Rondos in youth football: exercises by number of players and category
A youth football rondo is organised by number of players and space: a 4v2 with 6 players, a 5v2 with 7, and two connected boxes with 8 or 10.
- 6-7 players: 4v2 in 8x8 m or 5v2 in 10x10 m.
- 8-10 players: two connected 8x8 m squares; with 10, also a 4v4+2 in 30x15 m.
- Warm-up: 3 blocks of 3 minutes with 1 of active rest.
- Defenders: two per rondo from 6 players, with an immediate role change on a turnover.
- Adjustment: if passes are hard to string together, widen the space, and if the group strings more than 10 together with ease, shrink it.
What a rondo is and how it differs from positional play
A rondo is a small-space possession drill: outside players keep the ball with a numerical advantage (4v1, 4v2, 5v2), while defenders try to win it inside. 2010 EFDeportes article describes this setup in 20x20, 30x15, 25x10 and 25x25 m spaces.
Positional play adds zones and progression. A 4v2 in one square is a pure rondo; a 4v4+2 in thirds with end wildcards requires moving the ball between zones. This article covers that transition.
FC Barcelona highlights the technique, precision, off-ball movement, pressing and intensity required in a rondo.
Rules for running a rondo without queues or passivity
Avoid players waiting. An 8v1 circle offers little involvement. As discussed in how to motivate kids in youth football, split the group, add a second defender and set a time limit.
- Between 4 and 7 players per square. With more, run two rondos side by side, or use a bigger space (15x15 m) with three defenders from 9 players.
- Two defenders from 6 players per square. The 4v1 works as an entry point in benjamín and gets dropped early.
- Losing the ball means switching roles at once. Whoever loses it or plays a bad touch goes into the middle, no arguing and no stopping the game.
- Short blocks. Between 2 and 3 minutes per block, with defenders rotating; when the group starts talking about something else, the block has already run too long.
- The coach counts. Consecutive passes, how long a defender lasts, how many times a line gets broken. A rondo with no number to beat turns into a stroll.
Connect the rondo to the match: receive half-turned, open a passing lane or react to losing possession. the analysis of Luis Enrique's method warns against keeping the ball without a purpose.
Master table: space, defenders and touches by format
These are starting dimensions, not regulations. They combine FIFA plans (20x20, 30x15, 25x10 and 10x10 m), our own judgement and a final-year degree project from Universidad Miguel Hernández involving 53 U13-U15 players from three Alicante clubs. Adjust to the group.
| Category (2026/27) | Players | Format | Starting space | Touches | What it trains |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benjamín (8-9) | 6 | 4v2 | 8x8 m (10x10 m if passes are hard to string) | 3 touches, then 2 | Body shape and passing to the free player |
| Alevín | 7 | 5v2 | 10x10 m with a triangle goal | 2 touches | Passes between lines and reacting to a turnover |
| Benjamín 2nd year / alevín | 8-10 | 8: 3v1 + 3v1; 10: 4v1 + 4v1 | Two 8x8 m squares | Free, then ground pass | Switching the point of attack |
| Alevín 2nd year | 8 | 3v3+2 | 25x10 m in three zones | Free | Receiving half-turned, pivot play |
| Infantil / cadete | 10 | 4v4+2 | 30x15 m in thirds | Free | Passing lines, lanes |
| Infantil / cadete | 9 | 5v3 + goalkeeper | 15x15 m | 3 touches | Support angles and playing with the keeper |
| Cadete / juvenil | 9 | 6v3 with transition | 15x15 m, then 12x12 m | Free | Pressing after a turnover |
The UMH degree project starts at 6x6 m for 6v2, adding or subtracting 0.25 m per outside player, down to 5v2 at two touches. It is a degree project, not a published study. Our practical adjustment: fewer than three passes, widen; over 10 easy passes, shrink. See youth football categories by age.
Rondo with 6, 7, 8 and 10 players
Player numbers determine the format. Have an alternative when someone is missing or extra; see the formats in fútbol 7, 8 and 11.
6 players: 4v2
Start at 8x8 m. Widen to 10x10 m if they cannot link three passes; shrink each side by a metre if they exceed 10 easily. The player losing possession swaps with the defender who touched the ball.
