Legia Warsaw: The decision-makers of tomorrow

In this U-10 session, Legia Warsaw take young players through structured training focused on receiving under pressure, combining in tight spaces, and building up intelligently from the back, rooted in the club’s philosophy of developing players who think for themselves and take responsibility early.

Scanning before receiving, moving with good timing, and making quick decisions under pressure are at the heart of this U-10 session from Legia Warsaw. At the Polish top-flight club, youth football begins not with ready-made answers but with questions: what do you see? what can you do? what solution would you choose? Designed to encourage players to gather information constantly and act on it, the session follows Legia’s core methodology of building from individual ball actions into group play, with around 90 percent of the work done in game-based forms where opponents, team-mates and match context are almost always present. The session progresses from individual technical work on first-touch quality and body positioning into small-sided games and a final build-up exercise that ties all the fundamentals together in a realistic match scenario.

Session overview

Part 1: The forward moment

Part 2: Pressure from behind

Part 3: 3v3 with different options

Part 4: 6v5 game over the line

Part 5: 5v5 game

Key coaching points

Scan and check your shoulder before receiving the ball every time.
Time your movement and receive side-on to stay facing forward.
Take your first touch into space and turn to accelerate.
Create width and depth to give clear passing options.
Play at the right moment with the right weight and pace.
React immediately in transition when winning or losing the ball.

Part 1: The forward moment

(1/2) The receiving player turns through a gate under pressure and passes to the other side.

(2/2) The player sets the ball back for his team-mate.

This drill focuses on developing a player’s ability to scan before receiving, move towards the ball with good timing, and use a positive first touch into space. It also encourages players to protect the ball effectively with their body and arm under pressure from behind, while improving their awareness, body positioning, and quality in the forward turn.

Mark two cone triangles opposite each other, 20m apart, as starting positions.
Set up two cone gates, each 3m wide, between them.
Place several players with a ball at both end positions and one player without a ball in the middle.

The player outside dribbles out of the triangle and passes to the player in the middle.
The receiving player, pressured by the coach from behind, turns through one of the gates and passes to the other side.

The player in the middle sets the ball back. Meanwhile, the player outside moves towards the ball, takes the first touch forward and dribbles dynamically through a cone gate before passing the ball to the other side.

Check your shoulder before receiving.
Move towards the ball with good timing.
Use your body and arm to protect the ball from the defender behind.
Take your first touch forward into space.
Turn positively and accelerate through the gate.

Part 2: Pressure from behind

The attacker decides whether to combine with the supporting attacker in a 2v1 or attack the mini-goals directly in a 1v1.

The second drill focuses on developing a player’s ability to deal with pressure from behind, make quick decisions, and combine effectively in a 2v1 situation. It encourages attackers to create clear passing angles, time their movements well, and use the ball intelligently to pin the defender before releasing a team-mate into space. At the same time, players improve their awareness and body positioning, as well as their decision-making on when to combine and when to attack directly.

Mark out a 20x20m hybrid area with one youth goal, a goalkeeper and two mini-goals.
Position the attackers and defender as shown in the diagram.
Place a supply of balls in the youth goal.

Play always starts with the goalkeeper.
The goalkeeper plays a driven pass into the attacker.
As the pass is played, the defender is allowed to apply pressure from behind and defend forward.
The attacker decides whether to set the ball back to the supporting attacker and finish the situation as a 2v1, or to attack the two mini-goals directly in a 1v1 against the defender without support.
After each repetition, all players rotate to the next position.
The next sequence starts again with the goalkeeper.

Create a clear passing angle to support the player on the ball.
Time your movement so you become available at the right moment.
Pin the defender with the ball to free your team-mate.
Release the pass at the right moment and with the right weight.
Receive side-on and be ready to play forward.
Recognise quickly whether to combine or attack directly.

Part 3: 3v3 with different options

(1/2) Teams score by dribbling through any gate, which is then blocked. The scoring team keeps possession.

(2/2) Variation: A clear direction of play is introduced.

This drill develops players’ awareness, movement and decision-making in a constantly changing small-sided game. With four scoring gates and the rule that the last gate used is blocked for the next attack, players are encouraged to scan, think ahead, create good spacing, and position themselves early for the next attacking opportunity. It also promotes quick transitions and intelligent support play.

Mark out a 10x15m area with 4 dribble gates, each approximately 2m wide, as shown in the diagram.
Organise 2 teams of 3 players.

Play a free 3v3.
Teams can score at any of the 4 cone gates by dribbling through them for 1 point.
After scoring, the successful team keeps possession. However, the gate where the point was scored is blocked for the next attack.

Define a clear direction of play.
Introduce a shot clock.

Keep your head up and scan for the free gate.
Create width and spacing to open passing and dribbling lanes.
Think ahead and position yourself in a good attacking area when a team-mate is about to score, so you are ready for the next goal opportunity.
Move the ball quickly to exploit the blocked gate rule.
Attack space with speed and purpose when a gate opens.
React quickly in transition after scoring or losing the ball.

Part 4: 6v5 game over the line

The blue team scores by dribbling over the opposition’s end line.

This exercise develops players’ ability to build up under pressure, create passing options for the goalkeeper, and recognise the free player when pressed. It encourages the attacking team to use width, depth and quick combinations to progress the ball, while also training quick transitions when possession changes.

Mark out a 35x35m area with one youth goal and a goalkeeper.
Organise 2 teams of 5 players each.

Play always starts with the goalkeeper of the blue team.
Play then continues freely.
The objective for the blue team is to break over the opposition’s end line in a controlled manner. The line may only be crossed by dribbling over it for 1 point, after which play restarts with the goalkeeper.
If the red team wins the ball, they can counter immediately and attack the youth goal with the goalkeeper in a direct and purposeful way.

Set a maximum number of touches in the build-up.
After winning the ball, the red team must attack the goal within a shot clock.

Give the goalkeeper clear passing options when under pressure.
Find the free player when the goalkeeper is being pressed.
Create width and depth to stretch the defending team.
Use quick passing and movement to open the route forward.
Recognise the right moment to dribble over the end line.
React immediately in transition, both when winning and losing the ball.

Part 5: 5v5 game

5v5 game with two goals and goalkeepers.

This exercise allows players to apply the key elements of the session in a free game under opposition pressure. It encourages them to create passing options, recognise the free player, use width and depth, and play with courage in possession.

Use the same area from the previous exercise and add a second youth goal.
Place a goalkeeper in each goal.
Organise 2 teams of 5 players, including goalkeepers.

Play a free 5v5.
The aim is for the players to transfer the key elements of the session actively into the game and apply them under opposition pressure.