When you’re out on the field, the game moves fast. It flows in bursts. One second you’re standing still, the next you’re chasing down a pass, breaking into a sprint, or shifting laterally to cover your man.
Speed in soccer is not always about top speed or who can win a 40-yard dash. It’s about how quickly you react, how fast you move in tight spaces, and how well you control your body when the game pulls you in different directions.
You already know this. You’ve felt it during matches.
That moment when the defender beat you to the ball by a fraction. Or when you couldn’t recover quickly enough to stop the counter.
Those tiny moments change games. They also give you a blueprint. Because they show you where your body can improve. That’s where agility drills come in.
The drills you’ll find here are built to simulate game-like movements. They’re intense, but they’re designed to help you become more efficient, more explosive, and more responsive in real soccer situations.
No fancy machines, no overcomplicated routines. Just cones, space, and your willingness to push hard.
Here are 6 of the most effective high-intensity agility drills for soccer speed. These are not just random exercises. Each one targets a specific way your body needs to move when the pressure is on.
1. Mini Shuttle
How to Set It Up
Start by placing two cones 20 yards apart. Right in the middle, set up two more markers—one three yards to the left, the other three yards to the right.
This creates a sort of short cross within a longer sprint track.
How It Works
Start from the left middle marker. Sprint ten yards to one end, touch the ground, turn, and sprint across the full twenty-yard stretch to the other side.
Touch the ground again, then finish by sprinting back to the central right marker.
Each time you turn, switch the foot you pivot with.
Touch the ground with your hand at every marker. These small details sharpen your body control and force you to drop low, just like you’d do in a match when shifting directions.
What You Gain
This drill forces your body through repeated sprints, sharp turns, and quick bursts. Your legs work under stress, and your core fires up to keep you stable.
The movement pattern mirrors game play in a way that builds functional speed—not just for running in a straight line but for covering ground in short, reactive moments.
SEE ALSO | Fun and Engaging Soccer Drills and Games for Kids
2. Weave In and Out
How to Set It Up
Lay out six to eight cones in a straight line, each one about three yards apart. Between each pair of cones, place an extra cone off to the side, three yards to the left.
What you get is a path that forces you to zigzag, alternating between straight and lateral movements.
How It Works
Sprint to the first cone and touch it with your hand. Then, shuffle sideways to the next one in the zigzag pattern and touch again. Keep your chest facing forward.
Do not turn your body toward the cone as if you were sprinting straight at it. Instead, use quick side steps to reach each one.
The focus here is on speed and control.
What You Gain
This drill mimics the way you move when defending a tricky winger or trying to close down space without overcommitting.
You learn to stay light on your feet, ready to explode in either direction, and you build strength in your hips and inner thighs. Your footwork becomes tighter, and your ability to shift laterally at pace improves with every round.
3. Follow the Leader
How to Set It Up
Mark out a square area, twenty yards by twenty yards. You need a partner for this one. It works great during team training or with a coach, but even a friend or sibling can join in.
How It Works
Your partner moves randomly inside the square; sprinting, jogging, slowing down, cutting sharply in different directions. Your job is to mirror them while keeping about two yards of distance.
You follow every change in pace, every shift in direction, and every sudden stop or start.
What You Gain
This is a reaction drill, plain and simple. In soccer, you spend most of your time responding to other players. Whether you’re tracking a runner, pressing the ball, or moving into space, the ability to react instantly is what separates fast players from effective ones.
This drill sharpens your body’s instinct to move with purpose without having to think.
SEE ALSO | Best Soccer Drills You Can Do Alone to Improve Your Skills Fast
4. Super Shuttle
How to Set It Up
Place one cone in the center of your space.
Then, place four more cones in a cross pattern; one in front, one behind, one to the left, and one to the right, each about five yards from the center.
How It Works
Start at the base cone behind the center. Run backward to the center cone. From there, side step to the right cone, then return to the center.
