Four-goal soccer game (4v4)
The four-goal game is a 4v4 game on a wide field in which each team attacks two small goals, one near each corner, and defends the other two. It trains switching play: when one goal is crowded, the team moves the ball to the open one.
Soccer is called football in most of the world. This guide is part of Futbol Island’s free football lessons for kids aged 7 to 12.
Four-goal game: setup diagram
At a glance
| Detail | For this drill |
|---|---|
| Ages | U8 to U12 (ages 7 to 12) |
| Players | 8, or 12 with a team resting and rotating in |
| Space | 30 x 25 yd (27 x 23 m) |
| Equipment | 4 small goals or 8 cones; balls; bibs |
| Time | 15 minutes, in games of four minutes |
| Skill | Small-sided games |
Change the size of the area to fit your group: bigger makes it easier for the player with the ball, smaller makes it harder. Everyone who goes out comes straight back in, and nobody runs laps.
How to run it
- Mark a field wider than it is long: about 30 yards wide and 25 long. Put a small goal 5 yards in from each corner on both end lines.
- Play 4v4 with no goalkeepers. A team scores in either of the two goals it attacks.
- Goals must be scored from inside the attacking half, so nobody shoots from far away.
- Play four-minute games. Ask the question at the break: “when is the other goal the better one?”
- Award a bonus point for a goal that follows a switch from one side to the other.
Coaching points to say out loud
- “Where is the space?”
- “Draw them over, then switch.”
- “Someone stay wide on the far side.”
- “Defenders: slide across together.”
Make it easier or harder
Easier
Make the goals wider and the field wider.
Harder
Two touches at most. Or a team must pass through its own half’s middle player before scoring.
Common mistakes
- All four attackers on the same side as the ball, so there is nobody to switch to.
- Forcing the ball at the crowded goal.
- Defenders following the ball as a pack and leaving a goal open. They should shift as a group and keep one player on the far side.
Why it matters in a game
Our lesson on switching play puts it simply: move the ball through support when the nearby routes close. Two goals make the open side something players can see, and the defending team practices shifting across together.
The lesson that teaches it: Find the Other Side.
Questions about Four-goal game
What does the four-goal game teach?
Switching play and width in attack, and shifting across as a unit in defense. It also stops young teams from attacking only through the crowded middle.
What size should the field be?
About 30 yards wide by 25 long for 4v4. The extra width is what makes the switch worth it.
Can I play it with more players?
Yes: 5v5 or 6v6 on a bigger field works well for U12. With extra players, rotate a third team in every four minutes.
Lessons that teach this idea
- Find the Other Side (9v9 lesson)Move the ball through support when the nearby routes close.
- Find the Open Side (11v11 lesson)Switch to use space, not just to send the ball across the pitch.
- Make Room for Your Team (7v7 lesson)Spread into useful space so the player on the ball has another route.
- Slide Across Together (11v11 lesson)Follow the danger as a group. Don’t leave a big gap for the next pass.
Related drills and guides
- 3v3 small-sided game (drill)It trains everything at once, dribbling, passing, shooting and defending, and gives each child far more time on the ball than a big game.
- End zone game (drill)It trains forward passing and the timing of runs into space behind the defense.
- Three-team keep-away (drill)It trains passing under pressure, spreading out to use the whole area, and reacting quickly when the ball is lost.
- 1v1 to two small goals (drill)It trains changing direction to unbalance a defender, because the defender cannot guard both goals at once.
- Switching play (soccer term)Moving the ball to the empty side
- Winger in soccerThe wide attacker who takes players on
- 7v7 soccer formationsShapes for U9 and U10 teams
- U8 soccer drills for 7 and 8 year oldsTen drills for 7 and 8 year olds: dribbling, 1v1, first passing and 3v3
- U10 soccer drills for 9 and 10 year oldsTen drills for 9 and 10 year olds: rondos, first touch, 2v1 and first goalkeeping
- U12 soccer drills for 11 and 12 year oldsTen drills for 11 and 12 year olds: 4v2 rondos, possession, defending in pairs and finishing
- Soccer passing drills for kidsPassing drills in teaching order: pairs, triangles, give-and-go and rondos
- U10 soccer practice plan: passing and first touchA 60-minute plan that uses this drill
- U12 soccer practice plan: first practice of the seasonA 75-minute plan that uses this drill
- All small-sided games drillsReal games with few players, so everyone is on the ball.
Futbol Island is a free football (soccer) learning game for kids aged 7 to 12. Every idea on this page is taught on a pitch with moving players, then checked with a quick quiz.