Circle Passing Overlap
The circle's give-and-go grows an overlap — pass to your neighbor, sprint around them, and the middle feeds your run in space.
An overlapping run only works on time — and this pattern makes quick movement off the ball and a well-timed run the whole game, because a breakdown in passing throws the run away.
15 min tonight · Whole team in a circle, 2 central players
- Ages 9+
- Whole team in a circle, 2 central players
- 15 min as the drill is written
- Cones, balls
Grab Cones to mark the circle and a ball for each of the two central players.
Build Build a circle around the two central players, with the outside players about 5 to 7 yards from each other.
Place The team spread around the circle and the two central players in the middle, starting with the balls.
- 1
Organize the players
Set the circle with outside players about 5 to 7 yards from each other, and start two players in the middle with the balls.
“Circle up — a good few steps between you. Two in the middle to start us off.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk one pattern — both central players begin at the same time, passing to outside players on opposite sides. The outside player immediately passes to the adjacent player, right or left, and the moment that pass leaves, begins the run to overlap that player. The player being overlapped quickly returns the ball to the central player — who holds their central spot — and the central player plays into the space of the overlapping runner. The runner switches roles with the central player and play continues. Right or left stays the players' call — read which side the other central player is using.
“Pass to your neighbor, then run around them — the middle is going to find you in space.”
- 3
Play
Run both patterns at once, heads up and communicating so two balls never get played to the same player. Demand good crisp passes with good pace — a breakdown in passing will throw off a well-timed overlapping run — and quick movement off the ball to overlap at the right time. Start slow, and once they figure it out, ramp it up. Then call for the whole thing in 1 touch.
“Pass and go — time that run! Crisp passes keep the run alive!”
Look for The overlap timed off the pass — quick movement off the ball, arriving in the space at the right moment.
- 4
Switch and repeat
The middle changes with every pattern, so keep it rolling. For a later round, play it all in one touch.
“Same game — one touch only now. Make every pass count!”
If runs and passes keep colliding, slow it back to a walk — let them figure the pattern out at low speed, then ramp it up again.
Go deeper · 2 notes
Why it works
The overlap is welded to the pass — the run starts the moment the ball leaves your foot, and it only pays off if every pass before it is on time — so timing, crisp passing, and movement off the ball train each other. An excellent warm-up to start a passing practice that incorporates overlapping.
What they learn
Passing, combination play, overlapping, playing with speed, and playing to feet — heads-up scanning, communication, and runs timed to arrive at the right moment.
Where does this come from?
SoccerXpert — their published drill library.
A published drill library. Useful and widely used, but not a governing body — so it fills gaps rather than leading.