Elite sessions: FMF practices released with focus on possession and pressing

Retaining possession in attack and pressing effectively in defence are both crucial to success in the modern game, but how can we transmit these key skills to young players? In these two training sessions for the FIFA Training Centre, Mexico U-15 head coach Cristian Flores and his assistant Adrián Sánchez teach their young players how to keep control of the ball and press effectively as a unit.

In the first session, which is in three parts, the two coaches start by teaching patterns of play in drills designed to develop the sort of quick, precise passing and movement that can break down the opposition. Making these moves work means finding space, using the whole of the pitch, and communicating effectively with your team-mates. In the next part of the session, the players begin applying these principles in a 5v5 game, under pressure from defenders. Finally, they move on to an 11v11 game that builds on the previous exercises and shifts the emphasis towards creating overloads in the opposition half.

The second session concentrates on defending. The first half is dedicated to a 5v2 rondo drill, which is an effective way of getting young players used to quick and frequent transitions between attack and defence. In the second half, Flores and Sánchez ask their players to apply the principles of a quick transition and a strong press in an 8v8 game, with the defenders pressing high as a unit and the team in possession doing their best to break the press.