Time: 3 blocks of 2 minutes, starting each with a different defending pair. Correct: receiving shape and finding the free teammate. Progress: 3 → 2 touches; for alevín, one touch only to the foot away from the defender. Track the group’s passing record.
7 players: 5v2 with a triangle goal
Place three central cones in 10x10 m. The FIFA Training Centre plan uses two-touch outside players; the player losing possession and their right-hand teammate become defenders.
Our adaptation: one point per pass through the goal. Time: 3 blocks of 3 minutes. Progression: an inside wildcard worth double points.
8 or 10 players: two connected 8x8 m boxes
Two boxes with a corridor between them. Use 3v1 per box with eight; 4v1 with ten. Switching boxes earns two points and trains switching play.
Time: 3 blocks of 3 minutes. Progression: switch with a ground pass, then one touch. Defenders may join up only when the ball changes box. For 16 players, FIFA offers a 8v8 rondo in 20x20 m split into four squares, with touch and scoring variations.
Another option with 10: 4v4+2
A 4v4+2 with wildcards in three zones, covered under positional rondos.
Other groups: 5, 9 and 12 players
With 5, use 3v2; with 9, 6v3 in 15x15 m; with 12, adjacent 5v2 and 4v1 boxes, rotating every 3 minutes. The keeper can be a wildcard.
Rondo as a 10-12 minute warm-up
Nobody queues. Split 8-12 players into two 8x8 m squares: 3v1 per box with eight, 4v1 with ten and 4v2 with twelve.
- Block 1 (3 min): free play, no touch restriction. Start gently.
- Block 2 (3 min): two touches. The speed of thought goes up.
- Block 3 (3 min): compulsory pass with the weak foot. Prioritise accuracy.
- Between blocks, 1 minute of active rest: drink, swap defenders, joint mobility.
Reward winning the ball with a quick shot at a mini goal. Total: 11 minutes, 9 playing and 2 resting. Keep the squares and add goals or a player for the main task.
An ECSS 2022 conference abstract involving 17 professionals found greater external load in small-sided games than rondos, except for accelerations and decelerations. These are adult data, not a youth training prescription: start with a gentle block.
Avoid exceeding 12 minutes, leaving an inactive defender in the centre or placing 12 players in a circle with little involvement.
The coach's Sunday summary
Open course calls, up-to-date guides and new posts. Free, with one-click unsubscribe.
Leave your email and get the next issue:
Positional rondos: three zones, wildcards and pivot
Zones, lanes and wildcards move a rondo towards positional play. The first two drills adapt FIFA talent-programme plans; the other two are our own. Adjust dimensions to the group.
4v4+2 in three zones · 10 players · infantil/cadete
In 30x15 m, use 2v2 in the first third, 1v1 in each remaining third and end wildcards, following FIFA sheet 2.3a. Each zone requires defenders to cover several passing lanes.
Our adaptation: score by reaching the opposite wildcard and move after passing. Time: 3 blocks of 3 minutes. Progression: a line-breaking pass before finding the wildcard.
3v3+2 with a pivot · 8 players · second-year alevín
FIFA sheet 2.3b uses 25x10 m: two 10 m end zones and a 5 m central zone with a pivot. Train receiving half-turned to see passing lanes.
Start with free touches and require no more than two passes per zone. Time: 3 blocks of 3 minutes. Progression: three touches once the group controls the rhythm.
5v3 + wildcard keeper · 9 players · infantil/cadete
In 15x15 m, five attackers use three touches; the keeper uses two. Aim for 8 passes involving three players before switching sides. Train support angles and keeper involvement (coaching goalkeepers without being a specialist).
Time: 3 blocks of 3 minutes. Progression: after winning the ball, a defender must pass to a teammate outside the square to score.
6v3 with transition · 9 players · cadete/juvenil
In 15x15 m, the three defenders score by winning the ball and linking three passes. If they lose it sooner and the six outside players recover in less than 5 seconds, the outside team scores.
Time: 3 blocks of 3 minutes with 1 minute of rest. Progression: shrink to 12x12 m and feed a spare ball from outside.
An under-23 study in Frontiers in Psychology (2020) compared 4v2, 4v3, 4v4, 4v5 and 4v6 possession in 30x25 m. Large advantages produced more walking distance; disadvantages produced more sprints and individual tactical actions. These were young adults. Our progression starts at 4v2 and moves towards equal numbers as the group improves.