Sprint forward to the top cone, then backpedal to the center. Now, side step to the left, return to the middle, and finish with a sprint back to where you started.
It might sound like a lot, but once you get into the rhythm, the drill flows naturally.
What You Gain
This blends every movement you use in a real game. It forces you to transition from backward to forward, left to right, without pause.
Your muscles learn to fire in different planes, and your body becomes more adaptable. You get stronger at changing direction quickly while staying balanced.
5. Slalom Sprint
How to Set It Up
Line up ten cones in a straight line, five yards apart.
How It Works
Weave through the cones at maximum speed. No ball. No hesitation.
Just fast, deliberate cuts around each cone. Focus on keeping your steps short and controlled. When you finish, walk back to the start and go again.
You can repeat this drill for three to five sets, depending on your fitness level.
What You Gain
When you play, you’re rarely running in a straight line. Whether you’re dribbling through traffic, escaping a defender, or chasing a bouncing ball, your legs need to be quick and independent.
The Slalom Sprint isolates your leg speed, improves your foot placement, and strengthens your ankles. Over time, your ability to move quickly in tight spaces becomes second nature.
SEE ALSO | 5 Exciting 1 v 1 Soccer Drills for Youth Players to Improve Skills
6. Box Drill
How to Set It Up
Use four cones to create a square, each side about five yards in length. Place a fifth cone in the center. Label each corner with a number from one to four.
How It Works
Start at the center cone. Have a coach or teammate call out numbers in random order. As soon as you hear a number, sprint to that corner cone, touch it, and sprint back to the middle.
Wait for the next number. The pauses should be brief, just long enough to catch the next instruction.
If you’re training alone, you can set a timer or record a voice track with randomized numbers.
What You Gain
This is about reaction and repetition. You’re training your brain and body to work together without delay.
You improve your speed in short bursts, your ability to change direction on the fly, and your focus under fatigue. The more unpredictable the sequence, the more benefit you get.
SEE ALSO | How to Improve Your Soccer Stamina: Drills and Tips That Work
The Mental Side of Speed
It’s easy to think of speed as a physical thing. Legs, lungs, feet. But there’s a mental part to it, too. The way you scan the field, read movement, and anticipate runs.
The more confident you are in your body’s ability to move, the more freedom you give your mind to focus on the game itself.
These drills build that confidence.
You learn what your body can do under pressure, and you begin to trust that you can recover, chase, press, or break free when the moment comes.
How to Train with These Drills
You don’t have to do them all at once. Pick two or three and cycle through them during your training week. Mix them into your warm-up, add them to your fitness routine, or use them as part of a solo session.
Here’s a sample structure you can try:
Day One:
- Warm-up: 10 minutes of dynamic stretching
- Drill 1: Mini Shuttle (5 sets)
- Drill 2: Weave In/Out (4 rounds)
- Drill 3: Follow the Leader (3 minutes x 3)
Day Two:
- Warm-up: Light jogging and stretches
- Drill 1: Super Shuttle (4 sets)
- Drill 2: Slalom Sprint (5 sets)
- Drill 3: Box Drill (random calls for 5 minutes)
Rest 30 to 60 seconds between rounds. Push yourself with intensity, but keep your form sharp. Training like this only works if you move with purpose.
Final Word
Speed in soccer is more than just raw pace. It’s how quickly you get moving after a turn, how fast you close down space, how sharp your reaction is when things go sideways.
Every sprint you take, every cone you touch, every turn you make in these drills adds something to your game. It might not show up in the first session, but with consistency, it will.
You’ll feel lighter. Quicker. More in control. And when that next 50-50 ball comes your way, you’ll get there first—not because you were born faster, but because you trained for it.
SEE ALSO | Best Soccer Warm-Up Drills to Improve Skills and Stay Injury-Free
SEE ALSO | Tips and Drills to Improve Heading Skills in Soccer
SEE ALSO | 10 Vital Soccer Skills for Kids With Basic Drills
