51) Kick‑off - FIFA Training Centre

A team’s approach to restarts is a key element in beach soccer. Each restart presents a goalscoring opportunity, particularly the kick‑off. There are various ways in which a kick‑off can be taken. Teams generally try to score within one or two passes of the kick‑off.

Basic set-up

V1: with two options

V2: Aerial passing combination

V3: Aerial passing combination with bicycle‑kick finish

V4: with active defenders

Organisation

Set up a 5v5 scenario, with one team taking the kick-off and the other team defending it.

Explanation

This exercise focuses on a number of kick‑off variations.

A goal cannot be scored directly from a kick-off, i.e. the kick-off taker must play the ball to a team-mate before a shot on goal can be taken.
Ask the defending team to defend passively. The aim of the exercise is to work on different kick-off variations.
The exercise begins with the kick-off taker playing the ball along the sand to their team‑mate, who takes a first‑time shot on goal.

Variations

V°1: The kick-off taker flicks the ball off the sand to their team‑mate, who takes a first‑time, volleyed shot on goal.
V°2: Aerial passing combination that culminates in one of the two wide players taking a volleyed shot on goal.
V°3: Aerial passing combination that culminates in one of the two wide players performing a bicycle‑kick finish.
V°4: Allow the defenders to defend actively and apply a press, simulating a match scenario.