Soccer Passing Types: Push Pass, Driven Pass, Lofted Pass, and Wall Pass

Different pass types solve different problems: keeping possession under low pressure, breaking lines at speed, lifting the ball over a blocked lane, or combining to escape a defender. Your job is to choose the simplest pass that matches the space, pressure, and tempo.

Quick decision rules (what to choose and why)

• Push pass: choose when the target is close and you have time/space for accuracy.
• Driven pass: choose when distance is larger, the tempo is high, or you must beat an opponent’s reach with pace.
• Lofted/chipped pass: choose when the low passing lane is blocked by a foot/opponent and there is space behind them.
• Wall pass (give-and-go): choose when a defender over-commits to the ball and you can run into the space they leave.

1) Push pass (short accuracy)

Purpose: Keep possession and connect play over short distances with high accuracy. Ideal for quick circulation, playing out of pressure when you have a clear lane, and setting up the next action (receive-return, third-man).

Technique cues

• Scan: check the target’s feet and the passing lane before the ball arrives.
• Angle: open your hips so your pass can travel across your body (easier to aim) rather than straight under you.
• Plant foot: beside the ball, toes pointing toward the target.
• Contact: controlled, “push” the ball to the target’s front foot (the foot that helps them play next).
• Follow-through: short and guided; finish facing the target.

Step-by-step: choosing the target foot

1. If your teammate is facing you and unpressured, pass to their back foot (furthest from the nearest defender) so they can open up.
2. If your teammate is running forward, pass to the space in front of their stride so they don’t break rhythm.
3. If your teammate is under light pressure, pass to the front foot to let them play one-touch away from pressure.

Typical mistakes (and fixes)

• Under-hitting (intercepted): firm up the contact and reduce “extra” backlift; focus on a clean push through the center of the ball.
• Passing to the wrong foot (teammate gets trapped): decide the target foot before you strike; use the defender as your reference point.
• Telegraphing (defender reads it): look once, then pass with the same body shape; avoid staring at the target during the strike.

2) Driven pass (medium/long distance with pace)

Purpose: Move the ball quickly over medium-to-long distances, break pressure, switch play, or find a forward quickly before the defense resets. The key difference is pace: the ball arrives fast enough to beat opponents’ reactions.

Technique cues

• Preparation touch: set the ball slightly in front of you so you can strike through it.
• Body line: chest over the ball to keep it from floating; hips square to the target line.
• Plant foot: stable and slightly behind the ball for a strong strike.
• Contact: strike through the middle of the ball with a firm ankle; think “punch” rather than “sweep.”
• Follow-through: longer than a push pass; your kicking leg finishes toward the target.

When to choose a driven pass

• When the receiver is 15–35 m away and you want the ball to arrive before pressure closes.
• When you are switching play to the far side and need to beat midfield traffic.
• When a teammate is checking toward you and you want the pass to stick to their feet with minimal bounce.

Typical mistakes (and fixes)

• Ball lifts and floats: keep your chest over the ball and strike through the center; avoid leaning back at contact.
• Receiver can’t control it (too hard): match pace to distance; for 15–20 m, you need “firm,” not “max power.”
• Inaccurate due to rushing: take a small adjustment step so your plant foot is stable; accuracy drops when your base is moving.

3) Lofted/chipped pass (lift over a foot or opponent)

Purpose: Lift the ball over an opponent’s foot, a crowded line, or a pressing player when the ground lane is blocked. A good chip is not a high clearance; it is a controlled lift that drops into space or onto a teammate’s run.

Technique cues

• Read the block: if a defender’s leg or body is in the lane, chip over the nearest obstacle, not over everyone.
• Plant foot: close to the ball; stability matters more than power.
• Contact point: under the ball to create lift; keep the ankle firm.
• Shape: shorter swing with a “scoop” feel; aim for a quick up-and-down flight.
• Target: pick a landing zone (space) rather than the teammate’s current position.

