Three Person Passing Combination
Three players run a give-and-go chain across the grid — pass into the middle, slide for the return, hit the long ball, and take the middle yourself.
Good combination play is passing, movement off the ball, and communication working together — and running the rotation nonstop raises the fitness level too.
10 min tonight · 3 at a time in a grid
- Ages 9+
- 3 at a time in a grid
- 10 min as the drill is written
- Cones
Grab Cones for the grid, and a ball.
Build Create a grid approximately 10 by 20 yards.
Place Two players on corner cones opposite each other, and one player in the center of the grid — the ball starts with player 1 at his corner.
- 1
Organize the players
Put two players on corner cones opposite each other and one player in the center of the grid, with the ball starting at player 1's corner.
“Corners and a middle. Corner with the ball — you start us.”
- 2
Show the jobs
Walk the chain — player 1 passes to the central player, moves to the cone to his side, and receives the ball back; the central player then moves to player 1's original starting cone. Player 1 plays a long ball to player 3 and moves into the center to become the new central player. Player 3 plays into player 1 and takes the return at the cone placed 10 yards away; player 1 takes player 3's starting position while player 3 plays a long ball down to the start — and becomes the central player. The pattern repeats.
“Pass, slide, get it back. Long ball, then take the middle.”
- 3
Play
Keep the pattern repeating and hold the quality — the weight, pace, and accuracy of every pass, and correct runs off the ball, with each run well timed and facing the passing direction so the pass can be accurate. Keep them talking — communication makes the drill easier.
“Talk to each other! Face your pass as you run — make it easy to find you.”
Look for The run — well timed and facing the passing direction, so every pass has a clean target.
- 4
Switch and repeat
Let the rotation carry everyone through all three jobs, then switch and go the other direction so players get used to playing from different angles.
“Flip it! Same chain, other way — new angles.”
If the chain keeps breaking, get them talking — a called name before every pass. Communication is what makes this drill easier.
Go deeper · 2 notes
Why it works
Three players cover every job in one loop — short pass, support run, long ball, and the middle — so touches, correct runs, and communication come nonstop, and the constant movement improves the fitness level while they work.
What they learn
Passing and combination play — weight, pace, and accuracy, correct runs off the ball, well-timed runs facing the passing direction, and communication — plus fitness from the constant movement.
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.