First Touch in Soccer: Master Ball Control with Top Drills

A first touch in soccer is your first contact with the ball when receiving a pass. In soccer, this touch often sets up your next move – whether it’s a pass, dribble or shot. Top players know that a soft, controlled first touch gives them time and space to make decisions.

Table of Contents

As Technique Pro Football explains, “First touch is the control of the ball which set up your second move”. Staying on your toes with bent knees and an open hip helps cushion the ball, preventing it from bouncing away. In this guide, we’ll cover why first touch matters, how to improve it, key techniques and drills (solo and with partners), and how to practice control under pressure.

Whether you want to improve first touch soccer skills or drill specific passing and trapping techniques, this article has you covered with expert-backed tips and exercises.

Why First Touch Matters in Soccer

Good first-touch control is essential in soccer. It lets you hold or redirect the ball quickly, so you can maintain possession and “see the game” better. For example, if your first touch is poor and the ball bounces away, “there may not be a second one”. On the other hand, a reliable first touch keeps the ball close and under your control. This makes it harder for opponents to steal it. As a youth coaching blog notes, “by keeping the ball close to their body, players make it more difficult for opponents to steal or intercept it, thus maintaining possession more effectively”.

Strong first-touch skills also speed up play. Instead of chasing loose balls, you can immediately pass or move in open space. A quality touch delivers the ball where you want it, enabling accurate passes and quick attacks. As Techne Futbol advises, a great first touch lets you “bring the ball under your control quickly… so you have more time before you’re under pressure”. In fast-paced matches, this extra second can mean the difference between launching a counterattack or losing possession. In short, mastering your first touch – often described as the “untouchable importance” of football – leads to higher possession rates, fewer turnovers and better under-pressure control.

Elements of a Good First Touch

Mastering first touch starts with technique and awareness. Two critical elements are body positioning and using the right surface of the body to control the ball. Keeping your head up and scanning the field gives you time to anticipate the pass. Technique Pro Football suggests “always scan the pitch before you receive the ball in order to improve your first touch”. Good posture matters too: stay on your toes, knees bent, chest slightly forward. SoccerDrive’s drills highlight “good body position: head up, knee bend, hips open and be ready to receive [the] ball”. This balanced stance makes it easier to cushion and direct the ball no matter how it comes to you.

A soccer player controls the ball with the inside of his foot, demonstrating a soft first touch during training.

Next, learn to use different surfaces of the foot and body to trap and direct the ball. A well-rounded player can control passes with the inside and outside of the foot, laces (instep), thigh or chest, depending on the situation. ExpertFootball.com outlines key trapping techniques: the inside of the foot is common for ground passes – contact the ball with the arch and “cushion” by retracting the foot at impact.

The outside of the foot helps when the ball comes from your side; use the outside laces to guide it under control. For aerial balls, the instep (laces) is useful: jump or position the foot so that when the ball falls, it meets your laces and you cushion it by bending your knee. The thigh is another large surface – angle your thigh downward to absorb a bouncing ball. The chest trap is especially useful for high balls: keep arms wide for balance, arch the back slightly and let the ball settle onto your chest.

Each surface requires practice. For example, to trap a high pass with your chest, ExpertFootball advises stretching out your arms and slightly arching your back, possibly jumping so the chest is aligned with the ball. If you use the sole of the foot (for tight situations under a defender), place your sole on top of the ball (toes raised) and roll it to prepare for the next move. By training each of these touches, you’ll be ready no matter how the ball arrives. Soccer coaches emphasize that elite players can “settle the ball into space, even when under pressure” by using varied surfaces.

Key Techniques and Tips

Beyond feet and body parts, here are some general tips for a better first touch:

Stay on Your Toes: Avoid being flat-footed or stiff. Always be ready to move as the ball comes.
Angled Stance: Face your hips toward where the ball is coming from or where you want to play. This opens up more surface for control.
Soft Touch: Try to “give” a little at impact. As ExpertFootball explains, cushion the ball by withdrawing your foot or thigh just as the ball contacts it.
Directional Control: Often you don’t just trap the ball, but direct it into space away from opponents. Aim your first touch away from defenders to shield it or take a step to create space.
Scanning and Vision: Before receiving, look around. Know where teammates and opponents are, so your first touch sets you up properly.
Use the Right Foot: If a pass is to your left side, consider using the outside or instep of your right foot, and vice versa.
Keep the Ball Close: Ideally, your first touch should keep the ball within a stride’s distance. SoccerDrive notes that trapping inside a small cone area forces better control.
Practice Both Feet: Train receiving passes with both your dominant and non-dominant foot. The SoccerDrive series suggests drills like receiving with your inside foot vs. outside foot, then alternating to build ambidexterity.