Step-by-step: chip over a pressing foot

1. As the defender steps to block, take a small touch to set the ball.
2. Spot the space behind the defender (2–6 m beyond them is often enough).
3. Plant beside the ball and strike under it to lift it just over the block.
4. Follow the pass by moving to support the next touch (chips often create a second-ball moment).

Typical mistakes (and fixes)

• Too high / hangs in the air: reduce swing length and aim for a lower arc; think “over the foot, not over the stadium.”
• Not enough lift (blocked anyway): contact slightly more under the ball and firm the ankle; don’t decelerate at impact.
• Chipping when a simple ground pass exists: use the decision rule—chip only when the low lane is truly blocked.

4) Wall pass (give-and-go) to bypass pressure

Purpose: Combine with a teammate to get around a defender. The first pass draws the defender in; the run exploits the space behind or beside them; the return pass releases you. The wall pass is a timing action more than a power action.

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Key ideas

• Pass, then sprint: the run is non-negotiable; if you admire the pass, the move dies.
• Run off the defender’s shoulder: go where the defender cannot see both you and the ball easily.
• Set the wall: the teammate receiving should know the return option before the ball arrives.

Step-by-step: basic give-and-go

1. Attract pressure: carry the ball just enough that the defender steps toward you.
2. Play the first pass: a short, accurate pass into your teammate’s safe side.
3. Explode into space: run immediately past the defender (outside or inside depending on the open lane).
4. Return pass: your teammate plays one-touch or two-touch into your path, not to your feet.
5. Next action: take the next touch forward (shot, cross, or another pass) before pressure recovers.

Typical mistakes (and fixes)

• First pass is too hard (teammate can’t set it): soften the first pass so the wall player can return quickly.
• Run is late: trigger your sprint as the ball leaves your foot.
• Running straight into traffic: angle your run into the open channel; if the defender blocks inside, go outside (and vice versa).
• Return pass behind the runner: wall player should pass into space in front; runner should show with a clear angle and speed.

Practice progressions (technique → movement → game constraints)

A) Isolated technique (no pressure)

• Push pass gate work: set two cones as a 1 m gate. From 6–8 m, pass through the gate 10 times each foot. Track: successful / 10.
• Driven pass targets: place a cone “receiver zone” 20–30 m away (2–3 m wide). Drive the ball so it arrives within the zone with minimal bounce.
• Chip over a barrier: use a cone line or a small hurdle (or a bag) as the “block.” Chip to land in a marked box 8–15 m away.
• Wall pass pattern: two cones 8 m apart (players). Add a third cone as a “defender” 2 m in front of the passer. Pass → run around the defender cone → receive return in stride.

B) Moving partner (timing and realism)

• Push pass on the move: partner jogs laterally; pass to the correct foot (front/back) based on their body angle. Switch roles every 60–90 seconds.
• Driven pass to a checking player: receiver starts 10 m away, checks toward the ball, then opens out. Server drives into the receiver’s path; receiver plays a quick next pass.
• Chip to a run: receiver starts behind a cone “line,” then runs into space as you chip over the line. Focus on landing zone, not height.
• Wall pass with choice: add two possible running lanes (inside/outside). The passer chooses based on the “defender” cone position; the wall player returns into the chosen lane.

C) Small-sided constraints (decision-making under pressure)

• Must complete a wall pass before scoring: in 3v3 or 4v4, a goal counts only if the team completes a give-and-go in the attacking half within the same possession.
• Points for switching play: award 1 bonus point for a successful driven pass that switches the ball from one wide channel to the other (define channels with cones).
• Chip reward rule: award 1 bonus point for a successful chip that goes over a defender’s line and is controlled by a teammate (no “hopeful” lobs).
• Push-pass tempo rule: in a possession game (e.g., 4v2), require 3 consecutive push passes before a driven pass is allowed, teaching patience and then acceleration.