Why Rondo Football Drills Still Matter: How Guardiola, Klopp & De Zerbi & Spanish FA Build Tactical Intelligence
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The Power of Rondo Football Drills in 2025
Rondos are not new, but in 2025, they’ve never been more essential. From elite professional teams and academies to grassroots clubs, coaches across the world are designing sessions around them.
The reason is simple: rondos offer the perfect balance between repetition and game-realistic decision-making. They are easy to set up, yet rich in tactical value, making them a staple of modern football training.
At their core, rondos involve keeping the ball while defenders attempt to win it back. But with small tweaks to player numbers, space, direction, or transition rules, these practices become powerful tools for developing tactical intelligence. They sharpen quick passing, scanning, pressing reactions, and the ability to make fast decisions under pressure, all within a game-like structure.
That’s why rondos are featured throughout SoccerTutor.com coaching books. From Pep Guardiola’s structured rondo progressions and De Zerbi’s positional variations, to the Spanish Federation’s youth development framework and Klopp’s dynamic counter-pressing games, each resource shows how top coaches adapt rondos to build their teams’ style of play. These aren’t just technical warm-ups, they are tactical development practices that prepare players to dominate possession and think faster in real match situations.
Why Rondos Work: Tempo, Thinking, and Technique
The rondo’s simplicity makes it effective, but its true power lies in how coaches adapt it.
To develop tempo, use:
Tight-space rondos like 4v2 or 5v2
Apply touch limits to force faster thinking and passing
To improve scanning and awareness:
Add central neutral players
Encourage switching sides
Help players adjust body shape to prepare for the next pass
To train pressing cues and defensive reactions:
Use rondos with transition rules
Add pressing triggers or directional targets
These increase the rondo’s transfer to real match situations
These adaptations build more than just ball control:
Encourage intelligent movement
Improve compact pressing
Strengthen communication
As shown in the Spanish FA and Klopp coaching books (see below):
A well-designed rondo can train multiple game moments
Progress to rondos with positional roles, game phases, or built-in transitions
Turn a simple setup into a full tactical rehearsal space
🗣 Johan Cruyff:
"Everything that goes on in a match, except shooting, you can do in a Rondo. The competitive aspect, fighting to make space, what to do when in possession and what to do when you haven't got the ball, how to play one touch football, how to counteract the tight marking and how to win the ball back."
Pep Guardiola Example:
4v4 (+3) Pre-Match Warm-up Possession Rondo
Source: Pep Guardiola - 85 Passing, Rondos, Possession Games & Technical Circuits Direct from Pep's Training Sessions
This pre-match rondo is designed to sharpen passing rhythm and pressing reactions. It takes place in a 12 x 15 yard area with two teams of 4 (one inside, one outside) and 3 neutral jokers. The team in possession creates a 7v4 superiority, using the support of the jokers to circulate the ball under pressure. When the defending team wins possession, the roles immediately reverse, promoting quick transition awareness and recovery pressing. It’s a simple but highly effective way to activate players physically and mentally before kick-off.
To learn from Guardiola’s rondos plus a lot more, see all the info about the Pep Guardiola – 85 Passing, Rondos, Possession Games & Technical Circuits Direct from Pep's Training Sessions book.
Jürgen Klopp Example:
5v2 Intense Pressing Rondo to “Win the Ball within 6 Passes”
Source: Jurgen Klopp - 102 Passing, Counter-pressing Possession Games, Speed & Warm-ups Direct from Klopp's Training Sessions - Vol.1
This variation focuses on transitional pressing. The defenders must win the ball within 6 passes, encouraging aggressive pressing, fast movement, and collective defensive effort. The attacking players must maintain tempo and move the ball quickly, while the defenders develop reaction speed and understanding of Klopp’s counter-pressing cues.
To explore all of Klopp’s counter-pressing rondos and possession games, plus much more, see all the info about the Jürgen Klopp – 102 Passing, Counter-pressing Possession Games, Speed & Warm-ups Direct from Klopp’s Training Sessions book.
Roberto De Zerbi Example:
6v2 +1 Middle Floating Player Rondo – Creating Angles and Pressing in Pairs
Source: Roberto De Zerbi - 92 Build Up, Passing Combinations and Attacking Positional Practices Direct from De Zerbi’s Training Sessions
This larger rondo includes a floating neutral player and pressing in pairs, combining De Zerbi’s positional build-up model with out-of-possession coordination. The practice encourages players to support at angles, recognise compact central passing options, and respond to pressing triggers, all within the shape and rhythm of real match dynamics.
