STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT BY AGE GROUPS (U5-6-7-8-9) (Patreon)

By NATIONAL TECHNICAL STRUCTURE OF U15 to U20 (Portuguese FA)!

Discovery and Formation of the Foundations of Football (U5-6-7-8-9):

Main Characteristics:

• Period of major evolutionary changes;
• Greater body development and effectiveness;
• Emergence of operational intelligence;
• Overcoming of the family context;
• Transition from the world of play to the world of work;
• They are generally egocentric;
• Availability to learn (great motivation);
• Limited attention span;
• They are very sensitive to criticism;
• Beginning of cooperative process.

Main Objectives:

• Cultivate and stimulate the joy of playing soccer;
• Create marks for life;
• Encourage children to think and decide (not format);
• Achieve motor wealth (diversity of balls, goalposts, game rules,...);
• Recreate the context of street football.

Structural Dimension:

• 3v3; 4v4; 5v5; 6v6; 7v7 game (for the more advanced) and Variants (1v1; 2v1; 2v2 with supports, 3v2;...).

Functional Dimension:

• I like to play, play and play;
• Explore different individual and collective game actions;
• Understanding of "Having and Not Having the Ball";
• Introduction to the cultural principles of the game (penetration, offensive coverage, mobility, width, contention, defensive coverage and concentration,...);
• "Eyes on the game";
• Experience different positions (including goalkeepers);
• Explore different technical actions;
• Recover the ball when lost;
• Close and far space from the ball;
• Understanding of defending the goal;
• Play across the full width (amplitude);
• Structures that allow forming triangles and diamonds;
• Functional lines (defense/midfield/attack).

Example of Exercises:

1# Objective: Penetration and Contention

• Exercise: 1x1 game + 2 side supports;
• Space: 15x10 m (variable);
• Duration: 8x1’ to 2’+1’ recovery = 16’ to 24’; 
• Progression: Integration of GK = GK+1x1+GK + 2 supports (possible variation of supports for depth).

2# Objective: Cultural principles of the game

• Exercise: 2x2 game without goalposts - crossing the end line with the ball controlled through dribbling. Between the cones, the goal is worth 2 points and outside is worth 1 point;
• Space: 20x15 m (variable); 
• Duration: 3x1,30' to 2'+1' recovery = 7,5' to 9'.

3# Objective: Cultural principles of the game

• Exercise: 3x3 game with 4 goalposts;
• Space: 15x20 m (variable);
• Duration: 3x5’+1’ recovery = 18’.

4# Objective: Cultural principles of the game

• Exercise: Game GK+3v2+GK. Players rotation every time there is a goal or after 2 minutes;
• Space: 25x20 m (variable);
• Duration: 3+6'+1' break = 21'. 
• Progress: After losing the ball, defenders perform an offensive transition, with opposition from the attacker who lost the ball (2v1).