Simple Ball Mastery Drills to Improve Your Close Control
In my earlier post on ball mastery, I covered why ball mastery is the foundation of every other skill in soccer and shared several dribble patterns you can do through a line of cones. If you haven't read that one yet, start there. This post builds on it with new drills and new movements that will challenge your feet in different ways.
The two drills below are ones I use regularly with my players to develop their close control. The first requires nothing but a ball and some space. The second uses cones in a staggered setup. Both are about building comfort with the ball through repetition, developing the ability to manipulate it with every surface of both feet, and making these movements automatic so your brain is free to focus on reading the game.
Key Takeaways
These drills build on the ball mastery foundations covered in my earlier post
Drill 1 requires no cones, just a ball and a flat surface (ideally with a line to dribble along)
Drill 2 uses cones in a zig-zag formation and adds directional changes to your ball mastery work
Every movement should be practised with both feet
Start slow, focus on clean technique, and build speed only when the movements feel comfortable
Drill 1: Lateral Ball Mastery (No Cones Needed)
All you need for this drill is a ball and some space. Ideally find a line on the ground and dribble along it, focusing on moving the ball side to side across the line as you go. This drill has seven different movements. I've compiled them all into one video below. Work through each one individually, get comfortable with it, and then move on to the next.
1. Sole Roll, Step. Roll the ball across your body with the sole of one foot, stepping over it as you roll so the ball passes under your leg to the other foot. The next foot immediately rolls it back across and steps over. Continuous, smooth, rhythmic. Focus on keeping the ball tight but ensuring it doesn’t get trapped under your feet.
2. Roll and Step-Over. Roll the ball across your body with one foot, then the other foot steps over it. The foot that just did the step-over now rolls it back across, and the other foot steps over.
3. Scissor, Outside Touch. Same rhythm as above but using the outside of the foot to push the ball across, followed by the scissor. Outside touch, scissor, outside touch with the other foot, scissor. Keep your touches tight.
4. Inside Touch, Scissor. Push the ball across your body with the inside of one foot, then scissor with that same foot. Your other foot takes the inside touch back across and scissors. The inside touch and the scissor should flow together as one movement.
5. Roll, Double Inside Touch. Roll the ball across your body (with the outside foot), take two inside touches, one with each foot. The rhythm is: roll, tap, tap. Roll, tap, tap…
6. Roll, Toe Taps. Roll the ball across your body with the sole, then two quick toe taps on top of the ball, then roll it back across the other way and two more toe taps. Stay on your toes and light on your feet.
7. Pull-Chop, Pull, Outside. Pull the ball back with your sole, chop it behind your standing leg (hop that standing leg forward slightly as you chop so you don't bump into it), then catch the chop with the sole of your other foot, drag it back towards you, and finish with an outside touch away using the original foot. Repeat this combination all the way to the end. On the way back, start the skill with the other foot leading. You'll see this same pull-chop movement appear in my post on 1v1 skill pairs, where it becomes the foundation of a pair of skills to beat a defender.
Drill 2: Zig-Zag Cone Dribbling
Setup: Place 4 cones in a straight line, each about 5 paces apart. Then 3 paces to the side of this line, place another 3-4 cones running parallel, spaced the same 5 paces apart, but offset so the first cone of this second line starts 2.5 paces forward (in line with the midpoint between the first two cones of the first line). You end up with a staggered, zig-zag pattern where you're constantly changing direction between cones.
This drill has four different movements, all compiled into one video below.
1. Three Outside Touches, Inside Cut Around the Cone. Take outside touches to the outside of the cone, then use the inside of that same foot to cut the ball around the cone and redirect towards the next one. Switch to outside touches with the other foot heading to the next cone. Your touches should be soft but fast.
2. Double Outside Touch, Scissor. Stay inside the cone setup for this one. Two outside touches towards a cone, then scissor with that foot and switch to two outside touches with the other foot towards the next cone, scissor, and so on. Use the scissor to shift your weight and then push towards the next cone with that first outside touch.
3. Double Outside Touch, Pull and Chop. Same start as above, two outside touches towards the cone, but instead of a scissor you use a sole pull and chop to change direction towards the next cone. Then two outside touches with the other foot, pull and chop with that foot, and so on.
4. Inside-Outside (single foot). Take an inside touch towards the cone, then an outside touch to break away and redirect towards the next cone, all with the same foot. The key detail here is body positioning: make sure your body has moved past the ball before taking the inside touch. You want to take the inside touch on your back foot, not reaching forward for it. Switch feet at each cone.
Get the Most Out of These Ball Mastery Drills
If required, start every movement at walking pace. Get the footwork pattern clean and the touches precise before you add speed. Sloppy fast reps build sloppy habits. Clean slow reps build technique that holds up under pressure.
Practise with both feet. Most of these movements naturally alternate feet, but pay attention to whether one side feels weaker. Spend extra time on that side.
If you've been working through the drills in my original ball mastery post and these feel comfortable, try combining movements from both posts into a longer sequence. The freestyle box progression I described in that post works well here too: set up a small area and chain different movements together freely, reacting to the space around you rather than following a set pattern.
Ready to Take Your Ball Mastery Further?
If you want personalised coaching on your close control and dribbling, I offer private training sessions across Melbourne where we work on the specific technical foundations that make everything else in your game easier.
I offer a free trial session so you can see what focused, individual development looks like. Get in touch to book yours, or visit cdprivatesoccercoaching.com.au to learn more.
Ball Mastery FAQs
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If you are serious about getting better, 10-15 minutes every day will make a noticeable difference. The key is consistency and quality of touches rather than long sessions. These drills work well as a warm-up before other training or as a standalone session.
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Not always. Drill 1 in this post needs nothing but a ball and a line on the ground. Cones add structure and directional challenges (like Drill 2), but plenty of effective ball mastery work can be done without any equipment at all.
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Start with the drills in my original ball mastery post, which use a straight line of cones and simpler touch patterns. Once those feel comfortable, progress to the movements in this post. Movement 1 in Drill 1 (sole roll step-over) is a good bridge between the two.
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Yes. Ball mastery builds the technical foundation that every other skill relies on. When controlling the ball becomes automatic, your brain is freed up to focus on scanning, decision-making, and reading the game. I go into this in detail in my post on why ball mastery matters.