By focusing on these technical points, your first touch will improve in game-like situations. Remember, it’s often said that “if your first touch is bad there may not be a second one”, so practicing good technique is crucial.

First Touch Drills and Exercises

Improving first touch requires deliberate practice. Coaches often use specific drills that simulate game scenarios. Below are solo and partner drills (and exercises) to sharpen your control and feel for the ball. Each exercise targets ball control and trapping with various surfaces.

Solo First Touch Drills

Juggling: This is perhaps the most fundamental solo drill. Begin by tossing or volleying the ball to yourself and striking it with feet, thighs, or chest to keep it in the air. Juggling improves balance, coordination and “feel” for the ball. Techne Futbol notes that “if you could only practice one drill to have a good first touch, it would be juggling!”.
Wall Passes: Stand a few yards from a wall. Pass the ball to the wall with one touch and control the rebound with another. Focus on using different body parts: trap with inside foot, outside foot, sole, thigh or chest on alternate touches. Increase the speed and intensity as you improve. Vary the distance – a longer pass forces you to absorb more pace.
Stationary Drills: Place several cones in a circle around you. Have someone toss or gently kick balls into the circle. Practice using your first touch to roll or pass the ball through a target or away from a marked cone. This simulates controlling in tight spaces.
Foot Volley Drill: Drop-kick or toss the ball upward and control it with the laces. For example, drop the ball at knee height and trap it with the instep, then immediately move. This builds the skill of trapping aerial passes with feet. Techne’s drill #2 specifically suggests volleying with the inside and laces to handle balls in the air.
One-Touch Drill: When you have the ball at your feet, practice immediately redirecting it with a single touch (e.g., passing it back to a wall or target) without letting it stop. This enhances reaction time and spatial awareness.

Consistent solo drills increase your muscle memory. Even 10 minutes a day of juggling or wall work can noticeably improve your control.

Partner and Passing Drills

Wall or Rebounder Drills: Similar to solo wall passes, work with a rebounder or wall. One player passes, the other controls the rebound back to the passer. You can alternate surfaces. For example, as Techne Futbol suggests, use cones on the ground to force “practicing receiving the ball in different ways … specify exactly how you should pass the ball back… (to) increase the pressure on yourself to be consistent”.
First Touch Skills Series: A set of partner drills demonstrated by MLS veteran Bobby Burling. Set up four cones in a small square. Players pass to each other from outside the cones and focus on trapping inside the cones. There are exercises like “Receiving Ball with Inside of Foot” and “Receiving Ball with Outside of Foot,” where each pass must be controlled within the cone area. Variations include “Inside Trap and Play” or “Outside Trap and Play,” which combine trapping the ball (inside the cone area) and then immediately passing it out. These drills force you to control the ball tightly and then release it quickly. As SoccerDrive explains, this series helps players work on “first touch skills” using both feet, and can be done alone against a wall or with a partner.
Directed Passing Drills: Include cones or small goals. For example, stand 10 yards apart facing each other. Place a cone 2-3 yards in front of one player. The partner passes the ball; the receiver’s first touch must direct the ball past the cone to either side, as if avoiding a defender. This teaches directional control, similar to Techne’s drill #5 with cones.
Give-and-Go Drills (Wall Pass): Two players pass and move. Player A passes to B, then A makes a run. Player B gives the ball back (wall pass) on one or two touches. Focus on trapping and immediately passing. This recreates small-team play where your first touch sets up a quick one-two.
Pressure Rondo: In a small circle or box, keep possession with 2-touch maximum. Fewer touches force better first touches and sharper movement. Even though this is not strictly solo, it emphasizes quick control under game-like pressure.

When performing any drill, remember the coaching points: keep eyes up, be on your toes, use soft touches, and always follow through to set up the next pass. Commit to practicing these exercises regularly – as SoccerDrive notes, “improving your first touch will help you keep possession when the soccer ball comes your way, which will allow you to make more accurate passes and shots”.

First Touch Under Pressure

In games, you rarely have unlimited time to control the ball. Being able to manage your first touch under pressure is what separates good players from great ones. Key tips for pressure situations:

