Soccer dribbling drill

Sole Rolls

Sole rolls move the ball side to side under the bottom of your foot. They teach close control with the sole, the part of the foot most young players never use.

FixesStiff touches and only being able to move the ball forward

Solo
5 min
Ages 5–18
5 days a week

Sole Rolls drill video — Video: Red Bull New York on YouTube

Who: Solo, no partner needed
Ages: 5–18
Time: 5 minutes
Dose: 4 rounds of 30 seconds with a short rest between, 4–6 days a week
Equipment: Soccer ball (size 3 through age 8, size 4 for ages 9–12, size 5 for 13+)
Flat grass, turf or a garage floor
Timer (a phone works)

How to do the drill

1
Stand with the ball just in front of your right foot, knees soft.
2
Put your right sole on top of the ball and roll it across to your left.
3
Stop it with your left sole and roll it back to the right.
4
Keep rolling side to side for 30 seconds. Count every roll.
5
Rest 30 seconds and do 4 rounds. Log your best round.

Coaching cues

Soft foot on top.
Hop to follow.
Ball stays close.

What good looks like

The ball rolls smoothly from foot to foot and never gets away from you.

Safety

Keep most of your weight on your standing foot and rest only a light foot on the ball so it can't roll you over. Go slowly until the rolls feel easy.

Why this drill

Sole rolls teach you to move the ball sideways with the bottom of your foot. That lets you shift the ball away from a defender and keep it under control in tight spaces.

Next dribbling drillInside-Outside Dribble

More soccer dribbling drills

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Toe Taps video clip

Toe Taps

FixesSlow, heavy feet and losing the ball when you look down

Solo
5 min
Ages 5–18

4 rounds of 30 seconds with a short rest between, 4–6 days a week

Inside-Outside Dribble video clip

Inside-Outside Dribble

FixesUsing only one part of one foot and big touches that run away

Solo
8 min
Ages 6–18

8 rounds of 30 seconds (in place and moving, each foot), 3–5 days a week

Cone Dribbling video clip

Cone Dribbling

FixesBig touches that knock over cones and a weak foot you avoid

Solo
10 min
Ages 6–18

4 slow warm-up runs, then 6 timed runs through the cones and back, 2–4 days a week

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