FOOTBALL TRAINING

Football training sessions are organised, recurring activities where individuals or groups come together to develop technical, tactical, physical and social skills in football. The term encompasses the whole process - from planning and implementation to evaluation of the training sessions, which are usually led by a coach in an association, club or school. Football training sessions are crucial for both individual player improvement and collective team development.

MAIN FEATURES AND CONTENT

A football training session usually consists of the following elements:

• Warm-up: Starts football training to reduce injury risk and prepare the body.
• Technique training: Practise basic football skills such as passing, receiving and dribbling.
• Game exercises (match-like elements): Elements where players develop their understanding of the game, decision-making, co-operation and competitive instinct. Here, game elements such as Duelling are central, as well as the ability to act as a good Marker.
• Warm-down and reflection: Reduces the risk of injury, allows time for recovery and often space for dialogue between coaches and players.

Football training sessions are mainly held on outdoor pitches (natural or artificial grass), but during the winter months indoor halls or gymnasiums are often used. The structure and pace of a football training session is adapted to the age, maturity and level of ambition of the players.

PURPOSE AND EDUCATIONAL ROLE

The purpose of football training is multi-dimensional:

• Technical and tactical development: Improvement of basic techniques (ball control, passing etc.) and understanding of the game.
• Social skills: Football training builds team spirit, communication and respect, and trains conflict resolution.
• Physical health: Increases the player's endurance, strength and motor skills.
• Individual maturity: Through the structure and challenges of the game, individuals develop self-confidence, discipline and responsibility.

According to the Swedish Football Association, at least half of the time in football training should be spent on game drills rather than on isolated technical moments, as game drills throw players into realistic situations and stimulate the whole game.

STRUCTURE AND ORGANISATION OF FOOTBALL TRAINING

Football training sessions are normally led by a coach, who is responsible for organisation, planning, implementation and evaluation. In children's groups, parents and other leaders are often involved. For older players and professional teams, specialised coaches (e.g. for goalkeeping or physical training) are also involved.

Multi-year planning is recommended:

• Macrocycle: The whole season or year.
• Mesocycle: sub-periods within the season (e.g. pre-season, competition season).
• Microcycle: Weekly planning and breakdown into individual training sessions.

A training session is usually divided into:

Heating

Learning/basic exercises: Simple exercises to introduce new movements or tactical principles.

Match or game-based exercises: include elements where players are challenged in situations where techniques, decisions and team play are tested in realistic contexts.

Cooling down/reflection

Internal links in practice:

During game drills, concepts such as Duel (direct fight for the ball between two players) and Marker (marking the opponent to make the opponent's actions more difficult) are repeatedly practised. See separate dictionary articles on [Duel] and [Marker] for deeper understanding.

PEDAGOGY AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENT

Modern football training pedagogy advocates combining structure and clarity with playfulness and player involvement, especially for younger children. The training and motivational environment has high priority; training should be both fun and challenging, and allow for both failure and success (e.g. in Duel and Marker situations).

Adaptation for children and young people

Playfulness and variety: Children's football training is based on play and varied exercises rather than performance and results.

Small groups and pace: Dividing into small groups of 4-6 participants allows everyone to be active and get many ball contacts.

Age-appropriate exercises: incorporate educational exercises that weave in key concepts (read more under Duel and Marker).

PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS FOR NEW COACHES IN FOOTBALL TRAINING

The following guidance is recommended by Swedish and international coaching organisations and can contribute to a safe and effective start for new coaches:

Plan training periods (4-6 weeks) with clear themes (e.g. passing, dribbling, small-sided games) and inform the whole group of the focus.

Start each football training session with an introduction or name game to create a safe group dynamic.

Limit the amount of exercises: Use simple, recurring favourite exercises to build confidence and trust in the training structure.

Divide the training into smaller stations: short workstations with rotation provide high activity and many situations there
You can practice e.g. Duel behaviour and Marker roles specifically.

Document some exercises on video: Video feedback is a powerful pedagogical tool, not least when analysing decisions, marking and interaction in Duel situations.

Internal links are used to good effect in materials for parents and children, especially to explain rules and typical game situations (see Duel and Marker).

SPECIFIC TYPES OF FOOTBALL TRAINING

• Individual technique training: refines e.g. ball control and shooting, both in isolated exercises and in match-like situations.
• Game-based exercises: focuses on teamwork, decision-making and the principles of the game. Skills such as winning a Duel and being a strong Marker are naturally integrated.
• Tactical training sessions: for collective understanding of positional play, transitions and the team's game idea. Often analysis and reflection are required in addition to training, including with the support of video analysis.

Physical training: Endurance, speed, strength and coordination are trained both separately and integrated into the football exercises.

CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY IN FOOTBALL TRAINING

Duelling:
A direct battle or confrontation between two players for possession of the ball. Central to game development, and is practised through drills where opponents actively try to win the ball. See separate article: [Duel].

Marker:
A player whose main task is to follow, prevent and interfere with a breakdown or goal threat. Being a good marker requires technique, understanding of the game and communication. Read more: [Marker].

The terms are taught from early years and are integrated into pedagogy and training planning at all levels.

SOCIAL AND INDIVIDUAL BENEFITS OF FOOTBALL TRAINING

Regular football training has a proven effect on both physical and mental health:

Motor development: coordination, balance and reaction skills are improved.

Mental development: builds confidence, work ethic and problem-solving skills.

Social function: Group spirit, sense of responsibility and teamwork are strengthened.

In children's and youth sport, football training also aims to promote an inclusive environment, long-term physical activity and lifelong sport participation.

Football training is at the heart of both individual and team development in Swedish football. The term covers the technical, tactical and social dimensions of the game as well as the entire spectrum of organised training - from child's play to elite development. Systematically structured, playful and age-appropriate training creates the best conditions for both sporting success and personal development.

For more in-depth information on common elements and concepts in everyday training, please refer to the dictionary articles Duel and Marker.

Sources

https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fotboll

https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tr%C3%A4ning

Swedish Football Association (SvFF):

UEFA Training Ground

Swedish National Agency for Education, educational resources