To learn from De Zerbi’s rondos plus a lot more, see all the info about the Roberto De Zerbi – 92 Build Up, Passing Combinations and Attacking Positional Practices Direct from De Zerbi’s Training Sessions book.
🗣 Roberto De Zerbi:
“To be a protagonist you have to keep the ball, to have the ball.”
Spanish Football Federation Example:
5v2 Rondo “Hit Middle Cone”
Source: Spanish Football Federation Coaching Program U9–12
This rondo takes place in a 10x10 yard area with 5 red players on the outside and 2 white defenders inside. The goal is twofold: maintain possession and look for the moment to strike a pass that hits a cone placed in the centre.
Possession rewards one point for a set number of passes, while hitting the cone earns two. The defenders must work as a pair to block passing lanes and protect the cone target, which trains coordination, communication, and intelligent pressing. Progressions include adding a second cone to defend or limiting the possession players to two touches.
To see all of the Spanish Federation’s rondos plus their full development programme, get all the info about the Spanish Football Federation Coaching Program U9–12 book.
This article was created by the SoccerTutor.com team using exclusive content and training insights from some of the world’s top coaches. The practices and examples featured are taken directly from the training sessions of Pep Guardiola, Jürgen Klopp, Roberto De Zerbi, and the Spanish Football Federation’s official development programme.
Rondo football drills remain a core part of modern coaching, used by Guardiola, Klopp, De Zerbi, and the Spanish FA to develop tactical intelligence, fast decision-making, and pressing awareness.
This article breaks down how each coach adapts rondos to fit their philosophy, with practical examples from real training sessions you can use to improve your team's performance.
To get many more rondos plus a wide range of top-quality training content across all topics, explore the full range of SoccerTutor.com books featured below.
Master Pep Guardiola’s rondos, passing, and possession drills direct from his training sessions
🔁 Practices direct from Pep Guardiola’s training sessions
⚽ Passing, rondo, and possession-based practices
🧠 Game-based training methods to develop tactical intelligence, movement, and decision-making
🛠️ Includes positional practices and technical circuits
📐 Source from Pep Guardiola’s actual training methodology at Manchester City
📝 Easy-to-follow diagrams and step-by-step coaching instructions
🏆 Train the principles behind Manchester City’s possession dominance
👥 Adaptable for grassroots, academy, and professional levels
Train Like Klopp: Apply his exact rondo and counter-pressing methods from Liverpool’s training sessions
🔁 Includes rondos and counter-pressing drills direct from Jürgen Klopp’s training sessions
⚽ Passing, pressing, and possession-focused training
🧠 Game-based methods to improve pressing reactions, decision-making, and collective movement
🛠️ Features transition-focused rondos and high-intensity warm-up games
📐 Sourced from Klopp’s actual sessions at Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund
📝 Step-by-step coaching instructions with clear diagrams
🏆 Train the principles behind Klopp’s fast-tempo, counter-pressing style
👥 Adaptable for grassroots, academy, and professional levels
Recreate De Zerbi’s build-up play and attacking style with his exact training methods and give your team the edge
🔁 Includes rondos and build-up practices direct from Roberto De Zerbi’s training sessions
⚽ Focus on build-up play, passing combinations, and attacking positional drills
🧠 Game-realistic methods to develop tactical awareness, timing, and player coordination
🛠️ Features positional rondos, third-man runs, and structured attacking patterns
📐 Sourced from De Zerbi’s training sessions at Sassuolo, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Brighton
📝 Clear diagrams and step-by-step coaching guidance
🏆 Train the principles behind De Zerbi’s fluid, possession-based attacking style
👥 Adaptable for grassroots, academy, and professional levels
Learn to develop your players the "Spanish way" with 96 Practices from the official coaching program of the Spanish Football Federation
🔁 Includes rondos and foundational practices from the Spanish FA's official youth program
⚽ Focus on technical skills, ball mastery, and small-sided games
🧠 Develops game intelligence, decision-making, and spatial awareness from an early age
🛠️ Features age-appropriate rondos, passing drills, and coordination exercises
📐 Sourced directly from the Spanish Football Federation’s national coaching curriculum
📝 Step-by-step practice plans with diagrams and coaching tips
🏆 Build the technical and tactical foundation behind Spain’s world-class player development
👥 Designed for grassroots, academy, and youth teams (U9–U12)
🔁 Start Building Smarter Sessions Today
Explore football coaching books on rondos, possession, pressing and every other coaching topic from grassroots to the elite level, by world leading professional coaches
