Passing & Receiving
Soccer is a team game. The players who make their teammates better — by passing cleanly and receiving well — are the ones coaches want on the field.
Passing and receiving are two sides of the same skill. You can’t be good at one without the other.
Watch & Practice
Section titled “Watch & Practice”Replace the video ID below with the correct YouTube Short for this skill.
The Inside Pass
Section titled “The Inside Pass”The inside pass (using the flat, inside surface of the foot) is the most accurate and most used pass in the game.
How to do it:
- Plant your non-kicking foot beside the ball, pointing at your target
- Open your kicking foot so the inside faces the ball
- Strike through the middle of the ball
- Follow through toward your target
Practice: Pass against a wall. Start at 3 metres. Move back when it feels easy.
Reps: 20 passes, alternating feet.
The First Touch
Section titled “The First Touch”A good first touch sets up everything that comes next. A bad one puts you under pressure immediately.
The goal: Receive the ball and place it where your next move can happen — not just stop it.
How to practice it:
- Pass against a wall
- As the ball comes back, control it with your first touch
- Touch it into space (not just trap it in place)
- Pass again immediately
Reps: 10 sets of pass-receive-pass. Focus on the quality of the receive, not the speed.
Coaching Cue
Section titled “Coaching Cue”“Pass through the ball. Receive with a soft touch.”
Two instructions, two moments. “Pass through the ball” means follow through — don’t just stab at it. “Receive with a soft touch” means cushion the ball, don’t let it bounce off your foot.
Challenge
Section titled “Challenge”Find a wall. Set a target on it (a piece of tape, a chalk mark, or a brick). Pass at the target 10 times in a row — inside of the foot only. Count how many times you hit it. Beat your score next session. When you can hit it 8 out of 10 from 5 metres, move back to 7 metres.
Skill Test Standard
Section titled “Skill Test Standard”To pass the passing & receiving skill test, you’ll need to:
- Complete 10 inside passes against a wall, alternating feet, with clean technique
- Receive a rolling ball and control it with a first touch that sets up a follow-up pass
- Complete a simple pass-and-move sequence with the coach
See Skill Tests for the full test format.
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