Finishing is the art of scoring a goal with accurate technique, skill, and intelligence. Although many players can score goals, few have mastered the art of finishing. You’ve watched several soccer games where a team has specific players who consistently score goals. It’s not necessarily luck or even choice of playing position, it comes down to the three pillars of mastering finishing.
Some might argue that scoring goals comes down to the choice of position you play in. Although this can be argued on both ends, essentially it’s not necessarily always the choice of position. There are strikers who struggle to get playing time because they struggle to put the ball in the net. There are also many defenders who score more goals than midfielders or forwards. Why? Because they’ve mastered the art of finishing. For example, Sergio Ramos might score more goals in a season than a striker because he mastered how to finish a goal with his headers. Sergio Ramos doesn’t have many scoring opportunities but the few that he does, he finishes them well.
Another example of a defender who knows how to finish the ball is Marcos Alonso. If you watch highlight videos of Marcos Alonso, you will see many of the opportunities he has inside the 18 yard box, he finishes them well.
What is the difference between technique and skill?
Technique is the ability to perform a specific task, whereas skill is the ability to perform that specific task in a real in-game setting. For example, the technique of shooting a ball must always come first before being able to finish a goal. Shooting a soccer ball comes in many forms. Inside the foot, outside of the foot, laces, and front toe for chipping.
Practicing the shooting techniques outside of a game during practice will enable you to properly implement that skill into a game. Intelligence comes in when you are faced with different situations on the pitch. Soccer is an unpredictable game. What matters is you have to be intelligent and precisely make split second decisions during a game.
For example, if you are 1v1 with a goalie on a breakaway, you have many choices to make. Do you go for the inside foot shot? The outside foot? Chip the goalie? This is where intelligence comes in. The elite soccer players mastered their in-game intelligence and can make quick decisions.
Below are the top 7 best soccer shooting drills you can do alone to get the most with practicing finishing. The soccer shooting drills are organized from easiest to hardest. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 1 – Sprint, Shoot, Return V1
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice shooting with both feet on each end of the 18 yard box along side a center shot inside the box.
Training Scenario
There will be four (4) cones placed on the field and three (3) balls. The first cone will be the starting position, where you will start the movement next to the 6 yard box. Move forward diagonally as shown in the animation towards the second cone. Make a quick sharp turn around the cone towards the first ball and shoot with accuracy. Return back to starting cone using the same path.
Repeat on the opposite side of the 18 yard box towards the other far cone making the same movements. Finally, from the starting cone, sprint forwards towards the center cone, and make a quick agile 360 degree turn towards the goal. Dribble forward with the ball and place the ball in the net with accuracy in a specific location.
Drill Equipment Layout
Equipment
This drill can be flipped to practice both feet on either side of the 18 yard box. If you have more than 3 balls, keep the second set of balls next to each cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 2 – Sprint, Shoot, Return V2
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice run up shots from an angle outside the box.
Training Scenario
There will be six (6) cones placed on the field and three (3) balls. The first cone will be the starting position, where you will start the movement with the ball as shown in the animation. Move forward diagonally as shown in the animation towards the second cone with the ball and complete a running accuracy shot. Make a quick 360 degree turn back to the starting cone. Next, head towards the second ball in the middle and dribble up past the 18 yard box and place it in the net.
Sprint back to the center cone and then make a quick agile turn towards the final ball. Control the ball and dribble forward towards the last cone. Once you approach the last cone, take the final dribbling shot.
Drill Equipment Layout
Equipment
This drill can be flipped to practice both feet on either side of the 18 yard box. If you have more than 3 balls, keep the second set of balls next to each cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 3 – Six Yard Box Shooting
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice shots with power inside the box while running with the ball. Focus on aiming with power to the corners as if the keeper was coming out as you approach.
Training Scenario
There will be four (4) cones placed on the field and three (3) balls. The first cone will be the starting position, where you will start the movement in the center as shown in the animation. Move towards the second cone (first ball), where you will dribble the ball towards the center starting cone and shoot. Repeat same movement on the opposite side.
Once back in the center, sprint forward towards the cone outside the 18 yard box and dribble back inside towards the goal. Shoot the ball with power on either side of the net.
Equipment
This drill can be flipped to practice both feet on either side of the 18 yard box. If you have more than 3 balls, keep the second set of balls next to each cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 4 – Running Curved Shot
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice curved accuracy shots inside the box during a sprinting session.
Training Scenario
Five (5) cones will be placed inside the 18 yard box creating a half circle shape from each other as shown in the animation below. Four (4) soccer balls will be used for each repetition. The soccer balls will be placed next to each cone.
After each shot on net, sprint back to the starting position before going to the next ball. In other words, you will continue to sprint around the half circle after each kick. This scenario allows you to practice shots on goal while under stress and fatigue from sprinting.
Drill Equipment Layout
Equipment
This drill can be flipped to practice both feet on either side of the 18 yard box. If you have more than 3 balls, keep the second set of balls next to each cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 5 – Running Power Shot
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice run up power shots outside the box.
Training Scenario
Seven (7) cones will be placed outside the 18 yard box creating a square shape format from each other as shown in the animation below. Three (3) soccer balls will be used for each repetition. The soccer balls will be placed next to three (3) cones.
This running power shot drill involves you sprinting to each cone, while making sharp agile turns in the direction of the path. Sprint with the ball while maintaining control of the ball throughout the movement. Additional soccer balls can be placed at different cone locations.
Drill Equipment Layout
Equipment
This drill can be flipped to practice both feet on either side of the 18 yard box. If you have more than 3 balls, keep the second set of balls next to each cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 6 – Three Cone Shooting
The purpose of this drill is to practice conditioning with the ball through cones before practicing accuracy shots from three (3) different positions.
Training Scenario
Nine (9) cones will be placed on the field as shown in the animation below. Six (6) of those cones will be placed inside the 18 yard box and three (3) will be placed outside the 18 yard box. Three (3) soccer balls will be used for each repetition. The soccer balls will be placed next to the starting cone.
Drill Equipment Layout
Equipment
This drill can be flipped to practice both feet on either side of the 18 yard box. If you have more than 3 balls, keep the second set of balls next to each cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Drill 7 – Two Foot Shooting
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice accuracy shooting with both feet at once in one drill.
Training Scenario
Seven (7) cones will be placed on the field as shown in the animation below. Five (5) of those cones will be placed inside the 18 yard box and three (3) will be placed outside the 18 yard box. Four (4) soccer balls will be used for each repetition. The soccer balls will be placed next four (4) cones inside the 18 yard box.
Drill Equipment Layout
Equipment
If you have more than 4 balls, keep the second set of balls next to each cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
Bonus Drill –
The purpose of this soccer shooting drill is to practice four accuracy shots at different locations.
Training Scenario
Eight (8) cones will be placed on the field as shown in the animation below. Four (4) of those cones will be placed inside the 18 yard box and four (4) will be placed outside the 18 yard box. Four (4) soccer balls will be used for each repetition. The soccer balls will be placed at the starting position cone.
While dribbling through the cones, focus on going through with fast pace so the shots are practiced while fatigued. Practicing shots while fatigued is important to practice keeping composure under stressful playing conditions.
Equipment
If you have more than 4 balls, keep the second set of balls next to each cone so you can continue to repeat this drill without stopping. More drills are added daily and can be viewed by visiting our training page.
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