4v2 rondo soccer drill
A 4v2 rondo is a keep-away game in which four players on the sides of a square pass the ball while two defenders in the middle work together to win it. It trains the attackers to find the pass between the two defenders, and the defenders to press and cover as a pair.
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.
Rondo 4v2: setup diagram
At a glance
| Detail | For this drill |
|---|---|
| Ages | U10 to U12 (ages 9 to 12) |
| Players | Groups of 6 |
| Space | 12 x 12 yd (11 x 11 m) |
| Equipment | One ball and 4 cones per group; two bibs |
| Time | 10 to 12 minutes, in rounds of one minute |
| Skill | Passing and receiving |
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 12 by 12 yard square. One attacker on each side, two defenders inside.
- Attackers keep the ball, moving along their own side. Two touches at most.
- A pass that goes between the two defenders, a split pass, scores a point for the attackers.
- A defender who wins the ball swaps with the attacker who lost it, or change both defenders every minute.
- Coach the defenders too: one presses the ball, the other covers behind at an angle to block the split pass.
Coaching points to say out loud
- “Can you split them?”
- “If not, go around and move them.”
- “Defenders: one presses, one covers.”
- “Play what you see.”
Make it easier or harder
Easier
Use a 15 by 15 yard square, or allow three touches.
Harder
One touch only, or a goal for ten passes in a row. Add a fifth attacker in the middle who can receive and turn.
Common mistakes
- Forcing the split pass when the gap is closed. Passing around first moves the defenders and opens it.
- Both defenders chasing the ball together, which leaves the middle open.
- Attackers standing still on their line. A step to either side changes the passing lane.
Why it matters in a game
A pass between two defenders takes both out of the game at once. Our 11v11 lesson calls it playing through the lines, and the pressure-and-cover lesson shows the defenders’ side of the same picture.
The lesson that teaches it: Can You Turn?.
Questions about Rondo 4v2
What is a split pass?
A pass that travels through the gap between two defenders. It is the most valuable pass in a rondo because it beats both defenders with one ball.
What size is a 4v2 rondo?
About 12 by 12 yards for U10 and U12. Go bigger if the attackers cannot make five passes, smaller if the defenders never win it.
How should the two defenders work together?
One goes to the ball and the other stands behind and to the side, close enough to block the pass through the middle. They swap jobs as the ball moves.
Lessons that teach this idea
- Can You Turn? (11v11 lesson)Look before the ball arrives. Turn when you have room; use your support when you don’t.
- Who Goes, Who Helps? (11v11 lesson)Decide together. One player puts pressure on the ball; another looks after the next danger.
- Move Out of the Passing Shadow (9v9 lesson)Move to change the passing lane, then read the defender again.
- One Presses, One Covers (9v9 lesson)Approach the ball with support behind; adjust cover when the attack moves.
Related drills and guides
- Rondo 3v1 (drill)It trains quick passing, support on both sides of the ball and a first touch away from pressure.
- 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.
- Pressure and cover 2v2 (drill)It trains defending together, and swapping the two jobs each time the ball is passed.
- Receive and turn (drill)It trains checking over the shoulder and choosing the right first touch for the pressure.
- Pressing (soccer term)Closing down the player on the ball
- Defensive midfielder in soccerThe player who protects the middle
- Central midfielder in soccerThe link player who receives on the turn
- 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
- U12 soccer practice plan: first practice of the seasonA 75-minute plan that uses this drill
- U12 soccer practice plan: passing and possessionA 75-minute plan that uses this drill
- All passing and receiving drillsPassing to a teammate, then moving to help again.
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.