Soccer Shooting Drills List

Shooting is probably the most important skill in soccer, as shooting is the primary means a player has of scoring points. Any good soccer player needs to practice their shooting, and there are many drills that can help improve a player’s ability to make good shots. Below is a list of some of the many types of shooting drills and descriptions of how each drill works.

List of Soccer Shooting Drills

• 1, 2, Shoot
• 1v1 Shooting
• 2v1 Shooting
• Breakaways Drill
• Cross and Finish
• Diagonal Shooting
• Gate Shooting
• Kicking the Keeper
• Moving Goal
• Multiple Players to Goal
• Pass, Pass, Shoot (a.k.a. Sequence Shooting)
• Quick Finish Competition
• Quick Fire Shooting Drill
• Team Sniper
• Turn and Shoot

1, 2, Shoot

This drill is designed to improve players’ finishing skills. One player will be designated a passer, and the others will line up about 10 yards outside of the penalty area. One by one, each player will dribble toward the goal, then pass it to the passer, who will touch the ball, then lay off, setting it up for the shooter. This drill is a great way for the whole team to get in lots of shooting reps.

1v1 Shooting

Between two players, one should be designated as an offensive player and one as a defender. Have the offensive player attempt to score on the goal and the defender try to stop them from scoring a goal. This is a great way to improve defending, shooting, and dribbling skills.

2v1 Shooting

Two players will be on offense and trying to score against a single defender. The offensive players are looking to get a good shot off, while the defender wants to steal the ball or prevent a shot. This is another great drill that improves defending, shooting, and passing skills.

Breakaways Drill

In this drill, a group of players stands in the center circle of the field, passing the ball back and forth. A second group of players stands near the halfway line of the field on either side. As the ball is being passed and the players near the line, the shooters race to the halfway line and touch it with their hands. Once they reach the line, the players in the circle pass the ball to one of them, who dribbles it in front of them and quickly tries to take a shot. The goal of this drill is to teach players how to make fast breakaway shots.

Cross and Finish

Have one player dribble the ball to the corner of the field while two players run toward the goal. Once the ball is crossed in toward the goal, those two players should try to one-time a shot into the goal.

Diagonal Shooting

Players split into two teams, with each team lining up on an opposite corner of the field. A player passes the ball across the field diagonally to a member of the other team, who then receives the pass and attempts to score on the goal that the ball was originally passed from. This drill helps improve receiving on the move, long passing, and finishing in one-on-one situations.

Gate Shooting

This drill is used to help midfielders improve their shooting, crossing, and receiving. A 10-yard wide gate is formed just inside the penalty box using a pair of cones. A player will first cross the ball to the goalkeeper, who catches the ball and rolls it toward the gate. The player then takes a shot on goal through the gate, and the goalkeeper defends it.

Kicking the Keeper

Create an arc of players within the 18-yard box. Each player will take turns taking shots at the goalie. This is great practice for the goalie, as well as a great way to learn to shoot from different angles.

Moving Goal

This is a great drill for beginners who are just learning to pass and shoot. It can also be a fun warmup for more advanced players. Two players grab either end of a length of rope roughly as long as a goal's width. Creating a “moving goal” with the piece of rope, the two players run around the field while the other players attempt to shoot the ball through the goal.

Multiple Players to Goal

In this drill, one player starts out by facing the goalkeeper and trying to score. Once their attempt is made, the player stays at the goal and becomes a defender attempting to block the next player in line alongside the goalkeeper. When the next player makes their attempt, they join the first defender as a second defender, and they face off against the next two people in line. After this, the drill reverts back to the beginning.

Pass, Pass, Shoot (a.k.a. Sequence Shooting)

This is one of the most popular shooting drills! A player will start at the edge of the midfield circle, pass the ball to a player at the top of the penalty area, run forward to receive a pass back, and shoot the ball. They can take one or two touches before shooting, but the shot should be taken before they get too close to the goal.

Power and Finesse

This drill develops a player’s ability to finish from multiple distances. Two players are designated passers, while the others line up outside the penalty area. One at a time, each player will first take a long shot from their dribble, then a mid-range shot from the first passer, before taking a final close-range shot which is set up by the second passer. The repetition from various distances helps shooters refine their accuracy.

Quick Finish Competition

Two opposing goals are set up nearby each other. Players line up midway between the goals and to one side. One at a time, a player will receive a pass from a defender. The offensive player then takes a touch toward either goal and attempts to make a shot in one of them before the defender can block their shot. This drill is great for improving direction on first touches, creating separation from defenders and working on fakes.

Quick Fire Shooting Drill

In this drill, a row of soccer balls is lined up near the penalty spot. A player then shoots the balls towards the goal in rapid succession, attempting to shoot them low and into the corners. The idea is to force the goalkeeper to make saves. This is a good drill for both shooters and goalies.

Team Sniper

This specialized drill trains players on taking headers and finishing shots on crosses. Players divide into three teams. One team serves as passers, serving passes or crosses into the penalty area. The other two teams compete to make the most shots from crosses. Teams rotate, taking turns as passers. Players should try to finish with as few touches as possible.

Turn and Shoot

To set up this drill, create three small squares with cones outside the penalty area. Players take turns receiving the ball, making a turn, and taking a shot at the goal, all while inside one of the squares. This drill improves touch quality and reduces the time a player takes to turn and make a shot. Players take turns moving through the three squares, receiving a pass, and making a shot in each one.