Which rondo and what to ask for in each category
A reference by age, based on our session guides for alevines and infantiles.
| Category | What works | What not to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Benjamín (8-9) | 4v1 and 4v2 in generous space, free play | Compulsory one-touch play, pressure on the defender and blocks longer than 3 minutes |
| Alevín (10-11) | 4v2, 5v2, 3v3+2 with a pivot, keeper as a wildcard | Zonal pressing or complex build-up (see the alevín session guide) |
| Infantil (12-13) | 4v4+2, 5v3 with a keeper, passing lines | Long rondos with no objective, just for maintenance |
| Cadete (14-15) | Positional rondos with wildcards, one touch with a rule | High loads without recovery breaks |
| Juvenil (16-18) | 6v3 with transition, pressing after a turnover | A warm-up rondo longer than the main task |
For prebenjamín (6-7), prioritise free ball play without fixed roles. For benjamín, start at 4v1 and progress to 4v2; see Youth football exercises by age. As a U15 example, FIFA proposes a 4v2 in two halves of 27x12 m: five passes followed by a wide pass to a player in a 1x1 m square.
What to correct and when, and where the rondo fits in the week
Correct one thing per block, in this order:
- Closed body shape. The player receives facing the passer and cannot see the next pass. First correction in any rondo, from benjamín up.
- Pass with no angle. The teammate is behind the defender and the pass gets cut out. It is fixed with a movement that opens another passing line.
- The defender who chases the ball. He runs after every pass and arrives late. Fix it by asking him to close one passing line and wait.
- The circular, passive rondo. The ball goes round with no risk. Fix it with a rule (a point for a pass between lines) or a time limit for the defender.
- Slow role change. If the player who loses the ball is slow to go in, the exercise loses rhythm. Demand an immediate switch.
Monday: gentle free play in the post-match session. Wednesday: medium/high load linked to the weekly concept and main task. Friday: low load, few repetitions and nothing new. Compare the passing record monthly.
About the author
Content written by RutaMister from hands-on experience, editorial review and a teaching focus for youth football coaches.
Frequently asked questions
What is a rondo in football and what is it for
A rondo is a possession exercise in a small space where some players keep the ball and others, usually two, try to win it. It trains passing, control, body shape and support. With a starting rule (a point for a pass between lines, role change on a turnover) it stops being maintenance work and connects to the game.
How many players do you need for a rondo
The minimum is a 4v1 with 5 players; the standard is a 4v2 with 6. With 7 you can run a 5v2, with 8 two boxes of 3v1 and with 10 a 4v4+2 with wildcards. With more than 7 per square, split into two rondos, because kids who wait without touching the ball end up switching off.
How long should a warm-up rondo last
Between 10 and 12 minutes in total, split into 3-minute blocks with 1 minute of active rest and a different rule in each block: free play, two touches, weak foot. Going beyond that takes time from the main task and turns the warm-up into a separate session, with the group already tired.
What size space to use for a rondo
As a starting point, 8x8 m for a 4v2 and 10x10 m for a 5v2. A Universidad Miguel Hernández project used 6x6 m for a 6v2, adding or removing 0.25 m per outside player. If the group cannot string three passes together, widen the space; if they chain more than 10 with ease, shrink it.
What is the difference between a rondo and positional play
The rondo has fixed roles, a small space and a single objective: keep the ball. Positional play spreads players across zones or lines and asks them to progress from one zone to the next. A 4v4+2 in three thirds with wildcards at the ends belongs to the second group, even if it is set up like a rondo.
Sources
- FIFA, Talent Coach Programme: 8v8 rondo in 20x20 m
- FIFA, Talent Coach Programme: 4v4+2 rondo
- FIFA, Talent Coach Programme: 3v3+2 rondo
- FIFA Training Centre: Cristian Flores session
- FIFA Training Centre: Cefor U15 session
- Universidad Miguel Hernández: degree project on rondos in U13-U15 (2023/24)
- Frontiers in Psychology (2020): unbalanced possession games
- ECSS 2022: external load in SSG and rondos
- FC Barcelona, Revista Barça: the fundamentals of Barça football
- EFDeportes no. 147: the rondo game and high-performance football