First-Touch Practice: Choose the Direction Before the Feed

Stopping the ball is not the only possible objective

A first-touch drill can become a sequence of trapping the ball directly underfoot, even when the next pass or shot lies elsewhere. The player then needs an extra adjustment to continue. In another situation, moving the ball forward immediately would take it into a defender. The useful first touch depends on what the player intends to do and what space is available.

Choose that next action before selecting the drill. You may want to receive across the body toward a target, set up a shot or keep the ball protected while another option appears. These are different tasks. A single instruction to take a positive touch can be too vague unless the players agree on the direction and the information that justifies it.

Start with a destination, then introduce a decision

Set up a passer, receiver and visible destination such as a target player or marked exit. The receiver should know where the ball needs to go next. Keep the initial feed and starting position consistent enough to observe the contact and resulting ball position. Ask whether the touch makes the next action available, not simply whether the receiver avoided losing the ball.

Allow time to reset between attempts. If the pass is repeatedly outside the agreed area, fix the feed before judging the receiver's touch. FIFA's first-touch session highlights the relationship between receiving orientation and the desired direction. In your practice, the coach can use that relationship to choose a cue that fits the player's current task rather than offering several technical corrections at once.

When the planned direction is clear, add a second destination and a simple signal or defender. The receiver must now look and choose before contact. Keep the choice realistic: a target that is visibly closed should not still be the mandatory answer. Later, place the action into a small-sided game where retaining possession or returning the pass remains possible. That final option matters because a directional touch is useful only when the surrounding situation supports it.

Example: receiving to play toward the left

Imagine a player receiving centrally with a target to the left. The initial touch repeatedly stops the ball under the body, so the next pass requires a hurried adjustment. The coach keeps the feed stable and asks the player to prepare for the intended leftward action before the ball arrives.

Once that pattern is recognizable, a defender can close the left option and a second target becomes available. The player now has to identify whether the original direction is still useful. The observer records the selected option and whether the first touch supported it. A technically tidy touch toward a closed target is treated as a decision to discuss, not automatically counted as a successful attempt.

Keep the technical focus small after the session

After repeated receiving and turning work, optional full-leg care can fit into a seated pause at home. KIOKOP PRO's air-compression system covers the legs in one setup, which can be convenient when you want the evening to finish with a simple routine rather than more active practice.

Use the boots according to the current fit and operating instructions. Save the one cue about the next action, then let the drill end. The practical product connection is seated leg care after field work; the direction and quality of the first touch remain matters for coached practice.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• Compression Boots for Athletes: Who Should Use Them and What to Look For
• How to Use Compression Boots After Training: A Simple Recovery Routine

Sources and product information

• FIFA Training Centre: Directing the ball with the first touch
• KIOKOP PRO: Full-leg air compression and product controls