top football drills for finishing – designed to transform your game. Whether you’re Erling Haaland, a young striker hungry for goals, or a coach aiming to fine-tune your squad’s scoring abilities, these drills are your secret weapon.
What are the Best Drills for Finishing?
The Hattrick Drill
The Hattrick finishing drill is a football drill specialized in crossing and finishing, but it also incorporates dribbling, passing, and other aspects of the sport. The drill is set up in three lines, with the balls in the first and second lines. There are two mannequins to give guidelines on shot position and potential offside line.
The Hattrick drill consists of three main parts:
First Part
In the first part, the first player in the first line dribbles up to the mannequin(a cone also works), shifts the ball to the side, and takes a shot. Using both feet and practicing different types of shots is essential here.
Second Part
The player who took the shot then runs towards the first player in the middle line, offering a one-two. After performing the one-two, the player from the middle line takes a shot, again trying to use both feet and different finishes.
Third Part
The third part consists of a cross and finish. The ball is played out to the first player in the final line, who can either play an early cross or drive to the touchline for a cut-back. The two remaining players make realistic runs into the box, looking to score from the cross.
Extra Shot
A final recommendation for this drill and finishing drills, in general, is to add an extra finish for the player who did not finish from the cross. This can be done by adding a coach on the touchline who passes the ball to the player who did not shoot. The player runs back and around the mannequin, receives the pass from the coach, and shoots at the goal, again mixing the type of shot.
After the four shots, the three players retrieve the balls and return to the lines. They can either rotate after every go or stay on the same line until the coach tells them to switch.
It is important to note that this is only the template. There are many ways to customize this football drill to suit your team. You could add an extra pass, cones to dribble through, or defenders looking to stop the attackers from scoring. When it comes to customization, the sky is the limit here.
Rapid One Touch Finishing
This drill is a football drill specialized in quick finishing. It is set up a few meters from the penalty area, with one line of players and a coach passing the ball to the first player. This drill works best with only a few players(5-7), but you could add two goals or customize it in other ways to incorporate more players.
The drill consists of two parts:
First Part
In the first part, the coach and the first player play a few quick passes to each other. The coach then passes the ball out to the side of the player, who takes a fast one-touch shot.
Second Part
After the shot, the player comes back around the coach and receives a new pass, this time to the other side. Once again, the player takes a quick one-touch shot, looking to beat the goalkeeper.
After the two shots, the player retrieves the balls and returns to the line. Every action in this drill must be performed with high intensity to get as close to real game situations as possible.
We, once again, want to emphasize that this is only the template. There are many ways to customize this drill to suit your team. We encourage you to experiment and be creative when planning drills such as this one.
Cross-Finish Under Pressure
This drill is a football drill specialized in finishing under pressure. It is set up a few meters from the penalty area, with only one line of players and the two players performing the drill. This drill also works great with two lines taking turns since it can shorten the time between every go while incorporating more players.
The drill starts with the first player in the line dribbling the ball toward a passive defender(not defending at 100%). He takes it around the outside of the defender, who follows and pressures the attacker from the side. The attacker then shoots, looking to place it either across the goal or high at the near post.
After the shot, the defender retrieves the balls and returns to the line while the attacker becomes the new defender. The next player in the line starts the drill, and the players keep cycling like that until the coach tells them to stop.
We recommend switching sides after a few minutes to practice both left and right-foot finishing.
There are, again, many ways to customize this drill. Adding another line, allowing the attacker to go both ways, or making the defender more active are all great ways to elevate the drill.
Final thoughts – Best Football Drills for Finishing
Score goals, refine your technique, and dominate the field with these top football drills for finishing! Whether you’re a striker craving goals or a coach aiming to enhance your team’s scoring prowess, these drills are your ultimate secret weapon.
Remember, these are more than just templates – they’re blueprints for creativity. Customize, experiment, and tailor these drills to suit your team’s unique needs. As you embark on the journey of finishing mastery, let these drills elevate your game, making every goal-scoring opportunity a moment of brilliance on the pitch. Get ready to shine!