Quick Decision-Making: If you’re being closed down, it might be safer to play the ball with one touch rather than trying to trap it too long. ExpertFootball cautions that “taking too long to trap the ball could be risky if there are defenders nearby”.
Shielding: If an opponent is marking you tightly, use your body. Position yourself between the ball and the defender. Keep the ball on the foot farthest from the defender and cushion it there. ExpertFootball says: “By standing firm and using your arms you can usually hold [the defender] off. Keep your body between the ball and your marker”. This way, even if your touch isn’t perfect, you have a second to recover.
Protect and Pass: After trapping under pressure, be ready to pass quickly. Sometimes controlling the ball enough to immediately play it (even on the ground) is better than risking a dribble. Remember the adage: the advantage of controlling the ball is that it makes your following touch easier.
Use Space Wisely: If possible, redirect your first touch toward open space. This might mean angling the ball away from where pressure is coming. As ExpertFootball notes, “receiving or directional control… directing the ball away from your opponents” is useful.
Mental Focus: Anticipation helps – if you expect a heavy press, prepare mentally to either trap and turn or pass instantly. Practice drills with a defender closing you down, or set a time limit on how long you can touch the ball.
Stay Calm: Don’t panic under pressure. Keep composure, use a controlled touch, and make a smart outlet pass or dribble. A composed first touch “gives you an advantage over your opponent”.

By regularly practicing under pressure (for example, small-sided games, a few defenders vs. 2 attackers, or timed drills), you will improve your composure. Soccer Drive even includes a “2v2 Split Passing” and other under-pressure drills in their first-touch category.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

While mastering first touch, watch out for these pitfalls:

Flat Feet: Approaching a pass standing upright or flat-footed reduces control. Always bend your knees and get light on your toes.
Ball Watching: Looking down at the ball during the touch often causes a miss or a weak trap. Instead, “check to receive” – glance over your shoulder so you know what’s coming, as coaches advise.
Wrong Surface: Using the wrong part of your foot (e.g., striking with the toe or kicking at the ball) often sends it astray. Instead, use the arch of your foot or inside/outside edge as discussed.
Over-Controlling: Absorbing too much pace can slow you down. If the ball is soft, sometimes a gentle redirect (a pass on the first touch) is better than trapping it completely.
Body Position: Facing the wrong direction can leave you off-balance. Always try to face the incoming ball so your hips and shoulders are square to its path.
Forget to Plan Next Move: After your first touch, you should already know what you want to do next. A habit: before touching, decide if you will pass, dribble or shoot immediately. This reduces hesitation.

By identifying and correcting these mistakes, you’ll notice your first touch becoming cleaner and more purposeful.

Putting It All Together

Mastering first touch in soccer is a journey that combines technique, practice and game sense. Incorporate these best practices and drills into your training routine:

Warm up with solo ball control drills (juggling, wall passes).
Practice first touch exercises with a partner or in small groups (like the SoccerDrive series and give-and-go drills).
Challenge yourself under pressure – add defenders or timers to simulate game speed.
Use video analysis or feedback: film yourself receiving the ball and see if you’re doing the right body movements.

Over time, you’ll gain muscle memory and confidence. Techne Futbol reminds us: improving first touch “takes a lot of time and practice,” but even pros keep refining it, because at higher levels “the ball will be passed to you harder…and you’ll need to make faster decisions”. So never stop practicing. As one youth soccer blog sums it up, a reliable first touch “allows players to direct the ball exactly where they want it to go”, opening up better passing, shooting and creative play.

Try out the drills above this week and track your improvement. Share your progress in the comments or tag a friend on social media who needs to see these soccer control and touch tips. Your feedback helps everyone – if you found a particular drill helpful, let us know or share this article on your favorite platform.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What exactly is “first touch” in soccer?
A: The first touch is the very first contact you make with the ball when you receive it. It’s essentially how you control or trap the pass. A good first touch should set up your next move (pass, dribble, shot) immediately.
Q: How can I improve my first touch soccer skills?
A: Practice ball control drills consistently. Solo exercises like juggling and wall passes (as mentioned above) build touch. Partner drills (like “inside foot trap” exercises from SoccerDrive) simulate real passing. Focus on technique (cushioning the ball on the inside of the foot, thigh, etc.) and body position (knees bent, head up). Gradually increase the speed and difficulty of drills. Over time, muscle memory improves your touch.
Q: Are there solo first touch drills I can do without a partner?
A: Yes! Juggling is a classic solo drill that vastly improves touch. Also use a wall or rebounder: kick the ball against it and control the rebound with one touch before playing it back. You can set cones for target passes even in solo drills. The key is repetition – even 10 minutes a day will help.
Q: How important is practice frequency?
A: Very important. Like any skill, first touch improves with regular training. Short daily practice is better than sporadic long sessions. Even playing wall-pass games in your yard or juggling during breaks builds neural pathways for ball control. SoccerDrive emphasizes committing to practice to develop first touch “over time”.
Q: Can strong first touch really make a difference in games?
A: Absolutely. Players with a reliable first touch can maintain possession under pressure and create plays. A well-controlled touch often decides whether a play continues smoothly or breaks down. Many coaches say it’s a game-changer – by mastering first touch in soccer, you give yourself options (pass, dribble, shoot) right away, boosting both individual performance and your team’s success.